Solar and battery consumer protection
Practical checks for the business, contract and payment terms behind a solar or battery proposal.
- Maintained by
- McKercher Corporation
- Status
- Published · reviewed
- For
- Customers, Industry, Public
Maintained byMcKercher CorporationPublishedReviewed
Customers, Industry, Public
Product selection is only one part of a purchase. The retailer's current standing, contract terms, deposit exposure, installation responsibility and after-sales process determine what support remains available if the project changes or a fault emerges.
Checks before a decision is made
Work through the identity, evidence and delivery chain. One credential, component or headline figure does not establish that the complete proposal is suitable.
- 01Identity
Confirm the contracting business
Match the legal entity, ABN, trading name, address and payment account. A brand name alone does not identify who carries the contract.
- 02Standing
Check current public registers
Verify retailer credentials, installer accreditation and electrical licensing on the responsible authority's current register rather than relying on a saved certificate.
- 03Scope
Make the proposal specific
Record the equipment, design assumptions, installation inclusions, connection work, timeframes, exclusions and party responsible for each approval.
- 04Payment
Understand what the deposit secures
Check the payment milestones, cancellation terms, refund triggers and evidence available if supply or installation does not proceed.
- 05Claims
Test savings and incentive statements
Ask for the assumptions behind generation, bill savings, rebates, certificates and virtual power plant benefits. Treat conditional eligibility as conditional.
- 06Support
Record the remedy pathway
Identify the retailer, installer and manufacturer roles, the written complaints process and the regulator or code pathway available if the matter is not resolved.
Current enforcement and standards
Follow the current evidence on code enforcement, complaints and the standards expected of participating retailers.
Multi-state investigations test what consumer code compliance can enforce
A solar retailer expelled from the New Energy Tech Consumer Code in December 2025 continued trading and is now the subject of investigations in three states and by the Clean Energy Regulator. The sequence sets out plainly what expulsion from the code does and does not do, and why Western Australia is the exception.
First independent review of the NETCC sets ten priorities for consumer protection standards
The New Energy Tech Consumer Code has been reviewed independently for the first time since it began. The review finds a code that works in principle, carries more weight than its original mandate anticipated, and is constrained by the governance built for a smaller scheme.
Cheaper Home Batteries Growth Brings Compliance Pressure
Battery uptake under the federal program has grown quickly, while ACCC and NETCC reporting shows why sizing, installation, and complaint handling need scrutiny.
Verify credentials
Check what retailer standing and electrical licensing establish, and where their limits sit.
NETCC Approved Seller certificates for McKercher energy businesses
PSW Energy and Perth Solar Warehouse hold separate NETCC Approved Seller certificates, each with a published expiry date in May 2027.
WA electrical licensing requirements for electrical work
A current reference to WA electrical licensing, contractor verification, notices and technical obligations, and the checks to run before work begins.
Related checks that usually follow
Separate federal certificates, WA rebates, loans and virtual power plant conditions before relying on an advertised battery discount.
Installer resourcesWA solar and battery compliance centreCurrent operational references for installers and retailers working across WA solar, battery storage and distributed energy connections.
Points requiring an explicit answer
Does NETCC Approved Seller status replace consumer law?
No. The code adds commitments and a complaints pathway, while Australian Consumer Law continues to apply. Current standing should be checked on the NETCC register.
Is an installer accreditation the same as an electrical licence?
No. Accreditation and electrical licensing serve different purposes and are administered separately. The required scope should be checked for the work being proposed.
What should be checked before paying a deposit?
Confirm the contracting entity, written scope, timing, refund conditions, payment destination and what protection remains if the business cannot complete the work.
Where should a complaint begin?
Begin with the supplier's written complaints process and retain the contract, invoices, messages, photographs and technical records. The appropriate regulator or code pathway depends on the issue and jurisdiction.