When an Auditor’s Incompetence Becomes Your Financial Nightmare
“I approached Ofgem with a blunt message: I don’t think your auditor went to the right address. If he did, he’s a fantasist.”
THE AUDIT FROM HELL
A long-term client of mine—a man who runs a flawless operation—was served an audit notice while I was out of the country. He had my Detailed RHI Compliance Folder. He was prepared. He was honest.
Then, in walked the “Auditor from Hell.”
He was young, out of his depth, and too timid to ask a single question in the yard. Instead of asking for a tour, he took a few silent photos and retreated to his bedroom to write a report that was pure fiction.
THE “GHOST” REPORT
Ofgem audits aren’t just essays; they are a binary “Yes/No” checklist that requires photographic evidence. Because this auditor was too shy to speak up on-site, he simply ticked “NO” for everything he didn’t see:
- ❌ “No hot water tank found” (It was in the next room).
- ❌ “No secondary heating in adjacent property” (He didn’t walk through the door).
- ❌ “Illegal connection detected” (He saw a safety back-boiler for a log burner and assumed it was linked to the RHI boiler. It wasn’t).
THE COUNTER-ATTACK: “I fought back.”
When I saw the report, I went on the offensive. This wasn’t a time for “polite clarification.” This was a time for Uber-Defensive Advocacy.
I told Ofgem straight: The report is rubbish. I refused to let my client spend months “proving a negative.” I demanded they either re-audit or take my professional word as an independent consultant that the inspector had botched the job.
THE COST OF A CLIPBOARD ERROR
Ofgem eventually folded. They admitted the report was wrong. But the victory was bittersweet.
- The Apology Letter: Took 364 days to arrive.
- The Financial Impact: One full year with ZERO RHI cash flow.
- The Reality: Without a professional to call out the auditor’s lack of authority, my client could have lost his entire tariff.
THE LESSON: DON’T FACE THE CLIPBOARD ALONE
An auditor is only as good as the questions they ask. If they don’t ask, they guess—and when they guess, you lose.
If you’ve got an audit notice, don’t just hope for a good inspector. Get a shield.
📞 Richard Weeks: 0735 60 25955
“Boots on the ground. Grit in the yard. Your RHI advocate.”