Are you considering switching to solar for your home or business energy requirement? The first step is to get your retailer right, You have probably heard everyone say that you should always consider a Clean Energy Council-approved solar retailer for your home or business. And that’s true, we cannot stress enough on that. Do you know why, though? Here’s why.
The CEC is the ultimate authority on solar systems in Australia. It grants accreditations for your solar system after ensuring the quality, safety compliance, and reliability of the system designed by your retailer and installed by your installer. A CEC-approved solar retailer is typically one that has signed the Clean Energy Council Solar Retailer Code of Conduct and is as good as an assurance of quality, builds, and performance of the system. Their aim is to continually introduce higher standards of service and performance than the minimum criteria issued by the government. As of 23rd April, 2020, there are 1240 CEC-approved solar retailers across Australia. Said approval is granted after a detailed auditing and inspection process and when the council is convinced that the quality and services are at par with its established standards. When you purchase your solar system from a Clean Energy Council-accredited retailer, you can rest assured that your system design and quality complies with the CEC’s standards, which mean little to no hassles or troubles in the future. The code entails strict regulations regarding pre and post-sale activities, documentation, and general operational practices.
In the pre-sale phase, a Clean Energy Council-accredited retailer will:
- Make sure that all sales representatives always stay true to the company’s ethics and principles.
- Never get involved in tall claims or false advertising and sales tactics.
- Furnish all the necessary information before you sign the contract, to facilitate a complete understanding of your purchase and everything it entails.
In the post-sale phase, a Clean Energy Council-accredited retailer will:
- Acknowledge and respect your legal rights regarding the cooling-off period, refunds, and more, including your right to cancel the contract and get a full refund in case of changes made to the contract, not communicated in writing after entering into the contract.
- Provide you with a standard 5-year minimum warranty in terms of your solar system's performance, including workmanship defects.
- Address any challenges faced by the client.
- Either provide you with complete information of the process installation and network connection or undertake it themselves on your behalf
With regards to documentation and general operational practices, a Clean Energy Council-accredited retailer will:
- Provide you with the complete set of required documents post-installation.
- Comply with all laws and regulations
- Assist you with any problems/complaints you may have, including setting up cancellation procedures
- Take full accountability for the actions of subcontract parties like CEC-accredited installers.
- Maintain a transparent approach to address complaints, ensuring a response within 21 days of your making said complaint.