Has any OB had dealings with Modern Solar based in Tullamarine, Victoria?
My neighbour who only speaks limited English (she's Chinese) paid Modern Solar $13K for a 5KW solar system…
she got Chinese PV panels instead of promised German panels, an inverter other than the one specified in the contract and worst of all she has not seen 1kwh of electricity because the installed system is incompatible with her "dual meter" system?
What can she do? Any useful advice?
Modern has a reputation for fairly high pressure sales tactics once they get in your front door.
I would urge her to contact the Victorian version of Fair Trading if she feels she has been poorly served.
$13k is a bit high for a cheap component system (you can pay half that) but selling things for an inflated price isn't illegal.
The substitutions are a concern, as is the provision of a service not fit for purpose.
I would guess there is fine print in the contract allowing both, but if there isn't it is important she complain.
It would be good to have a friend or relative with good English contact the company, raise the concerns, then write down their response.
If this is inadequate, I'd be opening a consumer affairs case:
http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/businesses/fair-trading
"I would guess there is fine print in the contract allowing both, "
I don't think a contract holds like that if the the lady didn't understand English properly and was talked into everything being 'alright'.
Agreed, which is why it is important to complain.
Thanks for all the good advice.
Suggest to be very cautious when dealing with MODERN SOLAR of Tullamarine, Victoria.
Seems rooftop solar may be screwed in Victoria as there is apparently a plan afoot by the state government to CHARGE you to feed excess power into the grid!! We already have a 2 tier tariff system in operation in Victoria: one set of tariffs for punters without solar, another set of (higher)tariffs for punters with solar panels….
Seems both state and federal governments are looking after their Big Coal mates.
She should go and see her local community legal centre.