You invested $10,000–$30,000 (often more with battery storage) in a residential solar system. Twelve months later, your generation numbers are nowhere near the modelled output. Or panels are degrading faster than warranty curves allow. Or the inverter has failed and the installer is dragging their feet on warranty claims. Or the monitoring system stopped reporting and nobody can tell you what’s actually being generated.
Solar disputes are one of the fastest-growing categories in Australian consumer law. The Clean Energy Regulator and state Fair Trading offices receive thousands of complaints annually. The legal framework that resolves them is clear.
What you’re entitled to
- Acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law — panels, inverters, mounting hardware all need to perform as advertised
- Fitness for purpose — the system has to deliver the energy outcomes the installer’s quote promised
- Manufacturer warranties — typically 10–25 years on panels, 5–10 years on inverters, 1–2 years on workmanship
- Clean Energy Council Code obligations — if your installer is CEC-accredited (most are, for STC eligibility), they’re bound by the Code of Conduct, including dispute-resolution obligations
Common installer pushbacks
- “Generation depends on weather.” True at the daily level, irrelevant at the annual level. Output averaged over 12 months should match the modelled estimate within 5–10%.
- “You should clean the panels.” Modest dust accumulation is normal. A 30%+ shortfall isn’t a cleaning issue.
- “The inverter is the manufacturer’s warranty problem.” Under the ACL, the installer remains liable. They handle the manufacturer claim.
- “You modified the system.” Adding more appliances doesn’t void the warranty on what was installed.
- “The company has changed ownership.” Successor companies inherit warranty obligations in most cases. STC-rebated installs carry warranties that run with the system.
The Notice to Remedy Breach
For solar disputes, a Notice to Remedy Breach:
- Identifies the system (panels, inverter, install date, contract value, modelled output)
- States the actual performance shortfall with monitoring data
- Lists any equipment failures with dates
- Cites the ACL guarantees + the CEC Code of Conduct + manufacturer warranty terms
- Demands specific remedy (panel replacement, inverter replacement, performance audit, compensation)
- Sets a clear deadline (typically 21–30 days for technical investigations)
- Names the escalation path: state Fair Trading, Clean Energy Council complaint, tribunal application
Why this matters more for solar than other trades
Solar installers have several pressure points beyond just consumer law: their CEC accreditation (loss of which means no more STC work), state electrical licensing, and increasingly aggressive Clean Energy Regulator enforcement. A formal Notice puts all of those into play.
Flat fee
Claim Done’s Notice to Remedy Breach is $79. The wizard handles solar disputes specifically. The AI drafts the notice citing the right ACL provisions, the CEC Code, and the manufacturer warranty framework. Sent to the installer on your behalf.