Solar Trade Association Releases New "˜Solar Repair Agreement'
What do you do if your solar PV or solar thermal system stops working? As with all electrical and heating systems, things can occasionally go wrong and components wear out.
If your original installation company is still trading then it should be a simple matter to ask them to repair your solar system for you, especially if it's still under guarantee. If that company is no longer trading however, it can be more difficult.
With the lifetime of solar systems thought to be 30 years or more, the industry needs to make sure that there is a system for maintenance and repairs.
The Solar Trade Association has therefore published a simple Solar Repair Agreement [1] which member companies of the STA and customers can sign when repairing and maintaining another company's install. Anecdotal evidence suggests that few installers are willing to touch another installer's systems when they cease to work, due to a fear of becoming liable themselves for hidden faults. This in turn can lead to spiralling costs to the consumer. The new STA Solar Repair Agreement hopes to solve this problem.
Chris Roberts, Technical Specialist at the Solar Trade Association said:
"There is a problem in the solar sector where faulty systems don't get fixed when installers stop trading. Many installers naturally avoid other companies' work, especially when they suspect a bad quality install."
"Our new repair agreement hopes to put an end to this by clearly setting out what the customer should expect from a repair, as well as what the installer is responsible for during the work. We hope this will lead to improved confidence in the secondary maintenance and repair market."
