How Savent Solar Saved a Customer From Scammers
April 7, 2023
News
Unfortunately, we speak to an increasing number of people across Sussex who’ve been victims of solar scammers. As more homeowners embrace the benefits of solar, there will always be people looking to make a quick buck at their expense.
We’ve recently been working with Linda (not her real name) to rectify a problem caused by a solar scammer.
What happened?
In this case, ‘Linda’ had a visit from a supposedly reputable company that caused more harm than good. They intentionally sabotaged perfectly functioning equipment to con them into spending thousands on a replacement. Fortunately, Linda and her husband realised something was wrong and didn’t hand over any money, but they were still left with a defective solar system that Savent Solar had to rectify.
In her words:
When Gavin arrived, he looked at the meter and then went straight to look at the system. He then called my husband to show him that the system was not working.
He flicked switches and pressed buttons to confirm this, and went on to explain that the system could have been off for a week or even longer, as there was no telling. I showed him the Solar Edge monitoring system on my PC showing that we had generated power that day, but he said that it was coming from the grid and not the panels.
He told us it was the optimiser/regulator that had blown and fused the system, to which I said that it was only a year old. Gavin told me that the company had put in the wrong unit and that because these are now obsolete, the paperwork wasn't worth what it was written on. He also told me it would be no good to contact them.
He then explained that his company could put in a new regulator, and repair the inverter under warranty from Solar Edge, for a cost of £3400. This was done over the phone in a few minutes with his office. We agreed and gave him a cheque for half the amount. He then told us that [company name] was a government-backed company which at the time felt reassuring.
We agreed that they do the work on the following Monday as he said it was important to get this done ASAP.
Unfortunately, this wasn't what it seemed at the time. After he had left, Linda and her husband didn’t feel happy about what had transpired and phoned the company back. When asked if they were a government-backed company, the person on the phone confirmed ‘no’. This set alarm bells ringing and they cancelled the visit, as well as the cheque they’d sent.
When they went to look for a model and serial number on their inverter, they found a 'T' shaped SD card sitting on top of the inverter but hadn't noticed it before which wasn’t there before. They then contacted Solar Edge directly to ask about their system, who confirmed that it wasn’t working, and it stopped at 12.26 pm the previous day - during Gavin’s visit.
It looks as though Gavin turned off the inverter and then claimed it was faulty.
How Savent Solar Fixed The Issue
We’ve been working with Linda and Solar Edge to get their inverter back online and ensure their solar system is working correctly and efficiently. We’ve made sure they didn’t mistakenly send thousands of pounds to a fraudster, and Linda has given us permission to share her story. She added:
“Thanks for making us feel confident that someone can help us put our system back to a working condition… like it was before the 'surveyors' visit. I really cannot understand how companies can do this to people and get away with it.”
If you think you’ve been the victim of a solar scam, or are in the process of being scammed, don’t hesitate to contact Savent Solar. Also, don’t send anybody any money, and if need be, check with the manufacturer of your solar system that the person you are speaking to is acting for them.