BBC news article

[Flyingsparks]

Just read this article on the BBC news website BBC News - Solar panel regulator warns over door to door sellers.

It makes quite interesting reading, but i was not impressed with the following quote from the article.

"Whilst most suppliers - including utilities and supermarkets - do not attract complaints, the regulator is worried about pressure-selling by predominantly local firms."

Does this not give the customer the impression that it is better to go with the nationals and to avoid us local firms !

 

[judgeelectrical]

sounds like a bit of a conspiracy theroy here. Us locals would not have the money and resources to fund door to door sales staff, what a ridiculous thing to say ! Bet they would nt have said the same thing about a national large firm Ie a super Market chain as they woukld have the clout and money to do somthing about it

 

[seprim]

I have just read the article. . its a damning misinterpretation of the truth. I think Virginia Graham is an idiot ! She wont have a job if no-one takes up PV so what is she doing ?
Whilst I'm not an activist or regular complainer of any sort.[ Although I was one of those that petitioned Gordon Brown to resign on the Government Web site ] I do think we should all complain about this using all the channels at our disposal. This article puts fear into the minds of anyone interested in PV and it's difficult enough as it is. Here are my comments on the article - see if you agree. If you do - put pen to paper or finger to keyboard.

quote"
Whilst most suppliers - including utilities and supermarkets - do not attract complaints, the regulator is worried about pressure-selling by predominantly local firms.
"They target people who have maybe just retired, who have got money and are worried about electricity costs going forward," says Virginia Graham from Real Assurance.
"end quote

The BBC have made up the link between pressure-selling and local firms because the quote from Virginia Graham has nothing to do with pressure selling, and merely about marketing strategy, and there is nothing wrong with selling to people who have money, or wish to save money. From recent news it is the national firms that require the meticulous monitoring about pressure selling. e.g. Everest

I'm going to complain to the BBC about this article as it assumes that local firms "pressure-sell" and use some kind of unscrupulous technique. It casts a distasteful, unfair and inaccurate impression of local PV Installers and is giving the impression we are all like that. To prove it - Chris Huhne - The secretary of State for Energy and Climate change said to date that there are over 20,000 installations registered since FITs came in. The REAL have had 70 complaints, and 70 out of 20,000 installations is a mere drop in the ocean. Damn good actually.

and then;

quote "
"It's similar to solar thermal and double glazing before it. A lot of people go out there and are probably selling over the odds price-wise. They have salesmen primed that they need to get their signature on the day, in the home."
"end quote
This statement is quoted and would therefore has been said by Virginia Graham. It is in my humble opinion an unqualified slur against all those hard working local electricians out there who trained for years and invested huge sums of money, and comply with VAST compliance criteria to install these systems to be compared with the disreputable techniques of Double Glazing salesmen. (whom incidentally were untrained, unregulated, unscrupulous and uninvited). Totally NOT what we're about. Also I have no salesmen primed for anything - i dont know about you but if i push my customers in any way i feel bad about it and often it takes weeks for my customers to make a decision, it is not in my interest to make a sale today. Tomorrow, a week or a month - take all the time you like is my motto.

I urge every single one of us here on this forum to send a complaint, however short to the following : The BBC, REAL, OfGem, Chris Huhne - Department of Energy and climate change.

here is the BBC complaints route homepage BBC Complaints - Hompage . For for unfair, alarming, damning and inaccurate comparison of Local Renewable Energy Installers with Double Glazing Salemen.

Virginia Graham, Chief Executive of Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd. for naiive, unfair, damning and inaccurate comparison of Local Renewable Energy Installers with Double Glazing Salemen.
Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd
7th Floor,
Capital Tower,
91 Waterloo Road,
London SE1 8RT
Tel: +44 (0)207 981 0850
Fax: +44 (0)20 7925 2715
Email: [email protected]

OfGem
Telephone: 020 7901 7310
Email: [email protected]

Department of Energy & Climate Change. for destructive, naiive and highly alarming, inaccurate slur against local pv installers designed to damage the uptake of PV by spreading fear of local firms.
The Rt Hon Chris Huhne
Department of Energy & Climate Change
3 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
Tel: +44 (20) 7979 7777
Email: [email protected]
To process your complaints please provide the following information:

the part of the Department which is relevant to your complaint, and a contact name (if you know this)
information on whether it is an original complaint or a follow-up to a reply you were not satisfied with
a clear description of the complaint and what you would like us to do to sort things out
your full postal address, phone number and fax number (and email address if you have one)



Andrew - Stay frosty

 

[Ramjam]

This is what I sent...


Virginia,

This news article is simply evidence of the failing of REAL assurance. You have the authority to suspend members and they cannot be MCS accredited without membership therefore you have the power to shut down unscrupulous traders. Your interview which led to the BBC news article makes customers think that they will get a better service from a national organisation when honest local traders still offer the best service by far.

Whilst British Gas have made progress as a national plumber the vast majority of local plumbing and electrical work is conducted by local traders and it is clear that renewable energy will go the same way. You need to focus your attention upon supporting local traders and not national organisations if you hope to retain credibility. I cannot imagine why you cast the majority of your members in such a dim light as you did in that interview.

You sight lack of consumer knowledge as an issue – where are your advertisements? How are you promoting REAL assurance members as honest traders? We pay your salary and you don’t work in our interests, who is pulling your strings?

Best regards
William Silverstone

Silverstone Solar Ltd

I suggest you send an email too !

 

[Ramjam]

Here is her reply...


Dear Mr. Silverstone,



That story on the BBC website has not been written by me. It has been written by some-one at the BBC, probably a researcher. I have never said that our complaints are predominantly about local installers, and it will be amended forthwith. I was expecting you to send me a link to a video clip showing me making that statement, but I have the impression that no such thing exists.



Best wishes,



Virginia.


The article has now been amended and no longer claims that utilities and National companies attracted no complaints and that local business often mis-sold.

How did the author get that impression?????

 

[Ramjam]

Article changed from

While most suppliers - including utilities and supermarkets - do not attract complaints, the regulator is worried about pressure-selling by predominantly local firms.

"They target people who have maybe just retired, who have got money and are worried about electricity costs going forward," says Virginia Graham from Real Assurance.

to

While most suppliers have not attracted complaints, the regulator is worried about pressure-selling by some firms.

"They target people who have maybe just retired, who have got money and are worried about electricity costs going forward," says Virginia Graham from Real Assurance.

 

[seprim]

Well pld Mr. Silverstone
. . and I still think there is nothing wrong with selling to people with money. How else would it be done ?

There still rankles the comparison with double glazing salesmen - Virginia Graham should not have made this comparison, as it is actually rare to find someone pressure selling and I think she is stoking the fire to alarm ppl.

I wonder whether the BBC will issue an apology ?