Solar Sales Tactics: Watch Out

What solar sales tactics should I watch for?

8 solar sales tactics UK homeowners should watch for: TACTIC 1 — INFLATED SAVINGS: 'Save £1,500/year!' Reality: a 4kW system saves £580-£1,100/yr (source: EST, energysavingtrust.org.uk). Claims above £1,200 for a 4kW system are inflated by 30-50%. TACTIC 2 — FAKE URGENCY: 'Price goes up Monday' / '0% VAT ending soon'. While 0% VAT may end March 2027, no installer knows prices will rise next week. Legitimate urgency exists; manufactured urgency is a red flag. TACTIC 3 — SAME-DAY SIGNING PRESSURE: 'Discount only valid today.' The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you 14 days to cancel any doorstep/distance sale. Never sign on the spot. TACTIC 4 — HIDING EXPORT ASSUMPTIONS: Quoting savings that assume 100% self-consumption (unrealistic without battery). Ask: 'What self-consumption rate are you using?' If they say above 50% without a battery: challenge it. TACTIC 5 — NON-MCS INSTALLER: Cheaper because they skip certification. Result: no SEG payments (£200-£500/yr lost), no building regs cert, limited insurance cover. Always verify MCS at mcscertified.com. TACTIC 6 — BUNDLED UNNECESSARY EXTRAS: Pigeon proofing, premium monitoring subscriptions, extended warranties you don't need upfront. Assess each add-on independently. TACTIC 7 — UNDISCLOSED SUBCONTRACTING: Company X sells you the system; unknown Company Y installs it. Ask: 'Who physically installs? Are they MCS-certified?' TACTIC 8 — 100% UPFRONT PAYMENT: Maximum deposit should be 25%. Stage payments protect you. Never pay in full before installation. Sources: Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk), Trading Standards, MCS Code of Practice (mcscertified.com), Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.