Trading Standards - Solar Panel Scams

18th September 2025

There have been recent reports of cold callers who say they are working on behalf of the local council and are talking to householders about having solar panels installed.

They ask questions about the householders' income and about their neighbours.

In some cases they suggest that grants or funding for solar panels may be available from the council.
One man who was visited by rogue traders asked them to leave, then phoned the council, who confirmed that the callers had no connection to them.

There are also regular reports of cold calls from companies offering solar panel servicing or wrongly telling people that they need to repair or upgrade their solar inverters or renew their warranty. One man was visited by a salesperson who offered a special deal on solar panels, saying that if he installed them the man would get 'free electricity for life'. The man agreed to pay a deposit of £1,000 on the spot.

However, that evening he did some research into the company and found a number of negative reviews online. He decided to cancel the contract, but has still not received his deposit back.

Another man was visited by a company who told him his existing solar panels needed to be replaced urgently due to a risk of fire. The salesperson tried to convince him to agree to have new panels installed, at a huge expense.

The man was worried, but contacted another company for a second opinion before agreeing to have any work carried out. The second company, who were MCS-certified, told him that there were no issues with his existing solar panels and that they did not pose any risk to his property.

How to Avoid
Many councils do offer funding and grants for energy products to eligible households. If a cold caller says that you are eligible for a grant or funding for energy efficiency improvements in your home, always verify that their offer is valid before agreeing to any deal.
You can do this by calling Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or visiting www.homeenergyscotland.org - they will be able to tell you about any funding available in your area. They also offer free and impartial information about energy saving measures.

If a cold caller says they are working for your local council, ask them to wait and phone the council using a publicly listed number to verify their identity. Genuine callers will be happy to wait while you do this.

If you are thinking about installing energy efficiency measures in your home, seek impartial advice from trusted companies rather than trusting cold callers or online adverts.

Find legitimate installers of renewable energy products via:
The Energy Savings Trust’s Renewables Installer Finder: https://installerfinder.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme, which certifies, quality assures and provides consumer protection for microgeneration installations and installers: https://mcscertified.com

If a cold caller tells you that your solar panels need to be serviced or that you need a new inverter, double check with the manufacturer first.

Find out More
Find contractors who are MCS Certified: https://mcscertified.com
Home Energy Scotland: energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy/electricity/solar-panels
Scam Share Spotlight PDF on energy scams: www.tsscot.co.uk/Spotlight-Energy.pdf
TSS website: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/energy-marketing-scams