How do I get my system provider to fulfil commitments made at point of sale?

[cjapeterborough]

Some background.

Purchased a 4kw system Sept 2015 installed and FIT registered by month end.
System comprises 16 x 250W Phono Solar Black panels and Solis 3600TL inverter.
Installation was troublefree and all working just fine.

During the negotiations it was agreed in writing that the inverter would come with a 10 year warranty.
I note that the inverter needs to registered on the Ginlong website for the standard 5 year warranty.
An additional fee is required for the extension to 10 years.

My problem

Despite repeated attempts ie phone call and emails etc I have not been able to get confirmation that the 10 year warranty has been taken out and paid for.

Now I realise that the warranty may in fact be worthless in the real world.......but it was agreed and I have it writing...but this needs to be paid to Solis/Ginlong by my system provider.

So I am asking for advice regarding my best course of action...how do I get seller to follow through on this?


Many thanks in advance

 

[Gavin A]

Email and say you intend to raise this as a dispute with RECC unless it's resolved within 7 days.

 

[Worcester]

Rule #1 to have any success with RECC, follow these steps:

Hidden away on RECC's site is this page:
Important Information
Please read this information before you register a complaint
https://www.recc.org.uk/complaint-form/important-information
Tells you who should resolve what

And if you dig further, you'll eventually find this:
"Dispute Resolution Process"
https://www.recc.org.uk/pdf/dispute-resolution-process.pdf

 

[andyb]

Your contract is with the installer not the manufacturer . You have it in writing from the installer that you have a 10 year warranty, so if it fails within that time you go back to them.

I don't do PV so I'm just looking at this in general contractual terms.

 

[Worcester]

I don't do PV.

You'll find that inverters etc are treated much more like white goods - washing machines, etc, it is a manufacturers supported warranty, the only warranty that WE provide is our workmanship. (save what the Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers).

 

[cjapeterborough]

Thanks for the replies....I will try the RECC threat and see what happens.
If the installer is still in business within the next 10 years then that would always be my first point of contact.
Having the 10 year warranty paperwork with the manufacturer will give some additional assurance should the seller be no longer around.(at least thats my reasoning)
Thats why I feel it is important,especially as the inverter is probably the most likely thing to fail.

As an additional question if the inverter was replaced under warranty would I normally pay an install cost?

 

[Worcester]

As an additional question if the inverter was replaced under warranty would I normally pay an install cost?

It#s not faulty workmanship, so in theory yes, though it depends upon what the manufacturers warranty says.

Some manufacturers, - the first tier ones, SMA, SolarEdge, ABB (Powerone) Enphase, will either come out and replace it themselves, or re-imburse the installer.

I don't know about Ginlong, have a read for yourself : View attachment Solis_Inverter_Warranty_2013.pdf

 

[Scuba]

Did you pay for it or even part of it with a credit card? If so you're protected.

 

[cjapeterborough]

Thanks for the replies.
The RECC threat worked - this morning we received a pdf copy of the certificate by e-mail.
Lets hope it never has to be used...:-0)