Consumers beware: Avoid solar panel pitfalls – use a retailer that has signed the code of conduct
The boom in the residential solar panel industry has created an array of problems for Victorian households due to a lack of appropriate consumer protections. Consumer Action’s lawyers get complaints about many aspects of the industry, including misleading marketing, incorrectly installed panels, problems connecting to the electricity grid, and difficulty getting problems fixed.
Consumer Action encourages consumers to consider using a retailer that has signed up to the Clean Energy Council’s PV retail code of conduct. Signatories to the code have agreed to provide a minimum warranty of five years, abide by marketing guidelines, provide detailed information on the process of installation and network connection and have a fair complaints process.
Consumers wishing to see a list of solar retailers that have signed up to the Clean Energy Council’s code of conduct can do so here.
Note: Consumer Action CEO Gerard Brody is the chair of the Clean Energy Council’s PV retail code of conduct review panel.
