Real s h i t

[solarsavings]

I had my REAL audit yesterday and it didn't go well if I'm honest.

The auditor introduced herself as an "independent" (those I've pm'd and spoken to may not agree)

My contract, torn to bits.

Quote is for the fully installed price including vat, should have breakdown and price for materials and labour priced separately.

T&C's, the same, (since 12th feb we should be using the real t&c's)

Benefit calculations too low.

Nothing about waste removal.

No client bank account, HSBC told me they didn't do one (auditor says they did but have stopped recently due to the number of business's going ---- up) She suggested I have to move to a bank that will provide one. I showed her that I don't take deposits but if someone wanted to pay me one i could use my credit card machine, not good enough.

Complaints log, wrong as no resolved date. It does have a date at the beginning and at the end but they're not labeled "Received and Resolved" That despite having had no complaints to write into it anyway.

Wanted to see my public and employees insurance then went on to tell me that employees was none of her business (****)


Website.

REAL logo does not have a click-able link.

Do I have written permission to use photo's and recommendations from previous installs (you need permission for each use, so posting on here could get you is the **** unless the custard has allowed you to do so)

You also need permission to add the phot's and recommendations to your workbook that you show potential customers.

There are others (mostly petty)


I was asked several time to grass on other companies that I thought should be investigated. The last time she said "They have done a lot of harm to the industry" I replied "nowhere near as much as this government" strangely she had no answer to that.


My thought about REAL have not change since VG was going to come on here. They see themselves as some sort of Police authority and have used the moans and whines of others in this industry to toughen their stance. The new rules they have put in place (dec & feb) are apparently in response to requests from the industry and after much delay they have been approved by the OFT. That doesn't make them right or legal.

I was told (but not aware) that REAL are taking legal action against companies that some companies are taking legal action against them.

 

[JulianC]

Do I have written permission to use photo's and recommendations from previous installs (you need permission for each use, so posting on here could get you is the **** unless the custard has allowed you to do so)

You don't need any permissions to use photographs you took of your installations. The copyright is yours. Tell REAL to do one.

Why the hell do you need a client bank account if you don't take deposits? Can they really expect you to move your company banking on their say so??

The cheaper PV installations become, the less need there is for REAL. Not that there was a need for the parasites anyway.

Bunch of C-words.

 

[SolarCity]

The fact that they have given you such a hard time yet the crap firms still exist shows you just how useless they are.

 

[solarsavings]

Julian I agree with you wholeheartedly but they don't.

If the downturn in this industry leads to the demise of REAL I for one would see that as a good thing. Why isn't the sales of goods act that applies to our every day lives good enough?

 

[TedM]

Why isn't the sales of goods act that applies to our every day lives good enough?

I've been arguing that for the past 3 years - got me nowhere.

 

[solarsavings]

I've been arguing that for the past 3 years - got me nowhere.

Because there's nothing in it for them?

I have just received via email the 3,626 word T&C's yep 3626 words ffs. You couldn't make it up if you were of sound mind.

 

[solarsavings]

Another claim she made was that any scaffolders we use must complete a sub-contract agreement for each job.

Alos if you are on-site yourself and use any sub-contract labour they must also sign a sub-contract agreement stating they will work to mcs standards. kin ridiculous.

I'm trying to go through her interim report now but it makes little if any sense

 

[JulianC]

Is there an appeals process? She's clearly a f**kwit of the highest order.

 

[SRE]

A big thank you for sharing it all with us - unfortunately we all have to stick to REAL at the minute although it should be the other way round and we should be sticking it to REAL!!

If it wasn't for people like you sharing your nightmare then the rest of us would probably have the same experience. I'm working on new stuff for the next week, when it's done I'm happy to share if it helps anyone - no promises it's perfect though...

How long do you have to put everything right?

I'm thinking that I might try to take notes relevant to our company through the re-write process and see if Tim Farron one of our local MP's and president of the Lib Dems will take it up for us - he's taking up the EPC D rating issue at parliament, it could be a good time after the elections on Thursday to push for a bit of support again.

Another thought crossed my mind as I write this, why bother getting everything in place now - wait for the slap on the wrist, then take the time they give you to re-write it .....

 

[SRE]

Another claim she made was that any scaffolders we use must complete a sub-contract agreement for each job.

Alos if you are on-site yourself and use any sub-contract labour they must also sign a sub-contract agreement stating they will work to mcs standards. kin ridiculous.

I thought that MCS standards were assessed by NICEIC etc not REAL? I thought REAL were about customer care, deposits etc etc

 

[SRE]

Is there a real alternative yet? Surely it's anti competitive to have only one body that you can be registered with?

 

[JulianC]

why bother getting everything in place now - wait for the slap on the wrist, then take the time they give you to re-write it .....

As long as you document this procedure in your QMS you should be OK.

 

[solarsavings]

They seem to want to police stuff that is outside of their remit.

I have read through the report and to honest it's easy enough to make the changes, it's probably a few hours work.

But as a result any quote I send out now will be well over 10,000 words. In addition will be manufacturers data, inverter, PV, Sol etc. So half a ream of paper?

Time wise, she said it could take two months before REAL respond in writing and then you are given sometime to comply.

A few or the NC's

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl65, width: 247"]Quote letter states that reserve right to change components but only of same or higher standard. Needs to add that must be of similar appearance and MCS certified where applicable.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, width: 247"]Cancellation term states 7 days[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Should be 7 working days.

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, width: 247"]Does not state: work carried out to MCS standards, have insurance in place for 3rd party damage, equal cancellation rights for REAL member and customer; changes of work and to agreed timetable. Cancellation must refer to 7 working days.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

You have to give them a copy of your PLI.

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, width: 247"]Information about performance over 25 years, quote and terms and conditions delivered to customer following site visit. Quote does not contain required information: location of main components, data protection statement, price broken down into total cost of goods and services and separate cost of VAT, length of manufacturer's guarantees and insurance backed workmanship warranty. Quote template states 25% deposit that is not taken but cannot change template document to remove this. [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, width: 247"]No written policy on dealing with vulnerable customers but majority of customers are retired / elderly and had examples of asking for relative to be present / review documents. Could provide documents in large print if requested.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="width: 247"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, width: 247"]AS only person doing sales and read Code but not recorded in training log. Not aware of REAL online training and no password to access log in area.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I wont bore you with the rest of it

 

[Gavin A]

T&C's, the same, (since 12th feb we should be using the real t&c's)

that's not what the REAL code says.

[h=5]6.1 Terms of business[/h]Members will have clear, unambiguous terms of business that do not disadvantage consumers. Members will ensure that they carry out their contractual obligations without excluding their liabilities. All terms must conform to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 ('CPRs'). (For further details of relevant Acts and Regulations, see section C11 below.) The scheme administrator has developed a set of model contract terms. All terms of business must be effectively communicated in writing to the consumer and form part of the quotation (as set out in section 5.4 above).
The written terms of business must include details about:

• cancellation rights (see section 6.2 below);
• payment methods, timing and deposits (see section 6.3 below);
• guarantees (see section 8.1 below); and
• information on after-sales support (see sections 8.3 and 8.4 below).

I can't see how they can possibly force everyone to adopt their exact t&c's, pretty sure they'd not have a leg to stand on legally if they tried it.

I'd send the assessor a copy of the REAL code quoted above, and ask them to point out where it states that all companies must use the model T&C's.

 

[JulianC]

I think I would just tell her to **** off and wait for my MCS to run out if this happened to me. Strikes me that the margins vs. sh!t-we-have-to-put-up-with balance has tipped too far in the wrong direction.

 

[dansk]

How bazaar - my inspection went smoothly only a few months of joining, she must have been having a bad day - you did offer a brew right? ;-) Dont fret about it mate.

 

[SRE]

QANW have just accepted my T & C's in Feb/March when we had to stop registering for free - how could they accept them if REAL insisted that we used theirs?

 

[solarsavings]

that's not what the REAL code says.



I can't see how they can possibly force everyone to adopt their exact t&c's, pretty sure they'd not have a leg to stand on legally if they tried it.

I'd send the assessor a copy of the REAL code quoted above, and ask them to point out where it states that all companies must use the model T&C's.

I bet they're banking on the fact that most of us won't be in a position(financially) to argue with them (I've just been asked for another £5oo for my dispute with solarsavings 4u) They have our money to throw at any fight whereas we only have ours to lose.

 

[solarsavings]

QANW have just accepted my T & C's in Feb/March when we had to stop registering for free - how could they accept them if REAL insisted that we used theirs?

Was that after the 12th February? if so I may point that out to her.

 

[Energetic]

I bet they're banking on the fact that most of us won't be in a position(financially) to argue with them (I've just been asked for another £5oo for my dispute with solarsavings 4u) They have our money to throw at any fight whereas we only have ours to lose.

Dont know how far into the disput you are but we were told today by a law bod that if you have goodwill locally toward your company you would potentially have an unregistered trademark to your name. Not as good as a registered trademark but something. We have a commercial law guy that we have just started speaking to that seemed to know a lot about it, if you want their details pm me.