Council appeals to victims of solar panel company to claim refunds

Simple Solar flyers that left unsuspecting customers out of pocket.

Rochdale Council has forced a local trader to make a legal promise to stop trading illegally and make refunds where requested by customers.

Simple Solar, operating from Castleton, advertised in popular broadsheet newspapers such as The Guardian and The Independent, offering to supply and install solar panel systems. In good faith, customers paid deposits up front of between £500 and £1500, but then the company did not deliver the goods.

Now the Council fears that that there may still be many other customers who have been affected but have not realised it yet; and are urging these people to contact the company for refunds.

The Council has been investigating 30 complaints received over the last six months from customers up and down the country. It was decided that enough evidence had been collated to kick start legal proceedings against Simple Solar Ltd and its Director, Mr John Hallisey, of 858a Manchester Road, Castleton, founder of the Simple Solar business.

It is the first time the council has taken formal action under the Enterprise Act against a trader.

He was ordered to appear at Oldham County Court today (Thursday 16 April), where the judge accepted Mr Hallisey’s promise to stop trading illegally and to recompense any customer who requests a refund.

Andy Glover, Interim Public Protection Manager at the Council, said: “We will always seek to use all possible legislative means to tackle, wherever we can, businesses who do not comply with laws intended to protect consumers from unscrupulous traders.

“The result in the county court today emphasises that the work carried out by Trading Standards to tackle problem traders and to protect consumers is fully supported by the civil legal system. We believe there are likely to be many more victims of this company who face an agonising wait for solar panel installations that will never turn up. We urge them to seek advice from Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 as soon as possible.”

Mr Hallisey agreed on behalf of Simple Solar to fulfill all orders within a reasonable time, to provide all customers with notice of their cancellation rights (in a durable medium), to provide refunds within 30 days where consumers have exercised their statutory right to cancel, or within a reasonable time where consumers have decided to cancel after Simple Solar has failed to supply the goods on the agreed date, to remove all misleading information from their website and advertisements. This includes all the information that the Advertising Standards Authority found to be misleading in their adjudication against Simple Solar dated 14 January 2009. This should also include the reference to the provision of a 20 year guarantee.

Simple Solar must also provide fair and unambiguous terms and conditions to all your consumers at the time of entering into an agreement. These terms must include a payment schedule.

If any one of these conditions is breached, Rochdale Council will be seeking to take further action which could result in a fine or imprisonment.