Solar Victoria is urging Victorians to stay informed about their consumer rights to help make the State’s solar revolution a safe one.
In a statement, Solar Victoria said that with more than 500,000 Victorians making the switch to solar, the safety of residents and workers was a top priority.
“Weeding out rogue operators, tackling solar scams designed to look legitimate and auditing installed systems are just some of the ways Solar Victoria is protecting customers throughout their solar journey,” the Agency said.
“Solar Victoria has also banned door-to-door sales, which is prone to pressure sales tactics, to further protect consumers from potentially dodgy retailers and installers,” it said.
“We’ve made it easy for people to stay informed about their consumer rights, what to look out for when purchasing solar systems and to report dodgy behaviour or safety concerns.”
Solar Victoria said dodgy sales behaviour could be reported to Consumer Affairs Victoria and to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch.
The Agency said its Solar Homes Program was designed with safety in mind and only accredited, approved retailers and products could be used in any Solar Homes installation.
“Installers undertake mandatory training and an independent inspector signs off on system safety,” it said.
“Solar Victoria does not apologise for making safety a priority, taking compliance action against 20 retailers and 29 installers for failing to meet safety and quality obligations since the program began.”
Solar Victoria encouraged people who had concerns about the behaviour of retailers and installers to report it to Consumer Affairs Victoria and to Solar Victoria.
The Agency said its website had resources to help people choose the right system for their needs; find authorised retailers and installers; and stay informed on their consumer rights.
More information on the Solar Homes Program can be accessed at this PS News link.
