Who do I report a solar panel installer for providing poor service?

hkjohn

Thought was SEAI, but when I wrote to them about the issue, they wrote back to say that handling complaints about unreliable installers was not their field.

Anyone know who I should get in touch with or should I go straight to the energy ombudsman

FWIW complaint involved a minor problem the installer took two months to fix first time around and has now done nothing about for as long again. The system in question is just one year old).

DopeTech

CCPC?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058419078/who-do-i-report-a-solar-panel-installer-for-providing-poor-service

What's the problem OP?

hkjohn

App stopped working during a power outage caused by Storm Eoghan back in Jan and could not be reactivated by just reconnecting to my Eir router.

After two months of sending a series of incomprehensible emails, the guy from the company finally came to the house in mid-March. The only way he could reactivate it was by climbing into the crawlspace under our roof and accessing a QR code on a unit he installed in the far side of our house last year.

He then compounded his failure to give us a copy of the QR code at time of installation by neglecting to give us a copy of the QR code after fixing the app.

A month later, our Eir router failed and we have now been unable to use the app to monitor our system for more than two months. The only copy of the QR he was able to provide is so badly lit and angled that even a numpty like me can see it is useless

bullit_dodger

Not siding with the supplier here, but you "could" argue that your 2nd failure was down to hardware (i.e. your router) which has nothing to do with the solar installation. They left you with a working installation and when subsequently your router went kaput that's not really down to the supplier.

Routers hold a list of IP addresses, your inverter would have one assigned to it and they have to be "paired". Replacing the router would break that connection as it would randomly assign a new address and would have to be updated. Not giving you instructions on how to do this yourself though is a bit …. meh - but still…..not really down to them.

phill106

Sounds like the wifi dongle needs to be paired with your modem. If they did it the first time, and then the 2nd time too, not sure it would be an ask on them, particularly if its due to a hardware change for hardware they did not supply.

Better off getting anyone able to access the crawlspace to take an updated clear picture, and then save it, and or print it out and keep it somewhere handy.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123616508#Comment_123616508

You need to talk to a solicitor - you are talking about a breach of contract, or DIY. There is public body providing free legal aid for you to take a vendor to court.

Buffman

Poor form not leaving you detailed instructions on how to reconnect the inverter to the app on either occasion, personally I would have made sure he left me all the required information on the 2nd visit.

I wouldn't be holding my breath waiting for them to come out a 3rd time.

Unless it's a safety issue (which it's not, then Safe Electric would be an option), there's nobody to complain too except the company themselves or legal action.

Is your attic particularly inaccessible or something? Did they leave you any manuals for the system? Sometimes the code can be in the manual or just send up a willing competent volunteer to the attic to get a decent photo of it, the inverter will be the big box with some flashing lights and normally a screen.

And if you're concerned the system isn't working without internet, it should be working away as normal as long as the power is on.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123615803#Comment_123615803

They don't handle individual complaints.

If you believe a business has breached your consumer rights, you can also report the business to us. The CCPC does not get involved in individual cases. However, we monitor all complaints to inform our enforcement actions.

hkjohn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123620820#Comment_123620820

Thanks for taking the time to get back with such constructive comments

The company only came out once to sort the app out. Promised all sorts of stuff for the subsequent failure - including rather comically filling an explanatory video - but actual assistance came there none.

Did run through the manuals but nothing there of any help either.

Cannot believe that I am the only person who has had this issue with either these people or other suppliers and that installers do not give their customers copies of the necessary QR code as standard - if only to save themselves the bother of ever coming out at all. As it is the copy of the QR code the guy did eventually send me after the Eir router failed was so blurry and badly angled as to be unusable.

As for getting up into the attic and across to the far side of the house, I'm a "chunky" (i.e. fat) 69-y.o. bloke whose days of derring-do have long since declined into derring-don't.

At the end of the day, word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising there is. If anyone who knows I got solar panels installed ever asks me if I can recommend a good installer, this company will get an absolute reaming. They will also be getting similarly short shrift on TrustPilot

Given that the government is so keen on selling green energy, it is astonishing that there is no regulation of this industry. SEAI were no help whatsoever

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123621205#Comment_123621205

I can completely understand your position and am empathetic with it, it's actually frustrating that something so simple from their POV wasn't done by them and is now causing you grief.

Do you know what make of inverter you have and do you have any documentation showing it's serial number? (Manufacturer might be able to help.)

slave1

You should always have the Wi-Fi name and password the same when changing router/supplier etc. Then no need to redo anything connected to your home network

hkjohn

Did look through before but no QR. Will have to check the inverter section in the booklet they gave me again

Cheers again for your help

hkjohn

Will Eir do that for you? In the past, they've just sent me a new router with new details (LAN number and pw) on the back

Pajo_Smith_84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123624312#Comment_123624312

thats correct!! - never knew that