A BOURNEMOUTH firm has not paid its £100,000 penalty almost a year after it was fined. 

Skean Homes, based in Lorne Park Road off Old Christchurch Road, was fined £100,000 in January 2024 for making more than 600,000 unsolicited calls in three months between March and May 2022. 

But the Information Commissioner’s Office, which investigated the spam calls and issued the fine, has said the payment has not yet been made. 

Skean Homes appealed the hefty penalty notice, but this was struck out on October 17. It then had two weeks to appeal that decision, which it did not. 

A spokesman from the Information Commissioner’s Office said: “We are now taking action to recover the debt that has arisen from this unpaid penalty.” 

Skean Homes had the opportunity to have a 20 per cent reduction on the fine taking it down to £80,000 if the payment was made before February 13, 2024. 

Andy Curry, of the ICO, said in a report about Skean Homes: “The Commissioner's underlying objective in imposing a monetary penalty notice is to promote compliance with PECR.  

“The making of unsolicited direct marketing calls is a matter of significant public concern.  

“A monetary penalty in this case should act as a general encouragement towards compliance with the law, or at least as a deterrent against non-compliance, on the part of all persons running businesses currently engaging in these practices. 

“This is an opportunity to reinforce the need for businesses to ensure that they are only telephoning consumers who are not registered with the TPS and/or specifically indicate that they do not object to receiving these calls.” 

The investigation found Skean Homes withheld its identity while contacting people registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). 

Skean Homes, a firm that claims to help improve energy efficiency and reduce household bills, also used false names during the calls including Eco Hub, Driveway Solutions and Eco Driveways. 

Complaints revealed the calls were promoting everything from loft insulation to resin driveways and that the company sometimes claimed to be part of the local council.  

Skean Homes Ltd refused to take responsibility for the unlawful marketing calls, claiming it had allowed its lead generation provider to temporarily use their caller identities and that TPS checks failed due to a technical error.  

Skean Homes was approached for a comment but did not respond in time for print.