First4Solar Bewertungen 372

I paid the deposit in September 2022 for solar panels and battery packs. Until today 15.05.23, they haven`t delivered anything. They employed an answering company, 0800 246 5588, that will not provide any information and have no connection with First4solar. They don`t reply to email. I cannot get my deposit back. They stole my money and they will still your money 100%.

This Company is NOT in administration.
Waving an intension to go in to administration is NOT In Administration.
there are many factors at play No1 is they are trying to distance themselves and stop angry customers / trade accounts / bailiffs going for them, it called playing for time. whilst ever the company is active they are fair game to chase your money. you know were they live

Scam. Took my money and ran
I ordered a solar system for a property in Harrogate for a 3.6kw system with Battery.

Like everyone else my money has been paid and taken. For 14 months now I have been agonisingly chasing the company for an installation having been repeatedly ignored. They extracted a staged payment of a further 40% in February 2023 to pay for the battery ready to be installed. This was supposed to be delivered the next day - several months later this has not turned up.

This has been absolute hell and I warn anyone to stay away. They will just take your money and run.

I have been awarded a CCJ against this company and the directors David Hawkins and Daniel Hawkins.

Turned out to be a scam with hundreds of customers losing their money

I ordered a 6.4kw system with Jinko panels and puredrive battery.

14 months later and multiple cancelled installation dates I'm still not complete.

When someone did arrive 1 year after order everything was wrong.
They sent the wrong panels
The design was wrong and could not install all the panels
They changed my order without asking to a givenergy battery (half the price but they didnt reduce the invoice price). Although even this battery never turned up
They never applied for a DNO (like they said they would and I paid for) so system would not be legal anyway
Electrician sent was an apprentice and not a qualified / signed off electrician

3 months after some roofers put (the wrong) panels up I am still no further forward.
I am now being ignored and they now have over £6000 of my money for this order.

Subsequently I have had companies over to re-quote and it appears its been done incorrectly leaving me facing expense repair bills in addition to having to pay someone else to start again.

Do not go near this company.

Been a shambles from start to finish and now seen if company has now gone under I was lucky I got my system fitted in april after been let down a few times they eventually started on 5 april should a lot of damage was done to the Roof and had to have plastic sheeting on the roof for over 2 weeks and so got damage to ceiling in the house it was finally completed on the 28 april and loads of broken tiles left as over 100 tiles had to be replaced so they are still sat there now I have constantly phoned to get them removed but only goes to answer service and No call back I am glad I keep £1000 back they Also paid me 200 inconvenience money that I insisted on and 100 towards Electric Loss so £1300 in total I kept back from the final Payment what is bothering me is the Warranty on the system it does say Insurance back system
Who do I call if there is a problem Break down etc ?

Like many, I received new installation dates that were never met and cancelled my order on 15th March. Didn't get a refund and have implemented a Section 75 claim. Tonight I received an email from a remedial scheme say the company was being taken over by another HIES company with a view to completing the contracts at no further cost to the customer though it advised a section 75 claim if you have cancelled the order. Not surprised at them going bust. The director appears to have had a number of short lived companies to his name and this is probably what happened to them all.

The axe falls at last!!! Just got a note from "Remedials" advising how to reclaim deposit from a failed company.
Gues who?

If I had of checked on Companies house first that the owners of ‘Tanrec LTD’ trading as ‘First 4 Solar’ Daniel Lee Hawkins, David Hawkins & Wendy Elizabeth Hawkins had dissolved a number of companies previously, I would have not given my £4000 deposit to ‘First 4 Solar’/ ‘Tanrec LTD’.

They received my deposit 16/12/22 with an install date of mid March 2023. March came and there was no communication from anyone from the office. I rang Dan numerous times who would not answer and would only reply by text (even when I requested a call back). I contacted everyone who had sent me an email from the office as for an update and got nothing.

This is by far the worst company experience I have ever had!

When I ring the office now it goes to a virtual office of someone who doesn’t even work for ‘First 4 Solar’/ ‘Tanrec LTD’. Dan just doesn’t answer his phone or text back anymore.

It’s now 10/5/23 and there is no sign of communication to get my deposit back, I have officially requested my deposit back (28/4/23) and still had nothing back. I am seeking advice on how I can take this matter further and best routes to get my money back. I have reported it to HIES (HIES said there is a large number of ongoing cases against ‘Tanrec LTD’/ ‘First 4 Solar’ and I was added to the list of unhappy customers, they agreed to inform me of any ongoing inquiries), also my bank are now looking into the matter, I will keep my review updated with ongoing events.

Like most reviews here, I've had numerous install dates, and no one answers emails/calls. To add to my discontent with this company, I had a call this week from the gentlemen who surveyed on behalf of First4Solar, stating that ALL the office staff have been laid off, and the company isn't too far off from liquidation. Equally, he said that many of the survey engineers hadn't been paid; hence he no longer undertakes any of their surveys. I'm one of the lucky ones, as I paid via credit card, so I'll eventually get my deposit payment back under "Section 75".

I have started a deposit refund claim with my credit card company. If you have paid a deposit and are relying on HIES to protect you remember there is a time limit. I paid my deposit 28th oct and I have been informed that cover expired 28 th February. So please don’t delay if you do not have credit card protection.

Like everyone else on here I too have been given the run around and now of course all calls go to an answering service.

Bad things happen sometimes to companies, but you would think that solar companies would be doing well in these times.

I do hope it’s through misfortune, and not deliberate malpractice, that this company is letting so many down

I despair if this company. Nice people on the phone but unable to get my insattalion completed after three years of delays and excuses.

How bad can a company get?if your interested get Daniel or david Hawkins to run with help from jackanory jake and Jessica,like everyone else on here excuse after excuse,there could write a book of lies and excuses.

If I could give no stars I would. Took over 3000 pounds from us in July 22, now 5 installation dates have come and gone...they do not inform you they are not able to install on that day and aim to ghost you instead. We are now battling them to return our deposit and my husband and I are being ghosted again....just awful. The CEO s name is David Hawkins just in case this company files for insolvency and then 'phoenix' s as a different LTD...no respect for their customers whatsoever...

Following an extremely protracted installation (around 1 year) process, First4Solar subcontractors completed the job, but failed to issue the MCS 'sign-off'. System worked brilliantly for a year before inverter packed up. Flagged about 2 months ago, we had 1 month of promises of a visit & repair; assurances that losses would be covered but no regular communication on this. Still trying to get MCS certificate and in process of MCS and HIES complaint now. Very disappointing. Avoid the hassle.

Untrustworthy, uncommunicative, evasive, disorganised, overcommitted and generally useless.

Avoid at all costs.

Had an install a year or so ago; the inverter fell off the wall a few weeks later and needed to be fixed. The aftercare support is absent. Phoned up; can't find my account.

Needed to expand my battery storage, contacted First4Suckers who did the initial install; paid a deposit but 4 months later with various missed deadlines and awful comms, I've given up with this shambles of a company and i'm now struggling to get refunded. (Despite being approved in writing from their director, a month later nothing)

The only process they've got working is the Sales pitch and getting money out of people.

If I could do less then one I would. DO NOT USE this company. Paid 25% deposit. Needed to chase for a survey, chase for acknowledgement of deposit, chase repeatedly for an install date. watched an read the poor reviews come though more often. Got the directors (Daniel hawkings) number from here. Pushed for written confirmation of installation date of the 5th needed to chase several times before this happend. I Expressed my concerns about the increasing negativity he just told me that it was just malicious reviews and not to believe them. Saw in the reviews that this would not happen they would cancel. Chased after the director told me that someone will be in contact to say the team and the times etc, end of week before came called the director again to find out he messaged back the Monday before saying by Wednesday I'll have the info. Instead I had a cancellation from the manger of guest service Keely Kirkaldy stating that the bank holiday was the reason causing jobs to run late. I have asked for a refund several times now with in text and email to all members of management and team I could find. I would nudge you all to the social media and join the other 200+members. Most worse off than myself. Currently raising claim with the bank and starting the process to take to small claims court for refund and compensation. If this review remains up the to this date I have not received refund.

Oh what a change, used them in 2017 which was an excellent experience. Now in 2023 they have taken a very large deposit and won't return calls. I am very worried that I won't see my over £2000 deposit again.
Lots of others having a similar problem on Facebook Last4Solar.

TLDR: Avoid like plague

Got my quote in March 2022 sales process was smooth and the sales person Louise was helpful with any queries I've had, had installation confirmed and scheduled a few months later. In their own words "a simple installation, done within a day". Once they've sold me the product, and got my deposit this is where the "good" stops.

3 months fast forward, less than a week till installation is due, I rung up and inquire if we're still on track, get "all good reply". They ring me back shortly asking if I had survey done? (sure you should know that) It's not done, survey gets squeezed in last moment literally next day. For 250 quid some guy flies the drone and makes some notes, leaves within 45 mins. Haven't seen the survey results at all, nor the installers or electrician did. Survey claimed I can fit 6 panels, I disagreed, and wanted to fit a many as I can fit, we settled with 8. Roofers later on said they could have fitted 10 if I had 10.

Day 1:
Date of the installation - just after 12pm no one is here. No phonecalls or emails. Some time later roofers arrive, ask where are the panels and scaffolding, to which I respond "I don't work for your company how should I know". They get in the van and leave. Finally get through - got told its tomorrow.

Day 2
hardware arrives, delivery driver asks for help unloading, I'm at work, my pregnant girlfriend helps to unload the blipping pannels. No one else turns up, call up again. Receive a generic excuse.

Day 3 (a week later or so) :
Scaffolders arrive, errect scaffolding, leave. Ring the office,- electrician called in sick (at 3pm in the afternoon) but the roofers are on the way. No one else turns up again. Don't bother ringing.

Day 4 (probably 3-4 weeks or so later) :
Scaffolding is up for nearly a month (and hopefully costing them money) I didn't ring or email, after like 3 weeks they pulled the finger out, - "hey when are you available etc". On the day 4 roofers arrive install the panels - leave.
Electrician miraculously arrives like half past 3. Stinks of weed, but I'll take anyone at this point. Works till about half past 9 it's getting dark. Says needs to come back next day, can only do 6 to 7am before work. At around 9 am he's finished. I leave for work in a hurry.

Its been like 3 days now, solar is installed and working but not getting any power. Have to YouTube how to troubleshoot it, inverter was switched off so as the isolator.

Day 5 (2 months later or so) :
There's an error on the inverter, been there since day 1. Assumed teething issues but 2 months is too long. Contact First4Solar. No reply.

A week later contact givenergy asking them if they can tell what this error is. They check the system as respond that "the system hasn't been installed or commissioned correctly, thus is not under warranty".

Day 6 (probably a month or so later, no contact): I rung up, Spoke with Jessica some days before, arranged a visit after 12.30pm. Get a call quarter past eleven "we're at your house no one's opening". I'm at work, don't finish till 12. Get out early, drive home like I've stole the car, come home in record time (sorry speed watchers). They find the installation "rough". Find fault pretty quickly, say they will order the part and commission it properly. Trying to arrange a visit, 4 emails - no response. Call - Generic - will ring you back

Day 7 (probably about 2 months later as couldn't be asked with their bs anymore, put complaints with napit and hies ) Complaints handler assisted in scheduling a visit. 12 pm, no one turns up, phone rings quarter past 12 "we had to go and support a vulnerable customer". I'm lost for words. Report this to complaints handler at napit. She instructs them to arrange a visit within 5 days. F4s ignore this. Report to complaints handler again, she comes back saying she'd sent them a "notice of suspension" meaning if they don't arrange a suitable date for a visit, napit will suspend their accreditation.

Friday 5th of May, final day, no phonecalls or emails. Napit should suspending F4S any time now.

System still in fault state. Probably what 3/4 of a year now?

First 4 Solar was the most shocking customer service (or lack of) I've ever experienced. Don't reply, don't ring back, everytime I ring I get someone new and have to explain everything all over again. Absolutely shocking.

Hired a solicitor, he reviewed the case, and quite frankly it's not the first or last rogue company who pops up and goes bust. Hiding btw clever planning and red tape. All the assurances and guarantees - they have a lot of red tape and small print. Some of them aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Do your research before choosing a company, get recent feedback, find out about their finances, pay on credit card (very important) and do not pay 100% of the amount unless you're 100% satisfied with a job.

Wish I never went with this company.

It's with a heavy heart I have to give these guys 1* They came by recommendation and were/are a family-run business something I wanted to support.

It's very disappointing. I paid my deposit back on March 22 and agreed an install, data in early May 23. You don't need to be a clairvoyant to guess the next bit.

They didn't show, no communication and I took 2 days off work to be around!!

I then tried to contact them, no way to speak with anyone as they have a call answering service. I have no doubt the calls are being passed on, but no one from first4solar has contacted me in 5 days.

I now have no confidence they will ever actually install a system, so have started the refund process with HIES.

A recorded delivery letter was sent, they now have 14 days to respond and then HIES will get involved.

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, things go wrong I accept that, but its how you manage and resolve these issues that is important. So far you guys have scored zero.

It is sad to see so many frustrated customers on here having such negative experiences.
I felt compelled to give a follow-up review, 8 months after our installation.
We had a PV and battery system installed in September 2022. I am really happy to report that my system has worked without issue since then and very pleased with the way it's performing.
(Hope it doesn't come across as gloating, not my intention).
These are big sums of money involved here, which can make the whole process stressful.
First4solar have caused a lot of unnecessary upset for people.
I am left hoping that this was just poor mismanagement and not an orchestrated business plan to exploit thousands of pounds in deposits for installations which were never going to happen.