Preston firm Crown Glazing fined £130,000 for unlawful marketing calls

Crown Glazing Ltd, based at Preston Docks, broke the law by cold calling households and businesses and falsely claiming to represent the UK Government and National Grid.

While the majority of calls were advertising double-glazing and a free energy test, some of the complaints claimed the firm misleadingly suggested they were representing the UK Government to help households improve their energy savings.

The company, who install energy efficient windows and doors, also falsely claimed to represent a number of energy suppliers.

The fine follows an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office who found the firm – which has directors listed as Imran Khan and Mohammed Umran Khan – made more than 500,000 direct marketing calls to people registered with the TPS (Telephone Preference Service), the UK's official 'do not call' register for landline and mobile numbers.

It is against the law for organisations to make marketing calls to anyone signed up with the service, unless the individual or business has explicitly consented to receive these calls.

Of the half-a-million unlawful marketing calls made by the Preston energy firm, the ICO said it received a total of 37 complaints.

Crown Glazing was fined £130,000 and the ICO issued an enforcement notice ordering them to stop calling people and businesses registered with the TPS and CTPS (Corporate Telephone Preference Service), or who had previously objected to such calls.

Andy Curry, ICO Head of Investigations, said: “Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable after simply answering the phone. People and businesses register with the TPS and CTPS for a clear reason; to stop unwanted marketing calls and protect their privacy.

“These companies have not only broken the law by failing to check the ‘do not call’ register, but also caused distress and potential financial damage to businesses on the receiving end of their deceptive sales tactics.”