We had photo voltaic panels fitted in 2019 as a part of the Photo voltaic Collectively initiative, and this 12 months needed so as to add to them. We selected Inexperienced Power Collectively because it had executed Photo voltaic Collectively tasks with our council. We paid a £1,340 deposit. There was then a fairly odd silence, however lastly scaffolding and two installers appeared. The installers hadn’t been advised the panels needed to be fitted along with these already there, so the package that they had introduced was inappropriate. Since then, regardless of day by day cellphone calls and guarantees from the corporate that somebody would ring again, nothing has occurred.
We ultimately cancelled our order by cellphone and electronic mail, and requested for the return of our deposit and the elimination of the scaffolding. Once more, there was silence, even from the corporate director we emailed instantly. We're involved that this firm has over-reached itself whereas holding on to our cash (and that of loads of different individuals, if Trustpilot is to be believed). We're additionally involved that the scaffolding continues to be on our home and is a safety danger.
Photo voltaic panels are an apparent route amid an vitality disaster, and it's worrying this path appears to be made so troublesome and stuffed with obstacles.
AJ, London
The irony is the Photo voltaic Collectively scheme guarantees to make photo voltaic vitality extra accessible and extra inexpensive to households who may not in any other case danger the funding. Councils group purchase the very best accessible deal from a vetted firm at public sale, and households who've registered an curiosity are despatched a quote. Many households have benefited from the idea, however some installers, who auctioned their providers, could have accepted extra work than they will deal with.
Inexperienced Power Collectively’s Trustpilot web page makes for alarming studying, not simply because 69% of evaluations charge the corporate as unhealthy or poor for a similar causes you cite, however as a result of Trustpilot itself warns that it’s needed to take away pretend evaluations. Trustpilot tells me that the corporate had ignored a proper demand to stop its “abuse” of the platform after “a number of suspected pretend four-and five-star evaluations” had been detected.
It says: “In the end, this enforcement motion didn't deter the enterprise and, in consequence, in June we terminated its paid subscription with Trustpilot. We additionally positioned a warning banner on its Trustpilot web page alerting customers to its abuse of our platform.”
Thus far, so unhealthy, for an organization whose web site declares it retains alive the “ideas and values” of the late Queen. I put this alleged abuse – and the small print of your ordeal – to Inexperienced Power Collectively’s director, Nick Elbourne. He blames provide chain shortages and claims prospects had been despatched a e-newsletter advising them of delays till the top of October. As for the Trustpilot abuse, he says that the platform had not supplied sufficient details about the pretend evaluations for him to “diagnose the difficulty”.
Over then to iChoosr, which runs the Photo voltaic Collectively scheme, and claims to vigorously vet the suitability of installers it really works with. It additionally insists it caps the variety of households which may apply for a quote if its installers attain full capability. It advised me Inexperienced Power Collectively has, thus far, accomplished 2,000 installations, however Covid and Brexit had created “unprecedented points” with provide chains and staffing.
“We're conscious of some prospects who haven't had such a easy journey, as we run our buyer providers alongside these of the installers that win our auctions, and we're working with Inexperienced Power Collectively to resolve points,” it says.
Inexperienced Power Collectively bought in contact with you after I’d alerted iChoosr to your plight. The scaffolding was eliminated inside three days however, two weeks after a promise that the deposit can be refunded, you’re nonetheless ready in your cash.
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