Thousands of UK homeowners bought solar panel systems on the strength of a doorstep or living room presentation: projected savings, feed in income, a system that would pay for itself, and finance arranged there and then. For many, the numbers never came close, and by the time that was clear the installer had stopped trading. If that is your situation, the finance company that funded the purchase may still be answerable for what you were told, and the way you set out your complaint matters.
What we are, and what we are not. Oxthorpe Barwell is a document preparation and administrative support service. We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice. We are not a claims management company either: we do not take a percentage of anything you recover. You pay a quoted fee for the documents we prepare, whatever the outcome, and you keep the whole of any refund, compensation or write-off you achieve. The Financial Ombudsman Service and the small claims process are free to use, and we will always tell you if we think you can manage without us.
The pattern we see most
Our solar cases tend to share the same features. The sale happened at home. The figures for savings or income were spoken rather than written, or written on a brochure that has since been lost. A discount was available only if you signed that day. The finance agreement was completed at the kitchen table. And the installer, often a limited company, was later dissolved or entered liquidation, leaving nobody to complain to.
What survives all of that is the finance agreement. Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a credit provider can be jointly liable with the supplier for misrepresentation or breach of contract on purchases between £100 and £30,000 paid wholly or partly on credit. Where the finance was arranged by the installer, similar arguments arise under the rules governing linked credit. None of this decides the outcome; it does mean there is usually still someone to complain to.
What we prepare
- A written complaint to the finance provider. Chronological, factual and specific: what was said, when, by whom, what you relied on, what actually happened, and what you are asking for. Written to be answered, not brushed off.
- A subject access request to the lender and, where they still exist, the installer or broker, so that the sales file, call notes and finance paperwork are on the table before anyone argues about what was said.
- The evidence pack: your agreement, statements, any brochure or projection, generation figures, energy bills, and a clear timeline, organised so the case reads properly.
- The referral to the Financial Ombudsman Service if the lender rejects the complaint or does not answer within eight weeks, prepared so the ombudsman sees the case in full from the first page.
How the process runs
You tell us what happened and share what you have. We carry out an initial assessment and tell you honestly whether we think the paperwork is worth preparing. If it is, we prepare each stage for a fee quoted in writing before that stage begins, you review and sign, and the documents go out in your name. We keep the file in order throughout, so if the matter goes to the ombudsman nothing has to be reconstructed.
What we do not do
We do not promise refunds, compensation or that finance will be written off. We do not take a share of any award. We do not represent you or give legal advice. If your case needs a solicitor, we will say so.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a mis-sold solar panel installation?
Common signs are a salesperson at your home who quoted savings or income that never materialised, a today only discount to make you sign, promises the system would pay for itself, or finance arranged on the day without a proper explanation of the total cost. Whether it amounts to mis-selling depends on what was said and what you signed.
The installer has gone out of business. Is there any point complaining?
Often, yes. If any part of the purchase was paid on a credit card, or by a finance agreement arranged through the installer, the lender may share responsibility for what the installer told you. That is the route most of our solar cases take. We prepare the complaint to the lender and, if needed, the referral to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
What is Section 75 and does it apply to me?
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make a credit provider jointly responsible with a supplier for a breach of contract or misrepresentation, where the item cost more than £100 and not more than £30,000 and was paid for, in whole or in part, on credit. Whether it applies to your installation depends on how you paid. We set out the position for your case in the documents we prepare; we cannot tell you in advance how the lender will respond.
Do I have to use a claims company?
No. You can complain to the lender yourself for free and go to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free. Claims management companies typically charge a percentage of any award, in the range they publish themselves. What we do is different: we prepare the paperwork properly for a quoted fee and you send it in your own name.
What does it cost?
Every matter is quoted individually and in writing before each stage starts. The first stage is a fixed initial assessment fee; later stages depend on how much documentation your case needs. There is no percentage taken from any award and you can cancel within 14 days of signing.
If you would rather try the first letter yourself, our guide Mis Sold Solar Panels Complaint: How to Write Yours walks through it. If you were sold solar panels on figures that never added up and the installer has disappeared, get in touch and we will look at what you have.