After months of careful consideration and research, you’ve finally made the decision to usher your home into a future of greener energy by investing in a solar panel system.
Although it was regarded as a pure luxury by most homeowners because of how rare they were, today’s available systems are much more affordable and accessible. With modern systems capable of reducing the homes’ energy bills and carbon footprint that install them, it’s easy to see the allure that people can’t stop talking about.
However, amid all the acclaimed benefits of modern solar panel systems and the different benefits that they provide, it’s worth noting that they’re not always a safe bet because of one risk: the risk of being mis-sold.
The complexity of buying the right panels
Although the risk of being mis-sold solar panels isn’t a problem rooted in the appliances themselves, it’s one that is inherent in the investment process because of all the intricacies involved.
Unlike regular appliances and home fixtures that don’t require too much research and deliberation, solar panels require a more careful buying process because of how intricate they are. Apart from being fairly expensive, solar panels are difficult to purchase and install because of the different features that they use to ensure a perfect fit in any home based on various factors, such as:
- The budget of a customer
- The level of energy usage of a customer’s home
- The size and location of the property that a customer’s home is situated in
In the case of the latter two factors, the need to consider them during the purchasing process is significant because of how they affect the overall applicability and effectiveness of a system. Yet, the complexity of a buying process is further intensified whenever motivations (such as investment purposes) are brought into the equation, which is where mis-selling typically stems from.
What usually happens whenever solar panels are mis-sold?
Considering that the average solar panel system costs at least several thousand pounds, most—if not all—purchases are made after certain promises or motivational factors are pitched during a sale.
Although buying a certain set of solar panels with a promise lined up isn’t wrong, having the resulting experience fall short of expectations is definitely a problem. Unfortunately, this occurrence of mis-selling based on failed promises or lopsided expectations causes many customers to become dissatisfied with their purchases, leading them to a point where they need to take action!
How do you know that you’ve been mis-sold solar panels?
Typically, being mis-sold a set of solar panels is an experience that is best defined by being promised one outcome and getting a completely different experience (or nothing at all).
Whenever mis-selling occurs, the chances are that these benefits or expected results are pitched before dissatisfactory experiences take place:
- The guarantee of generating a surplus amount of electricity than you are receiving.
- The promise of receiving financial benefits from the Feed-In Tariff (FIT)––a government programme that pays you for the energy you generate and export to the National Grid.
- The promise that expected energy bill reductions will cover the monthly finance repayments.
- The guarantee that the solar panels will attain a desirable Return on Interest (ROI), something that is usually pitched as the panels “paying for themselves.”
If you’ve been promised any of these benefits and failed to see them upon installation and a few months (or years) of use, it’s best to assume that you’ve been mis-sold a set of panels. Fortunately, you can make a financial mis-selling claim to be compensated for a purchase that failed to fulfil its promises by getting in touch with Consumer Reclaim’s experts to help you!
Conclusion
With solar panels being the most beneficial yet expensive investments that anyone can make for their homes, it can be agitating to experience the unfortunate outcome of being mis-sold a set. Through this guide’s help, you can seek the best course of action if you ever find yourself in such a situation so that you can get your hard-earned money back!
Are you having a bit of difficulty with reclaiming the full cost of any mis-sold goods or services that you’ve purchased within the last six years in the UK? Discuss your claim with one of our claim advisors today to see how we can help!