Although solar panel installation can be difficult to get wrong, there are instances where buyers realise that they aren’t getting the benefits they were promised. Being mis-sold solar panels is one of the most frustrating experiences for a homeowner, especially since it’s an investment meant to increase property value.
Consumers are usually guaranteed several benefits upon purchasing their solar panels, including generating a surplus amount of electricity, financial benefits from the Feed-In Tariff (FIT), and energy bill reduction enough to cover monthly finance payments. If you observe none of these benefits even with continued use, then it might be the case that these panels are not, in fact, “paying for themselves.”
If you believe that you might have been mis-sold solar panels, here are ways for you to claim compensation.
Being Misled Over Solar Panels
When considering complaints and claims for mis-sold products, companies have started to focus on homeowners who have experienced being mis-sold solar panels.
This investment has many benefits, including reducing a home’s overall energy expenses and carbon footprint. However, not every house can install solar panels as it depends on many factors, including the specifications of the property, the customer’s budget, and their energy usage. Customers typically rely on the advice they receive regarding these points of consideration at the point of sale.
Unfortunately, many consumers routinely come forward to seek help after being misled in their solar panels purchase using partial payments on their credit card or a finance agreement. This typically occurs when solar panels are originally sold as an investment. Sellers will inform buyers that there are many financial benefits to be gained through feed-in tariffs, allowing homeowners to get payments from energy suppliers to generate their own electricity with solar panels or wind turbines. With the expected energy reduction, the claims from the tariffs would supposedly cover the monthly finance payments. It’s an attractive offer as solar panels are marketed to be free and ‘pay for themselves’ with financial returns outweighing the costs.
Upon closer inspection over time, many homeowners will observe that the opposite is true for these claims. Their finance repayments will end up far greater than any benefits they are receiving. Thousands of people are investing in solar energy, and with terms that last up to 15 years, it’s quickly becoming an opportunity for financial mis-selling scandals.
How to Claim a Full or Partial Refund
Fortunately, not all hope is lost if you’ve fallen victim to this kind of misleading. There are ways to claim a full or partial refund depending on your circumstances, including the following:
- The solar panels were purchased within the last five years.
- The solar panels were paid for using a method of finance in the form of a credit card or a finance agreement.
- You believe you were misled when purchasing the solar panels because you were told that they would provide financial benefits that were never achieved as promised.
- It was never explained to you during the point of sale that there would be significant deficits every month between the finance repayments and the financial benefits of the solar panels, both in terms of energy bill reduction and the feed-in tariff.
The Consumer Credit Act also protects consumers who have spent £100 on any item using their credit card or finance agreement. Section 75 of this act specifically holds credit card companies or finance providers liable for any complaints about the solar panel provider, even if they have stopped trading. Even if you used credit to pay for the deposit, the Act would cover you for the full purchase of the solar panels if you can establish misleading on the part of the solar panel provider!
Conclusion
Misleading people into buying solar panels with financial benefits they don’t actually provide is becoming a more common occurrence these days. Knowing what false claims to look out for when making this expensive investment can protect you from losing money over solar panels that supposedly pay for themselves. However, if you end up being on the receiving end of being mis-sold any product, relying on the right claim advisors is your best option in getting a refund.
Have you been mis-sold goods, and are you looking for ways to reclaim what you’ve lost? Here at Consumer Reclaim, we help our clients pursue claims for mis-sold products and services, helping them through every step of the long and daunting complaint process. Get in touch with us today to start the claims process with the pros!