Poor Service and Lack of Documentation
Unfortunately, our experience with this solar panel installation company has been extremely disappointing and problematic at nearly every stage of the process.
Initially, we were told that a specialist would visit our property to prepare a proper installation plan for the panels. However, no one ever came. As a result, when the installation team arrived, they had no plans and lacked the appropriate tools. The panels were installed in a non-optimal way – one of them is shaded for around 60% of the time, significantly reducing the system’s efficiency. Although, after our intervention, the company agreed to install an optimiser, this issue should never have occurred in the first place.
During transport, it also turned out that one of the panels was damaged, and the team did not bring the carbon offset monitor. We were offered a refund for this, which we declined as we wanted a complete system. Initially, we were told to wait around two weeks for the work to be completed, but after multiple phone calls, this was reduced to one week.
In the meantime, the installation stopped working, and the inverter began showing an overload error. When the team returned, it turned out that the system’s protections needed to be changed because the circuit breakers were tripping. Only after this adjustment did the system start working again.
Another major issue was the lack of documentation. We waited around a month to receive the full set of documents, and even then, not everything was provided. In order to sign a flexible tariff agreement with Octopus Energy, we require an MCS certificate, which we never received. Instead, we were sent a link explaining how to proceed without it – but this involved an additional cost of around £200. Furthermore, this process also requires a DNO document, which we have also not received.
Since November, we have been trying to contact you regarding the missing documentation. The only response we received was that the request had been forwarded to the appropriate department. Despite numerous follow-ups, we have not received any further response.
During this time, the installation stopped working again. After multiple attempts to get in touch, no action was taken, and it took approximately three weeks before a technician finally visited. Alarmingly, the person who came was not even aware of the previously reported issue.
Additionally, the finance company that provided the loan for the installation has also attempted to contact you on our behalf. They even offered to reimburse the £200 cost for the required documentation, as this had not been mentioned beforehand. Despite this, we are still unable to obtain the necessary documents. We have also tried contacting the energy provider directly, but have received no response.
At this point, we are in contact with a lawyer and are considering taking legal action due to the failure to meet contractual obligations and the financial losses we have incurred as a result of being unable to fully benefit from the installation.
It is particularly disappointing because your offer initially seemed attractive, and we had recommended your company to friends and neighbours. Unfortunately, given our experience, we can no longer recommend your services.
We urge you to resolve this matter as soon as possible, especially given the current rise in energy prices.
Update:
Following my previous review, I have now received a response from the local electricity network operator (DNO – Electricity North West).
They have confirmed that no G98 or G99 application was ever submitted for my solar installation by the installer.
This means that the system was installed without being properly registered with the network, which is a fundamental requirement in the UK. As a result, I am currently unable to complete the process with my energy supplier or register for an export tariff.
I find this extremely concerning, as handling DNO applications is a basic responsibility of any competent solar installation company.
I am now in the process of resolving this issue directly with the DNO, which should never have been necessary if the installation had been completed correctly from the start.