The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is creating a Code of Conduct for PV retailers in an effort to enhance industry standards and the reputation of the Australian solar PV sector.
A final draft of the code has been developed in consultation with solar providers including Energy Matters, consumer groups, government and regulatory bodies.
Elements of the Code include (but are not limited to) the following obligations for signatories:
– to not engage in any dishonest or misleading advertising and sales tactics and to ensure sales representatives act ethically at all times.
– to provide consumers with sufficient information.
– to provide consumers with a written contract including site-specific full solar power system design and average daily performance estimate.
– to observe consumer rights with regard to to cooling-off periods and refunds.
– the provision of a standard minimum warranty period of five years relating to the operation and performance of the whole PV system; including workmanship and products.
– to keep consumers fully informed of the process between install and network connections or to arrange connection on their behalf.
– be fully accountable for the actions of any subcontracted parties, including CEC accredited installers/designers.
The CEC is now seeking commitments from the required number of solar power retailers to become a code signatory before formally submitting the Code to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Assuming the Code receives the nod from the ACCC, the CEC will then start formally inviting and processing applications to sign on to the Code.
The CEC will be developing a range of supporting materials to assist Code signatories in observing it, including guides for compliance, templates for reporting and consumer fact sheets. Solar companies interested in becoming signatories should contact the Clean Energy Council for further details.
