Council tells Solarplicity: 'Stop installations until you sort out customers' problems'

Council chiefs have ordered under-fire energy firm Solarplicity to stop installations – following hundreds of complaints from residents.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council told the company three weeks ago to fit no more solar panels until it had resolved the issues with existing customers.

Solarplicity has now voluntarily agreed to stop signing up new customers.

Solar panels are being fitted to around 5,700 council houses under the community energy scheme (CES) – which is meant to save tenants £300 a year.

But the CES has been plagued with problems such as poor customer service and tenants being signed up without their consent. Solarplicity says that out of 338 complaints, only 14 remain unresolved.

Council leader Abi Brown said: “Over three weeks ago, we instructed Solarplicity to stop any further installations until all issues were completely resolved and to allow time to review the programme. Following this, the company voluntarily agreed to stop visiting properties to sign up new customers and they are only completing installations where tenants have already confirmed they still want to go ahead.

“We are aware that a number of our residents have experienced problems with Solarplicity in the past and this is not acceptable. It’s something we take very seriously. Any customer service problem is one too many and we’re continuing to speak to Solarplicity regularly to ensure that our residents’ concerns are addressed fully and the overall service improves. Of the 3,500 or so customers that have signed up, the city council has received less than 30 complaints that have been referred directly to us.

“Solarplicity have invested and improved their overall offer, including in their contact centre and IT systems. This was reflected in the fact that last month Ofgem lifted a provisional order stopping the company taking new customers, with the national regulator confirming that performance had significantly improved.”

City MPs Gareth Snell and Ruth Smeeth have called for the partnership between the council and Solarplicity to be put ‘on hold’ until the problems are sorted out.

The two MPs recently had a meeting with representatives from Solarplicity, who updated them on the steps the company was taking to improve its customer service.

But Mr Snell and Ms Smeeth have written to Mrs Brown, asking her to suspend the CES to allow the improvements to be made and 'independently audited'.

Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Mr Snell said: “As a matter of principle, I support the growth of renewable energy and any scheme which can reduce household utility bills.

“However, the aspiration of the CES and solar panels being offered by Solarplicity and Stoke-on-Trent City Council has left too many customers and tenants feeling confused, angry and frustrated.”

Ms Smeeth, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, added: "As we look to diversify our energy supply and ensure that people can afford to pay their bills, in an age of austerity, a community energy company makes absolute sense on paper.

“But this can’t be achieved by targeting the most vulnerable in our community with poor billing, appalling customer service and a process that scares rather then supports. If Solarplicity is going to keep operating in the city then we need changes and we need them now.”

As well as calling for the scheme to be suspended, the two MPs also want the council to do more for the tenants who have experienced problems after signing up. They say this could include the formation of a ‘tenants consumer forum’.

But Solarplicity has hit back, accusing the MPs of ‘posturing’ and saying it has worked ‘tirelessly’ to fix its customer service issues.

The company also claimed a small group of people were running a ‘hate campaign’ against Solarplicity.

A spokesman said: “It is unacceptable that MPs are asking for action which Solarplicity has already voluntarily undertaken. We have worked tirelessly to correct our customer service issues, as recognised by energy regulator Ofgem. To date, of our 5,700 customers in Stoke, we have had 338 complaints, of which only 14 are still open. We are working closely with these cases to solve outstanding issues promptly.

“Our progress is being thwarted by the minority of people who are heading a hate campaign, which aims to shut down all the good work we have done. Their intention is to not only make staff redundant but leave those in fuel poverty having to pay £300 more per year for their energy. It is worrying that those MPs who should be in support of a business aimed at uplifting their constituents are posturing and playing up to the media hype in this manner.

“Ultimately, this scheme is a partnership with the Council and relies on the joint work between the two parties. We engaged directly with the local MPs and explained the scheme and we are left disappointed that they did not communicate their intentions to us when we met.

“Since the Community Energy Scheme has launched, £13.7 million has been invested into the project and created around 100 long term jobs. The scheme has saved 8,000 tonnes of carbon which equates to 48,000 trees.”

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