ASA Adjudication on The Maintenance Group Ltd

Ad

A regional press ad for an electrical services company was headlined "Warning OLD FUSE BOARDS LIKE THESE CAN CATCH FIRE AT ANY TIME". Below this were pictures of three different types of fuse board. Text in a box below the pictures stated "LET THE MAINTENANCE GROUP QUOTE YOU TODAY We are currently changing these old types of fuse boards in and around the Halesowen area Call US today on 0845 XXXXXX for a FREE no obligation quote for a fully installed fuse board from £199".

Issue

The complainant challenged whether:

1. the statement "Warning OLD FUSE BOARDS LIKE THESE CAN CATCH FIRE AT ANY TIME" was misleading and could be substantiated because they understood that the fuse boards pictured, if properly maintained, were fit for purpose, and

2. the ad could cause unnecessary fear and distress to readers by suggesting that the units were a fire risk.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

The Maintenance Group Ltd did not respond to the ASA's enquiries.

Assessment

The ASA was concerned by The Maintenance Group's lack of response and apparent disregard for the Code which was a breach of CAP Code clause 2.6 (non-response). We reminded them of their responsibility to respond promptly to our enquiries and told them to do so in future.

1. & 2. Upheld

We considered that the statement "OLD FUSE BOARDS LIKE THESE CAN CATCH FIRE AT ANY TIME" would be interpreted by readers to mean that the fuse boards pictured in the ad posed a serious and potentially imminent fire risk. We noted that we had not seen evidence that that was the case and we therefore concluded that the claim gave a misleading impression about the nature and extent of the risk to consumers' safety. We also considered that the ad was therefore likely to cause undue fear and distress to readers whose homes contained the fuse boards featured. We concluded the ad was in breach of the Code.

The ad breached CAP Code clauses 2.6 (Non-response), 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness), 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 (Fear and distress).

Action

The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told CAP to inform its members of the problem with The Maintenance Group Ltd.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)