REAL and MCS - Pointless?

[SolarCity]

A lot of people were suggesting that the FITs cuts wouldn't be so bad as at least it would get the crap out of the industry. I think they were badly mistaken. Firms still hugely exaggerate the returns and they are still doing very nicely.

On the few surveys I have done (doing one this morning 'Yay!') recently, customers seem to be fed more crap than ever. After seeing Solar Energy Savings close down and then simply restarting - perhaps for the second time - does this not make REAL and MCS utterly pointless? The MCS is a farcical paperwork exercise anyway which lends itself to the office-staff driven company rather than your average skilled one-man-band companies.

It's okay saying that a complaint to REAL is followed up and that they do get results but what is the point of this if a company can simply restart and continue using the same tactics? For the money they cost, what is the customer getting for their money?

The kind of people that would happily con pensioners shouldn't just be struck off the MCS temporarily - they should be beaten to death with a broken solar panel, and I would happily volunteer for the task.

 

[SRE]

As that's unlikely to happen I'd just like a refund of my fees every year. I have absolutely no idea what benefit REAL is to anyone other than the installers SolarCity describes above! Times are tough and £300 would be better in my pocket than theirs!

 

[finchy]

Agree ! Sounds all such a good idea but in reality it's a joke. I think mcs and real applied well could have been an example of how a trade in the 21 century should be governed. What a wasted chance !! this could have been a example of how different trades could be regulated to both protect the customer and tradesmen . Imagine if double glaze sales men where regulated how mcs and real was supposed to be !

 

[Somecamel]

Playing devils advocate here, I sent a complaint off to REAL for one of my friends new partner that got conned out of 6k from an unscrupulous company (took her down the bank) They are inundated with complaints and I would imagine are still picking up the pieces from the aftermath of last year.

I do however agree that they need to come down hard on Ultra Energy/Solar Energy Savings etc and priority should be given to this.

Has anyone called REAL about them?

 

[Gavin A]

yes, on behalf of one of SES customers, but this was before the new company, and I didn't know the same director was on the board of both companies.

 

[Somecamel]

When I rang I went straight through to the Boss (Virginia) sounded harassed.

 

[Eco Deal]

strange to take customers to the bank !!!! alarm bells would be ringing here

 

[t4sltd]

Had a previous customer run a quote past me: £8k for 8 panels and 31/2 year payback for a 75 year old. Solar + Europe, reported by client to council and MCS but can't imagine anything will happen. Gutting. Saw it with solar thermal, now seeing it with PV.

 

[SolarCity]

This latest case I have come accross has struck a nerve with me. It makes me really angry that a firm has basically got away with conning a 75 year old couple yet they are still operating under a different name. Can the MCS or REAL in particular be liable for this as the original company has closed down (maximum profit - zero responsibility - repeat cycle) and I don't want to let this lie.

Having a couple's retirement ruined - they are talking of selling their home - is a sad testament to REAL's and MCS's abject failure to police the industry and I'm seriously ****ed off about it.