I am disabled with a spinal injury and visual impairment. The day Roger Peach senior salesman from "SMART PERFORMANCE, BIRMINGHAM, UK" came to talk to me I was ill in bed on anti-biotics and morphine for pain. I say this, as I was not thinking straight as I would usually, and after 2 hours with Mr Peach, I was tired. He told me about Voltage Optimisers (VO), which he claimed he had installed in his home and which he stated saved him money on his energy bills. He explained briefly how they worked and said if I wanted to buy one it would cost me £2,500.00 but, it would pay for itself after a few years. I said I didn't have that amount of money and so he phoned his boss who agreed to take ten cheques, post dated of £250.00 each, which would save me interest on a loan. Usually, I am thorough and efficient when buying anything and I research it first. I think the mixture of liking and trusting Mr Peach along with being ill and in pain, made me agree to sign a contract that day and give him the cheques. After a succession of infections, several months later, I was fit enough to get my friend to read me the contract I had signed, which had given me a long past 14 day cooling off period. I began looking at my energy bills and comparing them with those prior to the VO installation. I noted NO difference in the amount of energy used. I then researched VOs on the Ofgem site and several other web pages. To my horror I realised that they were a waste of money and completely ineffective and "not advised for peoples' homes". I tried contacting Smart Performance but only got the same person a Mr Riley Dias, who always said that he would pass on my messages to the boss. I heard nothing. I sent Mr Dias all the information I had gathered regarding my energy consumption and asked him to pass it on. he assured me that the manager "would sort something out for me". This went on for months and I became ill again. A friend took over but again got nowhere. I asked them to either come and make it work or for some recompense because it didn't work. Nothing!!! SO my advice is NOT to sign anything on the day. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST and if like me, you are ill on the day, CANCEL the meeting. Personally, I wouldn't touch this company with a proverbial barge pole. I am £2,500.00 down with nothing but a very expensive plastic box and some wiring to show for it. read more
