We’re regularly contacted by customers, who have received an unsolicited call or letter from another company, offering them a ‘free solar panel health check’ or warning about their solar PV system being at risk of failing. This is a common scam.
Last year there were letters claiming to be from the ‘British Trading Solar Association (BTSA)’, warning that your solar warranty was due to expire. The MCS issued a statement about this fraudulent activity and the company - which is actually BT Solar Ltd - received a warning from the ASA about misleading advertising.
How to spot a solar scam
You may be contacted by somebody via phone or post relating to your solar PV system. They might offer:
- a free solar panel health check;
- a solar panel upgrade (SolarEdge) to optimise your system;
- an inverter replacement;
or warn of:
- warranty expiration;
- fire risk due to equipment failure.
Other giveaways are if they say:
- they are acting on behalf of your installer (Spirit will never share your personal information with another company);
- your installation company has gone bust (Spirit is still very much in business - we recently celebrated our 10 year anniversary!);
- they got your details from the MCS register (this database is private).
While it’s unclear where many of these scammers get your details from, sometimes it’s as simple as visually spotting and targeting houses with solar panels.
Your system is probably fine
Rest assured, all our systems come with a 5 year workmanship warranty. Individual components like the inverter have their own product warranty (5-10+ years), and the panels have a performance warranty up to 25 years.
Unless you’ve noticed a drop in generation, there is unlikely to be any faults with the components. PV systems are very low maintenance and the vast majority never develop faults. A properly installed system will not be a fire risk.
What you can do
We would recommend ignoring any previous or future unsolicited mail, offering servicing or upgrades to your PV system. They’re most likely scammers, looking to rip you off for a few grand. If in doubt, please do check with us.
With nuisance phone calls, you may like to register for the Telephone Preference Service (or make a complaint if you’ve already done so).
If you have any concerns about the performance of your system, the best thing to do is to get in touch with us for advice or an electrical inspection. Give us a call on 0118 9514490 or email info@spiritenergy.co.uk.
