A London-based solar panel company, which made an average of almost 500 calls a day – many described as “aggressive and pushy” – has been whacked with a £105,000 fine by the Information Commission.
Bluon Energy made 194,379 unsolicited direct marketing calls between April 2024 and April 2025 to people registered with the Telephone Preference Service, in contravention of the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
The calls, equivalent to one every three and a half minutes, offered a “free survey” for solar panels and led to 61 complaints to the ICO and the TPS during this period.
The ICO investigation found that the company bought leads from third-party data suppliers without checking that people had consented to being called. It also operated under at least three different trading names, including Greentech Solar, Green Line Solar and Solar Diagnostics Checks.
Complaints described the callers as “aggressive and pushy,” with one complainant wrongly informed that their TPS registration “didn’t count” and another told that the ICO “could not do anything to [the company].”
Another complainant said: “They wanted to survey my house for solar panels. My elderly mother is frail and when I get a phone call on the home phone, I always feel sick in case she has collapsed, as I only get calls from her care home on this number.”
ICO head of investigations Andy Curry commented: “No one should have to worry when they answer the phone that news about a loved one might turn out to be an unwanted sales call instead. This penalty serves as a clear warning that we will always hold firms to account for unlawful nuisance marketing and I am pleased that Bluon Energy has now paid the fine.
“This case also shows exactly why it matters when people take the time to report nuisance calls to us. Every report helps us build a clearer picture of who’s behind these calls and strengthens our ability to take action, especially as we continue to focus on the unlawful marketing of so-called green energy products and services. If you’ve had an unsolicited call like this, please report it to us and help us put a stop to these operations.”
The fine comes as the ICO reveals complaints about automated nuisance marketing calls have reached their highest level since 2021 almost tripling from July to September. This number continues to rise, with the ICO receiving 4,734 complaints about these calls in October.
TPS director of preference services Russell Roach added: “Enforcement action such as this relies on consumers taking the time to report the nuisance calls they receive – and, in return, having confidence that those making the calls will be dealt with appropriately.
“The TPS works closely with the ICO to share intelligence and complaints that can help identify where businesses may be breaking the rules, helping to protect consumers, especially those who may be particularly vulnerable.
“We understand it can sometimes feel as though making a complaint about a nuisance call will not make a difference, but penalty actions like this shows that it can be incredibly valuable.
“Our advice is simple: please keep reporting nuisance calls to the TPS. Every complaint represents another piece of evidence and helps us, alongside the ICO, protect people from organisations that disregard their privacy.”
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