UK's biggest solar panel scheme faces serious customer backlash and watchdog probe

A nation-wide free solar panel program thats now under investigation caused big problems for many UK homeowners. The scheme by A Shade Greener company (run by Stewart Davies) put panels on more than 70‚000 roofs about 8-10 years ago

The company used door-to-door marketing to offer no-cost installations: however homeowners didnt realize they were signing 25-year leases. One customer Judy Clemenson from Derby got her panels in mid-2015 and now faces serious issues with pigeons nesting underneath them – shes being asked to pay £1‚200 for bird guards (which she thought would be free)

Ralph Wilsonʼs mother signed up when she was 74; after moving to care home they couldnt turn off unused panels. The firm claims its “landlords“ must keep panels running – making property sales really hard. Meanwhile Stephen McKayʼs daughter got stuck with year-long scaffolding after removing panels for roof repairs; the company wants £9000 for “damage“

The problems started when govt feed-in tariffs dropped from 43p per kilowatt-hour to under 5p between 2012-16. A Facebook group with 1‚800 unhappy customers appeared; many got legal threats for negative reviews. Now energy watchdog Ofgem is doing an “urgent“ check-up on the whole situation

• Missing roof tiles replaced with plastic
• Customers trapped in 25-year contracts
• Unexpected costs for bird problems
• Legal threats over online complaints
• Problems selling houses with panels

I know what a hard sell is and I thought Why do they need to do this hard sell