Last reviewed 2026-08-23
Complaints
If something has gone wrong, we would rather hear it from you than not hear it at all. This page sets out exactly how a complaint is handled, who deals with it, how long each stage takes and where you can take it if we do not put it right.
How to complain
Telephone 0118 227 7444 during working hours, or write to Solar FX, 1 Loves Close, Burghfield Common, Reading, RG7 3NE. You can also use the form on our contact page. Our published email address is info@solarfx.co.uk. You can also use the telephone, the post or the form for now.
If the matter is a safety concern — burning smells, visible arcing, water entering the property, a loose component on a roof — telephone immediately rather than writing, isolate the system if it is safe to do so, and say clearly that it is urgent.
The four stages
You do not have to know which stage you are at. Tell us the problem and we will place it correctly and tell you what happens next.
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Stage 1 — Raise it with us
Telephone or write to us with the property address, what has happened and what you would like done about it. Most matters — a missed call back, a date that moved without explanation, a fault that needs looking at — are resolved at this point, often the same day. If your complaint is about something unsafe, or water is entering the property, telephone rather than writing, and isolate the system if it is safe to do so.
- Who deals with it
- The person handling your project, or whoever answers the telephone.
- Timescale
- Acknowledged within one working day of receipt.
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Stage 2 — Formal complaint
If stage one has not resolved it, or you want it treated formally from the outset, say so. We log it, allocate it to a director, and investigate: reading the file, speaking to whoever attended, looking at the survey record, the specification, the commissioning results and any photographs, and inspecting the installation where that is needed. You will be told who is dealing with it and how to reach them directly.
- Who deals with it
- A company director, who will not have been the person the complaint is about.
- Timescale
- Acknowledged in writing within three working days. A full response within ten working days, or an explanation of why longer is needed and when to expect an answer.
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Stage 3 — Written outcome
You receive a written outcome setting out what we found, whether the complaint is upheld in whole or in part, what we will do about it, and by when. Where we have got something wrong we will say so plainly. Where we do not accept the complaint we will explain why, with reference to the specification, the standards and the evidence, rather than simply refusing.
- Who deals with it
- The director who investigated.
- Timescale
- Issued at the conclusion of stage two.
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Stage 4 — Review
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, tell us why within a reasonable period and the decision will be reviewed. This is a genuine review of the decision, not a repetition of it. At the end of it we will issue a final written response, which will tell you clearly that our internal procedure is complete and what routes remain open to you.
- Who deals with it
- A second director, or where the company is small, a review by the same director against a written summary of your response.
- Timescale
- Within ten working days of your request.
What helps us resolve it quickly
None of this is required. A complaint is valid however it arrives. But the more of it we have at the start, the fewer exchanges it takes.
| What to include | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| The property address and postcode | So the file can be found immediately rather than after three questions. |
| What happened, and when | Dates, names where you have them, and the sequence of events. |
| What was said or agreed | Any written confirmation, quotation reference or message that is relevant. |
| Photographs or monitoring data | Particularly for anything on the roof, or for a performance concern. |
| What you would like us to do | A repair, a return visit, an explanation, a refund. It is easier to resolve a complaint when we know what a good outcome looks like to you. |
Escalating beyond us
Our internal procedure ends with a final written response. If you are still not satisfied, these routes are independent of us and none of them is closed off by having complained to us first.
Alternative dispute resolution or ombudsman scheme
Where a consumer code or certification scheme applies to your contract, that scheme normally provides an independent complaints and dispute resolution route once our internal procedure is exhausted. The scheme applying to Solar Fx contracts is [INFORMATION REQUIRED]. We have not named a scheme here because we will not publish a membership we have not confirmed; the route available to you is stated on your contract paperwork, and we will confirm it in writing on request. Our accreditations page explains what each of the main schemes does.
Your card provider or finance provider
If you paid by credit card, or funded the work through a finance agreement, the provider may have its own liability and its own complaints process. That route is independent of ours and of any scheme, and using it does not prevent you pursuing the others.
Citizens Advice consumer service
Free, independent advice on your consumer rights and on what to do next, including referral to Trading Standards where the matter warrants it. Useful if you want an impartial view on whether our final response is reasonable.
The Information Commissioner’s Office
For complaints specifically about how we have handled your personal data, rather than about the installation. Raise it with us first, then complain to the ICO if you remain dissatisfied.
Legal proceedings
Your right to take a dispute to court is unaffected by this procedure. Contracts with us are governed by the law of England and Wales.
What each consumer code and certification scheme actually does, and what to ask an installer to show you before relying on one, is set out on our accreditations page.
What we do with complaints afterwards
Every complaint is logged with what was raised, what was found and what was done. The log is reviewed periodically, and where the same issue appears more than once the answer is to change the process rather than to handle each case better. Several items in our installation standards exist because of something that went wrong once and should not go wrong again.
Complaint records are held as described in our privacy policy, and are kept for as long as needed to resolve the matter and deal with any escalation arising from it. This procedure was last reviewed on 2026-08-23.
Common questions
Will complaining affect my warranty or my aftercare?
No. A complaint has no effect on any warranty, on our workmanship guarantee, or on the service you receive. Suggesting otherwise would be a poor way to run an installation business and it is not how we operate.
What if the complaint is about an installation partner rather than about Solar Fx?
Bring it to us. Depending on the service and location, work may be completed by Solar Fx or an approved installation partner working to our specification, but your contract is with us and so is the complaint. You are not expected to pursue a subcontractor, and we will not ask you to.
Is there a time limit for complaining?
The sooner the better, because evidence and recollection both fade, and because a fault left running can turn a repairable issue into a bigger one. There is no internal cut-off for raising a complaint, though any external scheme or legal route will have its own time limits.
What if I am not satisfied with the final response?
Our final written response will tell you that our internal procedure is complete and set out the routes still open to you, including any dispute resolution scheme applying to your contract, your card or finance provider, independent consumer advice, and the courts.
Do you record complaints?
Yes. Every complaint is logged with what was raised, what was found and what was done, and the log is reviewed so that a recurring problem is dealt with at source rather than case by case. Complaint records are retained as described in our privacy policy.
Related pages
- Warranties and guaranteesWho provides each cover, what is excluded, and how a claim is made.
- Terms and conditionsThe contractual position, including dispute resolution and governing law.
- Accreditations explainedWhat each consumer code and certification scheme offers a customer.
- Privacy policyHow complaint records and other personal data are handled.
- Contact Solar FxTelephone, address, opening hours and company registration details.
- Our installation standardsThe standards a complaint about workmanship would be judged against.
Something not right?
Tell us. We would far rather deal with it now, while it is small, than read about it later.