Sidbury firm carcks down on solar ‘cowboys’

A Sidbury-based campaign is launching a national campaign to help people avoid ‘cowboy’ solar panel fitters.

YouGen has teamed up with more than 20 companies to crack down on ‘unscrupulous’ installers seeking to cash in on the confusion surrounding the Government’s feed-in-tariff incentives.

The independent renewable energy website, founded by Cathy Debenham, has developed the campaign after receiving a growing number of complaints from concerned consumers.

It has been backed by some of the country’s most successful renewable energy companies, including Devon-based SunGift Solar and Source Renewable.

As part of the campaign YouGen has drawn up a consumer checklist for people considering a renewable energy installation.

Cathy Debenham said it was being launched this week to coincide with the government’s reduction in feed-in-tariffs, the price homeowners can sell their solar electricity back to the grid for.

She said despite repeated warnings from industry bodies many of the ‘cowboy operators’ are still selling solar panels advertising the higher rate, as it is still the subject of an appeal.

For more on the campaign visit www.yougen.co.uk.