Personally, the moment any salesman tells me that I have to sign NOW to be eligible for their fantastic deal, is precisely the moment they are politely asked to leave my home!

@josephocallaghan3000

Жыл бұрын

he is sooo naive; dont ever answer adverts online - thats basic

@madmaximilian5783

Жыл бұрын

@@josephocallaghan3000 as soon as he started telling this story I was thinking the same thing, this guy is very gullible and he didn't do his basic research before allowing these scammers into his personal space.

@starcade90

3 ай бұрын

100% right.

@srfsummers6261

2 ай бұрын

For me it all went wrong as soon as he said "I was sent an advert on Instagram" 😂

@irepairofpc31familykartrac51

Ай бұрын

I would ask the salesman follow me outside so I could show him something and I would direct him to his car.

I can’t be the only person who actively avoids any product advertised to me out of pure spite 😂

@tomcooper-hayes6579

10 ай бұрын

Not spite; just self preservation.

@MummaBear

9 ай бұрын

Necessary life preservation 👍

@thieltech1

8 ай бұрын

100 % agree. Same here

@avanap8096

Ай бұрын

For sure! you are not alone

@PaulCopp

Ай бұрын

Yes!, if I want something I will search it out.

As a trainee widows salesman, this was the same ploy they trained me in - I was disgusted with the trick I jacked the job in and became a bricklayer.

@rl3810

9 ай бұрын

I was almost duped by an Anderson Window guy. I told him he should be ashamed as I showed him to the door.

@stuw5376

9 ай бұрын

@t.o.g.sakafay2868 I’m not sure who’d want to buy a widow, so I can see why didn’t want to be trained in selling them.

@stuw5376

9 ай бұрын

Also… isn’t selling people, such as widows, downright illegal? Isn’t that slavery? Or human trafficking? It’s something dodgy, that’s for sure!!

@brytib200

9 ай бұрын

​@@stuw5376whomp whomp.....

@angr3819

8 ай бұрын

@@stuw5376 😂

"If you pay today it costs less" is the trigger for me to show them the door. Old glazing trick, just like the advertising your house BS.

As soon as I heard "we need the deposit today"i would politely ask them to leave, a total Red Flag for me. What a brilliant vid, looking forward to the second part of this. 👍😎

@fransmith3255

Жыл бұрын

That's exactly it!

@clovermark39

Жыл бұрын

Exactly. Can’t believe this is still being done.

@oneness8802

Жыл бұрын

Yep !!

@ElGoogKO

Жыл бұрын

i haven't gotten that far into the video..i stopped at the pyramid type scheme "if you promote us, we'll give you xxxx" I would have stopped when they claimed mono crystalin bifacial panels are best, but i was curious to hear more. But first of all, you should never even allow them to come. They should send a pdf with their entire lineup and packages for you to look and compare.

@sphericalchess

Жыл бұрын

Agreed!

Also: NO Rails were delivered (so couldn't be installed anyway) NO Inverters were delivered (so couldn't be installed anyway) NO Batteries. AND.... 6 panels short of what we ordered 🤷‍♂

@natstar7864

Жыл бұрын

Solar power not worth getting if your in the UK to cloudy does not unlimited energy even in Australia where it's sunny 90% of the year and we got bigger homes we just get cheaper energy prices for having it not free energy.

@justbnice3093

Жыл бұрын

Are you done yet? Lol…sounds like a hot mess. According to the US government they have an overstock of panels that people aren’t buying. And the sales pitches here in US are highly sus. Update: note to self…watch the whole video before commenting.

@terencematthew1

Жыл бұрын

I have them indont use much electricity I don't have a bill ,but just lately they have started charging for the meter

@geofferzh79

Жыл бұрын

@@natstar7864 solar does work even when not in direct sunlight

@lindiwright1373

Жыл бұрын

🙄

Pressure selling never gets old. Sounds like the central heating and double glazing sales tactics of the 90's 😠

@freqeist

Жыл бұрын

or double glazing

@lee2003uk

Жыл бұрын

And the kerbey hovers

@tonyhaynes9080

Жыл бұрын

Life insurance salesmen of the 70s

@IMBlakeley

4 ай бұрын

@@freqeist It's the new double glazing scam I guess.

Oh Daniel! Totally felt your pain with this one but laughed my arse off when you quoted the law at them and enforced your consumer rights. They didn’t realise that they were messing with the wrong guy! SO GOOD 🤣👏🏻✊🏻

@gamewithadam7235

Жыл бұрын

They thought they can just make unenforceable terms without specifying how they intended to do it haha. Nobody can lawfully agree to terms that aren't clearly and specifically outlined. Well done Dan!

@Kila-Innova

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, arguing with a barrister his legal rights? It’s doable but you better know what you’re saying and that you’re right.

Brilliant man thank you if our country was run by people like you we would not be in this mess

@juliajulesiscool684

Жыл бұрын

👌🏼💯🤣

@ronjon692

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for relaying your experience!

@petermainwaringsx

Жыл бұрын

The vast majority of MP's are lawyers but unfortunately not as honest as BBB.

@EnglishDrifts69GTxRED

Жыл бұрын

@@petermainwaringsx thats because they dont want to call BS on the PM. If they did then they would take the hit aswell for being in the useless government

@dawn5227

Жыл бұрын

@w F BBB is a great guy, but then he is a barrister so honesty is something you would expect from him. lol

A quick search for bifacial panels indicates that having them on a roof is largely pointless: "CAN YOU USE BIFIACIAL PANELS ON A ROOF? Bifacial solar panels work best when they lie around four metres from the ground. This is because the higher up the panel sits, the more light is able to get underneath them. For this reason bifacial solar panels are unlikely to suit a residential setting, but work well in solar farms, off-grid systems, or commercially." Which makes sense, as I wouldn't expect much light to get under a panel that just sits a few inches from the surface.

@barbsdee3831

Жыл бұрын

I agree a quick google search for bifacial are mainly used commercially when raised off the ground

@bobp6742

Жыл бұрын

Your right bi facial panels are not recommended for domestic properties, just wasting your money.

@greenbow7888

Жыл бұрын

I think if the panels were sure to be 540W panels, then it would make no difference. 540W single faced or 540W bifaced. ... However I think I understand what happens when someone said they've had enough. Even if the solution is OK, we just want away from a company that caused too much of a headache. To negate the risk of more headaches down the road. It was after all, one heck of a story.

@fredhogg4361

Жыл бұрын

Indeed - their calculations on energy efficiency probably also didn't factor in roof orientation either. These people seem to always overstate the case for solar in northern climes as it is in their commercial interests to do so.

@twatmunro

Жыл бұрын

@@barbsdee3831 -- A quick search for bi-racial facials brings up results that have nothing at all to do with solar panels.

As a rule, never let companies choose you e.g. respond to their adverts/approaches. You do your research and then choose a company.

@eddietee6305

Ай бұрын

True.

@jacquelinekabugo-raderson1878

Ай бұрын

💯 what I'm doing these days...

it's odd that in a video posted to warn other's of scams and scammers that the scammers are not identified to enable others to avoid that particular company.

@bettywhiting7699

Ай бұрын

Probably due to legal reasons that he can't name and shame. Plus I would think there are many scammers in this field,too many to list.

@eddietee6305

Ай бұрын

Lawsuit...maybe.

@niv8880

Ай бұрын

Probably this never happened but it is a good opportunity to get free or discounted solar panels from the company that is about to be interviewed? I assume *they* will be named?

I am waiting for the scammers to come on line, and it appears they have done so. If I were to look at installation of solar panels I would simply go up the road to the houses that already have them on, and ask them who installed them and how good are they. I would knock on the door of at least six properties to get a good idea of things.

@PhoebeMc

Жыл бұрын

Word of mouth always helps. Question... Do you know if we have the "cooling off period" law in the US? Took forever to get a lemon law... Curious.

@helenporter7584

Жыл бұрын

Always get 3 quotes and look yourself at the panels output online. I got better panels for less money by doing this.

@lperkins2

Жыл бұрын

@@PhoebeMc Varies by state, but at least some states have something similar.

@col403

Жыл бұрын

I wouldn't answer the door in case you were a Samaritan : P

@wolfe6220

Жыл бұрын

@@PhoebeMc Cooling off period usually only applies to certain contracts, like if someone comes to your door and is trying to sell you something. Some states (very few)it can apply to car loans ( I work for an auto lender)...BUT, the contract must reveal the fact that there is a cooling off period. I just took my yearly refresher on FTC regulations today (yay, finally it's being put to good use!) as a matter of fact. Bottom line: check with the FTC, attorney general of your state, any regulatory agency, CFPB, even the BBB, word of mouth, etc. One thing I've learned to do at my job is it's way easier for you to do a few weeks of research than try to get your money back once the contract is signed.

I had a similar experience with double glazing some years ago. Being quoted £10000 for 5 windows. Through a sales pitch which lasted 2 hours, I continuedly said "No". £10000 went to 5k then 4k then 3k until I got to £2750 providing I said yes that day. I said No again, and they walked. As they watched away he said the the quote would last a month. They continued to telephone for days after, saying they could do it £2500. I still said no. The last I heard from them was a month after, saying £2250 was their final offer. I could of taken it, but I still said no because I didn't like the pressure of the sales pitch.

@notmenotme614

Жыл бұрын

It’s unbelievable these cowboys were initially willing to charge 4 times over their retail price. How do they sleep at night knowing they con people out of £8750

@anjou6497

Жыл бұрын

Its terrible, the stress & insult they caused you.

@laceandwhisky

Жыл бұрын

Yep been there too. I'd use a local window place I know one of the guys who works for the company seen their work and price is fair.

@helmutschmacher2100

Жыл бұрын

I have 1 rule with buying stuff. You give me the best price first, any BS with silly high prices and we are done. End.

@lupaswolfshead9971

Жыл бұрын

my sister worked for the doubleglazing guy who used the BOGOF ad it was a lie because you didnt get one free for each you bought because the price was for both windows already priced

The sales method used by this company reminds me of a company I was a prospective salesman. I was assured that the sales method employed was approved by the Department of Trade. Pressure was to used by closing the sale on the day. Followed by a credit agreement of 29.9% calculated daily. The sale of the product attracted a commission to the salesman. However the credit was a further much greater commission. Therefore, the pressure on the salesman was great. I was morally concerned that people were being put into debt for 4-5 years at exorbitant credit rates. The company was a subsidiary of a national company with extensive commercial profile. I had to terminate my connextion to the company. I'd sooner starve than pressure sell to people who may not have had the means to pay.

@andreaberryman5354

Жыл бұрын

Right. Car dealerships are actually turning away cash customers for the same reason. So when buying a car now, you do not inform them you are paying cash. You sign THEIR paperwork, NOT the loan paperwork, hand them cash and ask for the keys. They cannot refuse your cash once you have handed it to them. Lol

@johnroberts6864

Жыл бұрын

Hi, bud. I've just put a new post on this. I've read you're post and know exactly where you are coming from. I did some dirty things back in the day and got absorbed by the income. I'm now a very different man.

Sad how educated they are and instead of doing it properly and saving the planet they just scamming people.

What a nightmare! I live off grid in Spain. I decided to do the install myself but got a quote from some "official" installers to see if it was worth the bother. They quoted me 15,000€ for a setup that eventually cost me 6,000€ doing it myself with better specs on some aspects. Took me longer and hours of KZread tutorials, but it was worth it. 5 years on, and everything is still working fine with only minor corrections to the original installation.

@bigjoeangel

Жыл бұрын

Where do you recommend to buy from?

@fishmanfairclough7530

Жыл бұрын

@@bigjoeangel I have found bimble solar to be okay, the panels aren't the cheapest and delivery is £36 per panel with less for each additional panel, they don't do the panels I bought anymore Canadian Solar 225w but they do panels 455w for £200 which per watt is still pretty good value. There has been a bump in the price of solar panels obviously with everything that is going on.

@fishmanfairclough7530

Жыл бұрын

It is something you can learn if you willing to invest quite a few hours and days of learning and good fun.

@blueneptune825

Жыл бұрын

Good for you. Saved $$$ and have the happiness of a job well done.✌🏼

@tommo9757

Жыл бұрын

You"re adding to the electrical circuitry of your house. In the UK this would be covered by Part P of the building regs, and the work would need to be done by a Part-P registered electrician. Failure to comply could result in a trip to court and/ or disconnection from the supply

If someone as smart as BBB can nearly get caught out, then the average person could well be screwed over.

@notmenotme614

Жыл бұрын

His first mistake was to buy something of Instagram rather than going onto Google and searching and shopping around for a real solar panel companies with hundreds of positive (and believable) reviews.

@legion162

Жыл бұрын

@@notmenotme614 why wouldn't anyone, that's not an expert like you, not go to a company they've seen on Instagram. Some of the largest companies in the world advertise on various social media platforms like Facebook, tiktok and Instagram. Amazon reviews, oh wait riddled with fake reviews, Trust Pilot oh wait removed over 2.5 million fake reviews just last year, company website they can just write whatever they want.

@dudmanjohn

Жыл бұрын

We all have different skills but I would have expected he would have done more research and sought three quotes from reputable businesses.

@MS-Patriot2

Жыл бұрын

This also could be a shaggy dog story to produce a KZread video that is long enough to attract revenue for BBB.

@samrodian919

Жыл бұрын

@@notmenotme614ah yes but Daniel had checked the company out and it was a fairly large concern

can be quite humbling admitting that you made a mistake / were misled and really appreciate sharing as it helps so much with others

@iant9461

Жыл бұрын

Like all people with money. They don’t want to look poor. I’ve seen them take the highest offer so not to look poor. Pathetic! F them!

@OH2023-cj9if

6 ай бұрын

It shows how easy it is to scam people, even an intelligent barrister. At least he investigated the product specs, most people would not. Clear case of a scam.

Thank you for sharing this, it's only gong to help folk guard themselves against these rogue salesmen and corrupt companies. Looking forward to part 2.. 🙏🏼👍🏻

The liveried vehicle trick and signs on the house trick are something that double glazing companies did in the 90's. If you agreed to it you didn't get the windows any cheaper. This happened to some neighbours of mine and was ultimately a public advert that they had been conned, not nice, please don't anybody else fall for such a limp trick.

@HLB313

Жыл бұрын

I don’t really get why they have to differentiate, why wouldn’t they have liveried vehicles to begin with as a business operated out of vans…

@pjschmid2251

Жыл бұрын

It seems solar power and other alternative on premises energy installations are this era’s version of replace your windows with super high efficiency windows high pressure sales crap. It seems there are a lot of less than reputable firms out there trying to turn a quick profit.

@stephengraham1153

Жыл бұрын

@@HLB313 It's the nature of the industry. These companies are not much more than negotiators. They don't employ their own installers, they pass the work on to subcontractors. Basically it's an office with a small team of salespeople following up sales leads.

Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been scammed before as well. It's disturbing how heavily people will commit to knowingly screwing someone over with lies. 😞

@conniecarroll747

Жыл бұрын

Or using a lot of technological terms to confuse you. I got scammed through the family computer. If my Stepfather had been home it wouldn't have happened but I wasn't wise enough at the time about the terms used, so fell for it. Luckily it wasn't that expensive, but I still felt like a fool. There's a lot of scammers on the internet hoping someone will click on their sites. It's gotten to where you cannot tell whose real and whose lying anymore.

@kyrabestories

Жыл бұрын

@@conniecarroll747 It's true! The ones that got me created a fake duplicate website and everything. At that point I wasn't familiar with checking the URL for small alterations from the original. They got almost $1000 out of me, but I was able to find people from the real site to let them know about the fake site. Never got my money back, but the fake site was deactivated within a week, and I hope the real company was able to track down the scammers in time.

@zeropointconsciousness

Жыл бұрын

I've had people ringing me for the past couple of years pretending to be my internet provider. Taking up a whole lot of time everytime they called too and I only found them out the other day when I was literally passing the shop that provides it when they called. The guy in the shop took one look at the number and said "scammers block that number." Unbelievable.

@catlady443

Жыл бұрын

Look at Trump He's conned almost 1/3 of the country

How much rubbish does one have to take before you realize you are dealing with scammer

The only company I would deal with is one that 1. Never comes to me. I went to them. And 2. When I go to them they tell me the next available date that they can do the work will be a minimum of two months away. I go on their waiting list.

Thank you! - I've been a subscriber to you since you popped up on my feed when i was following the Amber Heard trial. This information is pure gold! Having a good knowledge of the law is paramount to this. I would never have known about the small print and checking it against legal statutes. Especially about the refund being paid by the method you paid. Thanks again! I love your channel and the way you explain things in ways that us "non legal" guys can understand. Great video.

@fluffypink6unny

Жыл бұрын

That’s how I found him too!

I got scammed with solar panels they fitted them but left 10 holes in my roof overtime unbeknown to us water collected in my boys bedroom ceiling until it eventually collapsed.nobody would help me nobody is taking responsibility and the guy responsible is now in dubai 10 million pound richer

They picked the wrong person to try it on! Thanks for being so open/honest about this.

An informed and alert consumer is the enemy of scammers everywhere. Caveat emptor is a long-standing proverb for good reason.

Exactly the same ‘discounts’ are offered when buying double glazing 😂. Even down to the ‘phone to check stock’

@stpfs9281

Жыл бұрын

Same scammers script (SSS)

@Sworn1301

Жыл бұрын

Not same scammer script, same company. I know them well.

I'm so sorry that happened to you, but they say everything happens for a reason! Maybe it's so that you can learn about this and teach us about it!! Thank you so much for sharing everything with us!!!!

@BlackBeltBarrister

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 🙏

@PhoebeMc

Жыл бұрын

@@BlackBeltBarrister if only everyone you've saved by this broadcast joined at the highest possible membership... Maybe, huh? Cause you're still out the $ & tho I'm sure letting us know is rewarding in & of itself, it doesn't reimburse you. That's what would be REALLY nice!! SUCH A SHAME!! Where's there's a way to scam, scammers will scam!! Unfortunately.

@PhoebeMc

Жыл бұрын

Talk about pressure selling!! You'd already said no , you wanted to wait but they'd not leave it alone. They were determined, huh? Yet unable to deliver AFTER, as you said, they confirmed in stock & able to deliver.

@twatmunro

Жыл бұрын

@@PhoebeMc -- Or alternatively, YOU could take out additional memberships at the highest possible membership instead of telling other people how they should spend THEIR money?

Hi Daniel, I used to be an account manager for a construction company and we also dealt with Solar Panels. I know first hand this is not uncommon industry wide. Good that you're warning people as I've seen people lose thousands. I live in Scotland though but I'd imagine consumer rights aren't too different.

Clearly demonstrates how easily an everyday consumer could be scammed into taking inadequate purchases when a guy as educated as BBB nearly gets taken in. Most informative post. 👍

Conclusion: you can trust people, if and only if: 1. You are a lawyer 2. You are reasonably well-off. Otherwise, don’t buy a thing you don’t understand.

If someone with your expertise and intelligence got scammed, what hope do we prolls have? Lol.

@yellowgreen5229

Жыл бұрын

It was an obvious scam

Thirty plus years ago I had a Bathroom company visit. They tried to get me to sign the contract that evening, before they left and then gave some bull**** as to why that would be better. I showed them the door, then organised the work myself. Thirty plus years later it's as good as gold.

Absolutely love this. What horrifies me is how pushy they get and wear your defences down, I hope they see this video.

Good that you are telling people that no matter how smart we may be, we can still be conned if we aren’t careful 👌😎💋

@BlackBeltBarrister

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 🙏

If this is your first time through this sales process, you are extremely lucky... I've endured double glazing salesmen and kitchen salesmen, who were the worst of the worst. My sister was scammed out of a horrendous amount of money for double glazing because she just invited a random salesman in and accepted what he said. They prey on vulnerable people... I'm glad they came up against you, you are the worst nightmare for these awful companies.

I chuckled to myself when you started referencing laws to them. They really messed with the wrong bloke. Thanks for taking the time to explain this so thoroughly. It's a much more subtle scam than most people would be on the lookout for, and requires a lot more research and due diligence to spot (and thus avoid) than a lot of people would carry out. I look forward to part 2.

I was married to a double glaze sales man. You were lucky,they have the gift of the gab. Lesson learnt as I had forgotten what they are like. Thank you

They picked on the wrong person there, with your knowledge and platform. Thank you for the info.

They sound like ex-double glazing scammers! Glad you got it sorted. Must be great being a barrister! I can honestly say I would have done exactly the same as you all along, although I wouldn’t have known the legalities of their suggested method of refund.

@Kampbell300

Жыл бұрын

As a ex pvc-u salesmen I was laughing at this from the start, textbook B-S sales techniques

That's a very useful video for many people who aren't used to these sales people. I know quite a lot about Solar but I'll definitely be looking out for part 2 when it's done. Excellent work and thanks. 👍

@harryzero1566

Ай бұрын

I absolutely agree, this rather lengthy explanation of what to avoid is fully justified. Sadly there will always be people who will steal from or con the gullible. The greater the potential loss, the more sophisticated the con.

I had a solar salesman come to my house last week. It took 20 minutes of telling him politely that I was not interested to get him to leave.

@Meka581

6 ай бұрын

Next time when answering your door to a solicitor simply say " no thank you I am not interested" and shut the door in their face before they begin their BS pitch. If they don't leave call the police because as far as I am concerned they have become a threat.

@KiwiCatherineJemma

Ай бұрын

You were too polite. It only takes one minute. "No thank you. I am NOT interested. I cannot afford it. I am NOT your target market. " If they don't promptly leave then feel free to use whatever swear words you want. (All the "C" words, "F" words, "K" words and "W" words that I cannot use here. You can even make up some new swear words if you want. You're also welcome to question their parentage "Your father was so ugly, your mother charged him double !" etc At the end of one minute and 30 seconds you can then slam the door in their faces.

@togger2151

Ай бұрын

@@KiwiCatherineJemma I played some cat and mouse with him a little bit. He didn't know I knew quite a bit about it. "What if I told you I could get you solar for free?" I would say you are lying... "I can get you a 25yr loan" So I won't be able to sell my house for 25 years

100%social media needs to be at fault too

@jue8176

Жыл бұрын

How many other people will be scammed some people will always fall for these scams but if you pay peanuts you will only get monkeys buy from a company that have a good responsibility record

@clovermark39

Жыл бұрын

I think Social media helps in these cases. Years ago you couldn’t Google anything or look online for similar cases just go on what you were told. It’s about time we had some regulation of these or a list of reputable firms we could look up via the local authority or something.

@KOL630

Жыл бұрын

What he means is the social media companies are facilitating these bozos with zero accountability for the consequence of their actions. People getting ripped off is the result and social media companies allowing these cowboys to sell their product on their platform have no accountability, it’s not right. You could argue that this would never have happened if he had not happened upon this company on Instagram. It’s cause and effect.

Hi Dan, I know exactly the company you are describing, I actually used to work for them and left as I disagreed with their working practices. I'd be happy to give you even more information on them / their other ventures. Would make for interesting reading. I'll not directly name them, but their main office is in Southampton, but they operate UK wide.

@clivelittle831

Жыл бұрын

Would they be involved in insulation too?

@Sworn1301

Жыл бұрын

@@clivelittle831 absolutely

@daycallcomponents3395

Жыл бұрын

Glowgreen by chance?

Absolutely right decision to source the parts yourself and have them fitted. You will find you will get far more for your money and have the piece of mind that you actually got what you think you got.

Thank you so much. I do want solar power, but I had no idea where to start. That was deeply appreciated, Dan.

@jimhanty8149

Ай бұрын

Don’t start unless you can do every wire and piece of gear yourself ….period…

You can see how easily they would normally get away with this, most people would assume the product they’ve agreed to is being installed and wouldn’t bother checking. Thanks for this video, I learnt a lot.

Wow! To think this is happening to people all the time! I really worry for vulnerable people that get scammed

Seems Solar Panel sales is the new Double Glazing. The main problem here was responding to an advert pushed to you. This is like dealing with a cold caller. Just don’t do it. Do you own research and decide which companies you are going to contact

The marketing ploys you describe have been used for selling anything from water softners to motorised armchairs. The moment you detect one of theses ploys you should show them the door.

the last time I was scammed buying a used car from a dealer I used all the lawful methods to recover my money but to no avail. So I thought how can I get this outfit back? After much research it looked to me like they were evading tax so as an upfront member of society I felt it was my duty to inform the VAT department.... to cut a long story short not long afterwards the dealer suddenly went out of business, all over a measly £500 claim I lodged against them. Result!

What I've learned through life experiences is that the best advice is to ALWAYS do enough research upfront so you can identify what it is you are actually in the market for. Some research time will save you costly mistakes. When we did a makeover of my 60+ yr old kitchen my research showed me I didn't need a NEW kitchen, just a "facelift" of the old one plus 3 custom cabinets to make my kitchen more efficient. Even then the quotes I got went from 5K USD to 25K. Which also shows why you should always get more than one quote for any work being done. Also, check the reviews no matter how large the company.

Paying a deposit today is like a timeshare. Then when you try to get out of the deal because it's a crap deal you lose your deposit doing it. It is a trap. Their boss is maybe on the beach in Marbella with your deposit in his pocket :)

Best video I have watched this year. I am actually considering solar panels. I gotta say, you have an extreme amount of patience in this. I would have pulled out way earlier. But it’s good that you learned from this and also shared your experience to the benefit of us. So thank you.

@nickcoppard5335

Жыл бұрын

I have had 3 sets fitted by local guy , good service , good price , highly recommended him ,

I've learned very early in life that 99% of sales people, or anyone that has to talk me into anything, I know they will benefit a lot more, from whatever deal it is, than it will me... So, I learn as much as possible about whatever is being sold, or talked into, then expect to be lied to... It's been a good tactic to live by for me, since I'm female (fortunately, a smart one).

What an ordeal! You were much nicer about the whole situation than I would have been.

I'm so sorry this ALMOST turned out awful. Thankfully you are who you are & can now share your knowledge with us! My son wants solar so I'm forwarding this to him along with your detailed, now expert, solar panel buying experience. Ty.

I couldn't say enough how helpful your video is to potential buyer of these solar panels and the lack of knowledge most of us are when it comes to sales pitch. I'm looking forward to your part 2

Let’s be honest, they tried to rip you off! Glad they didn’t.

@terrymoney9718

Жыл бұрын

Bit like the initial double glazing 'oh I'll ring my boss to give you a discount and hold the price until tomorrow '

@laceandwhisky

Жыл бұрын

@@terrymoney9718 had that a few times 😂 there's the door bye

I've seen far too many videos on YT the past couple years, of people being totally taken advantage of & actually scammed by solar companies & panels, etc. Horrible & for some, financially destructive.. SO glad you are bringing more attention to this subject.

Watched a few of your video, so far I think the detail and practical use to me makes this one by far my favourite

It is good you shared this and shows that anyone can fall for a scam.

I did the same thing last year. I didn’t allow them to come to my house because I felt that the person on the phone didn’t really understand how solar energy works… I still receive phone calls from various companies who probably bought my contact information from the company that advertised online originally. I would definitely recommend researching a company rather than filling in online forms. Try to find a telephone number and call them yourself

@achitophel5852

Жыл бұрын

Ever considered having a separate email for just this type of 'blind' venture? Additionally, I NEVER complete online forms asking for personal information. I'll send an email, with a description but not an identification of the property with no surname. If they're interested, they'll get back to that email address.

I had a legit company around 10yrs ago. Could only put solar panels on certain aspects of the roof. Then said any energy we produce & don't use monthly, it then goes back into the national grid! Obviously, not what wanted- if I produced energy in summer wanted to use it in winter. Then added up the costs! It was ridiculous! With a 25yr life span of panels, I would only make some sort of gains after 23yrs! So please even if you have a genuine company, check the T's & C's!

@daCubanaqt

Жыл бұрын

In the US you can sell your excess electrical back to the electrical company which offsets your bills throughout the year, but electrical companies are offering this option as much anymore.

@gmo4250

Жыл бұрын

@@daCubanaqt We can do the same in the UK, the feed in tariff is quite a low price though.

@andrewbowen6875

Жыл бұрын

My mother who got real lucky with getting a two year fixed deal has been asking questions about those who have had solar panels and what about all of the wind farms? Just sounds like another case of the usual suspects making the money

@brolohalflemming7042

Жыл бұрын

That's a normal experience, and why the cooling off period is so vital. This is a basic bait & switch scam from an industry spawned out of double glazing sales. There used to be a FIT (Feed In Tariff) that paid for electricity exported to the grid. Which also made for a more complex installation because you'd also need an export meter. But much of the pitch worked on assumed ROI and payback periods. So scams would do interesting finance deals where you'd sign over the FIT payments to cover part of the project costs. Other common tricks were giving you a 3yr warranty, when things like inverters would typically only last 6-8yrs, then need replacing, and they're not cheap. Or just the way solar panels generally degrade over time. Especially because they're typically heat sensitive, which also means output drops when it's too sunny. So basically they'd never pay back the costs. On the plus side, given the way these renewables scams have inflated electricity costs by around £14bn a year, the higher electricity rates currently do make the ROI slightly more favorable. But you'd never be able to store enough energy during summer to last the whole of winter. Often a better solution now FITs are ended is to install hybrid PV and hot water solar systems, especially if you hook the PV part to a large hot water tank and use that as a battery. 'Free' hot water, and far cheaper than junk like heat pumps because a tank only needs a

@goodday7626

Жыл бұрын

I’ve had mine for 12 years and no where near paid for itself!! Another sales pitch

Thanks so much for this video Scary to think even you were close to being conned. Well done for fighting these people and thanks again.

Very interesting story, so thanks for sharing. Very humble of you to reveal how you almost got scammed. Looking forward to the follow-up video! ✅

I'm sorry you had to go through that. I appreciate you forwarding this information. Companies find all kinds of ways to rip us off and make it sound legit. I don't trust anyone these days. They owe me to prove what they are saying.

Really good and informative video. Guess this just proves that the old dodgy double glazing sales tricks are now used in the solar industry.

Thank you. This is just what is needed at the moment for a number of people, I should think; including me.

One of your best ever videos … personal/educational/professional and lessons learnt without the bitter pain of experience

I love it! Not because you almost got scammed, but because you shared this with us, thank YOU!

It's always worth also having a look around the local area at your neighbours to see who is using Solar panels and asking them if they are satisfied or otherwise with their installation and how it all went, there's nothing like word of mouth to get the truth about a company. Please don't use social media, it's much too risky.

@moonshayde

Жыл бұрын

Definitely! When I first moved to my house in 2015 I looked at getting solar panels, bloke came out, did measurements & gave the hard sell crap. Told him I'm just getting quotes right now & wouldn't be giving him a deposit or signing a contract. He became very grumpy & was told to leave. As he left he said 'you can't have solar panels anyway because your house faces the wrong direction'. I thought that was hilarious as one of my neighbours whose house is literally facing the same direction as mine has solar panels. Had a chat with said neighbour...he got his panels via the green grants which are no longer available thanks to the tory government!!

@SMariaKS

Жыл бұрын

We spoke to a chap near us who had them and he told us he was very happy that he had the panels so that helped.

So, never sign anything under pressure. *Never pay anything* in advance even if the deal seems OK.

Anglian windows tried this exact thing on also. £20k for 3m bi-fold doors, reduced down to ~£8k if we pay today, put an advertisement outside our house and leave a good review. I have never laughed someone out of the house like that, especially when they suggested financing over 10 years, absolute crooks. Ended up having a local company do it for half the price.

Thanks for the enlightening info. One thing I will say regarding "It will pay for itself after x time" is that depending on the actual products you buy, after "X" time the product probably needs to be replaced! Just something think about and check. Solar panels and batteries do have a defined useful lifespan. 😀

@sueregan2782

Жыл бұрын

From what I have learned, the life span of the batteries can be as short as ten years, depending on how many on/off cycles it needs to utilize on a daily basis, so not really much of savings for light users, electric wise. But, with more and more grid failures there are other losses avoided, like frozen and refrigerated foods, as well as avoiding mold and mildew build up in the home, and of course health issues, which was the main reason I decided on solar.

Thank you for informing us! Looking forward to the PART 2!

A scaffolder was telling me that about a third of the jobs are for removing old solar panels. This is a sign that they don’t last very long.

Having nearly been bitten I trust NOBODY at all. Great article this one my son is looking into these at the moment but he’s a proper engineer and has researched what to look for.

Daniel (If I may), you rock! Thank you for sharing this pertinent information! They were flim-flam artists (two really nice guys you say), from a flim-flam company, with their flim-flam schemes. Everything went wrong in this deal. Companies like this are hoping that the customer will trust them and won't question them. Excellent video and thank you.

@BlackBeltBarrister

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 🙏

They always pressure you with the hard sell and always make it awkward to get the refund. Not just solar companies, all of them. That's one of the reasons a certain online shopping place got so big do quickly and stayed at the top, they make it quick and easy to get refunds for whatever reason. Honest business practices pay off far better than dodgy practices

Thank you for telling us some of the issues involved in a large transaction (for most of us). It’s really helpful because as a widow I have been subject to some alarming gaslighting. I look forward to Part 2.

Many Thanks for this information - I will definitely be watching Part 2.

The biggest learning point from this is a customer should not take any sh*t from bad customer service. When the company is starting to mess you around and not give you what you want, your alarm bells ringing, you should simply walk away. You don’t owe a company any loyalty. I’d rather walk away, save my money and not have the product than give it to a bunch of cowboys.

@oxfordborg1400

Жыл бұрын

Depends on the country. Corruption is the law of the land in many unfortunately.

@Julia-uh4li

Жыл бұрын

But these guys weren't cowboys. Daniel said they were well established.

We're just making enquiries about this right now so THANK YOU, I'll watch second part

I'm glad I watched you tonight. This lady was trying to work a deal with me, solar panel financing for 25 years including a new AC unit and a new roof. It sounded great but I calculated the cost, and it was ridiculous. Thank you for this video.

Very interesting and informative, Thank you ;-) Off to watch part 2 now..

This sounds exactly like the way double glazing salesmen work. I was given a discount for letting them take pictures of my house, which of course they never did.

Dan , appreciate your transparency! Glad you kicked their asses!

I was late getting to this upload, and I must say a first class video, very informative . I think most people would learn some valuable precautions from your experience. Brilliant!

Grateful of your time and efforts to break down any proposed installation and contract rights and cooling off rights. Specification in advance of any install is clearly key get the promised spec and maintain your rights 🌞🌞🌞

I find Companies House on-line checks a very useful tool as well. A good way to check the veracity of any type of business. Can’t beat a bit of research before parting with your hard earned cash.

Its nice to know barristers are human too! thankyou for sharing experience, some would not have, in fear of embarrassment, you the man

You are more patient that I would have been! Thank you for sharing this!

Brilliant advice as usual and so reassuring to know that even the most savvy among us can make the wrong decision. So pleased that you had the knowledge and confidence to rectify the situation. Just wondered whether the company involved knew that you were a barrister? I'm looking forward to part 2 even though I am not looking to purchase solar panels. I really enjoy your channel and appreciate the opportunity to learn something new and interesting.

I live in the us and my husband is trying to push me into buying these-this is what I needed. Thank you!!! Can’t wait for the next videos on this!!!

Yes, yes, it's good to know how solar panels and their installation works, and you may have left some things out, but I was shocked after the first few minutes way before you got to the panels! You let two (and they insisted on two) complete strangers off the internet into your lovely home to scout around, see what you have, examine and measure even into the attic and out on the roof. I'll bet they also wanted to look at the electrical box wherever that might be. You gave all kinds of information about your selves and your lifestyle, how you pay for things, even showing them bills. Who were these people? Did you ask for ID and even if you saw it, how do you know it was legit? You did this before looking up the company? Does the company have a reputation? Are they properly registered? Are the installers bonded and insured (these are Canadian terms. I don't know the equivalent in the UK). This obviously a well developed, sophisticated, and corrupt operation may just be front for more sinister criminal activity. I am eager to hear about solar panels but geez, your public service announcement needs to start with - don't let complete strangers into your home to scout around and gather a bunch of personal information without first fully investigating everything.

@rozwood1668

Жыл бұрын

I agree. I live alone and don't let strangers into my home. I've had cold callers on my doorstep and I've told them absolutely NO!

@sue5980

Жыл бұрын

Very interesting . Thanks

@engenulf

Жыл бұрын

I completely agree Jess, I'm more concerned about that than the dodgy company.

@engenulf

Жыл бұрын

I completely agree Jess, I'm more concerned about that than the dodgy company.

@merlin5476

Жыл бұрын

Surely that implies that the only people you going to let into your home would be people that you already know!! What if a member if the family isn't a registered solar installer? Or you need a plumber or electrician thats not a friend ??

I think my biggest concerns other than the cost would be, how long do the lithium ion batteries last ( they usually deteriorate over time)? How efficient are the panels if the surface isn't totally clean? Also how reliable are the inverters being installed? In other words how reliable are the components of the inverter as I suspect it will probably get hot during operation like smaller inverters used for 12v to 230v usage usually have a cooling fan. Just shows its a minefield and extreme caution is necessary!

Great video , BBB , this is one of the best empowered customer video's I have ever seen. These guys are used to rolling over helpless customers. As James Cameron in this comments section said, as soon as they said, "We need a deposit today." , I would have said "Congratulations, this sale is over". That 'must buy today' garbage is classic car salemans bull mess. Thank you for exposing the abuses of this solar contracting industry. You are not alone. I have seen it in real life at my next door neighbors house and on many threads on the internet. Some things the solar industry never wants anyone to know. Solar cells degrade rapidly as they age. In hotter climates, that degradation can be very fast. The batteries used also lose charge over years. Worse if the energy management fails to properly measure that batteries and stop them from over or under charging. The batteries require maintenance to be done to insure they remain safe as they absorb and discharge power and that becomes way more important as those batteries get older. Also, solar panels mounted on a roof greatly increase the cost of getting new roof shingles installed and the older the solar panels are, the more likely they will be damaged when removed for those new roof shingles to be installed. Also, if you live in a country that has alot of cloud cover and few truly sunny days, a solar system may never 'pay for itself.' The investment in these solar systems can easily be fifty thousand to eighty thousand pounds and up . That buys alot of other ways to save energy as well as maintain the house you live in. That scary part about a commercially installed over fifty grand and up cost solar system is, just about the time you start to get even on the return versus cost, the entire system dies of old age. Provided a hail storm does'nt kill them outright. And remember this, no matter what, as it ages, the solar cells will return less power and the batteries will, store and provide less power, that is guaranteed. Time is not kind to anything man makes especially when it is right out in the wide open.

@BlackBeltBarrister

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@Ann-vc1py

Жыл бұрын

@@BlackBeltBarrister thank you for this brilliant video. Does the Consumer Rights Act still refer to '30 days,' or with these new '...money back in 14 days if...' override that Act?

@BlackBeltBarrister

Жыл бұрын

@@Ann-vc1py s22(3) 30 days right to reject

@Ann-vc1py

Жыл бұрын

@@BlackBeltBarrister thank you for confirming.