Solar install flop, not good for anyone's mental health.

[Creakyride]

After having paid a deposit and waited 8 months, I was forced to cancel the install... and now the I have to battle to get my money back.

It looks like allot of other people are in the same situation as myself. This is sickening... it wants you to not trust anyone anymore to have any job carried out. It's wrong!
I had been patiently waiting to have solar PV and battery installed and been told lots of different reasons for the delays and cancellation dates. It seems to me that the company in question has hold of potentially £x.xxx.xxx, which I won't be surprised if this money are used to invest in larger jobs, or on something else.

If you think that your deposit is protected by HIES, think again. This protection is only valid for about 3 months, in which they expect the work to be completed by.
This is not HIES fault! I am sure they would honour any claims made against them, but if the insurance lapses after a few months, they can't be responsible for the actions of a bad company.
Make sure you always pay any deposit using a Credit Card, as under Section 75 your money should be protected by your credit card company, at least here in UK.
Failing that, I guess I will need to go through a small claim court. Happy days...

 

[binky]

After having paid a deposit and waited 8 months, I was forced to cancel the install... and now the I have to battle to get my money back.

It looks like allot of other people are in the same situation as myself. This is sickening... it wants you to not trust anyone anymore to have any job carried out. It's wrong!
I had been patiently waiting to have solar PV and battery installed and been told lots of different reasons for the delays and cancellation dates. It seems to me that the company in question has hold of potentially £x.xxx.xxx, which I won't be surprised if this money are used to invest in larger jobs, or on something else.

If you think that your deposit is protected by HIES, think again. This protection is only valid for about 3 months, in which they expect the work to be completed by.
This is not HIES fault! I am sure they would honour any claims made against them, but if the insurance lapses after a few months, they can't be responsible for the actions of a bad company.
Make sure you always pay any deposit using a Credit Card, as under Section 75 your money should be protected by your credit card company, at least here in UK.
Failing that, I guess I will need to go through a small claim court. Happy days...

Also get onto the MCS registration scheme and put a complaint in.

 

[Creakyride]

That's a good idea, thanks, I'll look into this.

 

[Creakyride]

Currently awaiting a response from HIES. I have followed their advice and given 14 days notice of cancellation by letter to the installer, from which I have had no response from.

My guess is that I will be given advice on how to claim off the credit card company.

 

[MikeJhn]

The letter should be sent by recorded delivery.

You can also try the "Financial Ombudsman"

 

[Kot]

Period of Cover

120 days, subject to the limitations in the suppliers guarantee

Just received my insurance cover today it started the day I paid the initial deposit. 8 months delay is ridiculous so look at the suppliers contract in detail and also the t&c of the insurance. Mine has following info---

Deposit Protection cover lasts for a maximum of 120 days


from the commencement of cover date (unless we


have agreed to an extension of this period in writing). Therefore, if your Deposit Protection cover has expired and we have not issued you with an Insurance Backed


Guarantee certificate of cover, you are not covered under the Deposit Protection Insurance or the Insurance


Backed Guarantee.
Cover is provided during the period of cover only and is

subject to you notifying us within 30 days of your discovery

of the existence and extent of the defect, and following the

Claims Procedure. It is subject to the terms and particularly the

exclusions set out in the cover.

Failure to follow some elements of the Claims Procedure may

result in your claim being rejected.

 

[Murdoch]

How did you pay your deposit?

Out of interest what did they last say to you?

 

[MikeJhn]

More importantly did they give you a start date of installation and have not met that obligation?

 

[Creakyride]

The letter should be sent by recorded delivery.

You can also try the "Financial Ombudsman"

Yes, did that, as advised by HIES.

 

[Creakyride]

Period of Cover

120 days, subject to the limitations in the suppliers guarantee

Just received my insurance cover today it started the day I paid the initial deposit. 8 months delay is ridiculous so look at the suppliers contract in detail and also the t&c of the insurance. Mine has following info---

Deposit Protection cover lasts for a maximum of 120 days


from the commencement of cover date (unless we


have agreed to an extension of this period in writing). Therefore, if your Deposit Protection cover has expired and we have not issued you with an Insurance Backed


Guarantee certificate of cover, you are not covered under the Deposit Protection Insurance or the Insurance


Backed Guarantee.
Cover is provided during the period of cover only and is

subject to you notifying us within 30 days of your discovery

of the existence and extent of the defect, and following the

Claims Procedure. It is subject to the terms and particularly the

exclusions set out in the cover.

Failure to follow some elements of the Claims Procedure may

result in your claim being rejected.

Seems the same as mine. But did not notice the expiry date.

Really, not worth having to pay for this insurance if the work is not carried out within the time limit of the policy... Just pay with the Credit Card and then we should be covered under section 75.

 

[Creakyride]

How did you pay your deposit?

Out of interest what did they last say to you?

Paid by Credit Card.

They said that they where sorry they had to cancel the commencement date again but they couldn't give me any other date in the future!!!!???

That's when I had enough and wrote the formal letter to them.

 

[Creakyride]

More importantly did they give you a start date of installation and have not met that obligation?

Yes, on several times.

 

[Creakyride]

I just learned that the company was on the One Show on BBC just last night

 

[binky]

I just learned that the company was on the One Show on BBC just last night

Sounds ominous

 

[Creakyride]

There should be something in place to stop this sort of things happening... Big penalties given to such companies.

I wouldn't be surprised if they are using everyone's deposit to fund materials for large government or public contracts. Why getting a loan when you can use other people's money.

 

[binky]

There should be something in place to stop this sort of things happening... Big penalties given to such companies.

I wouldn't be surprised if they are using everyone's deposit to fund materials for large government or public contracts. Why getting a loan when you can use other people's money.

Nah, just funding their directors lifestyle...