7 Solar Quote Red Flags Every Australian Homeowner Should Know
These seven warning signs appear repeatedly in complaints lodged with state fair trading offices. Most homeowners only find out about them after signing. Read this before you commit to anything.
Why red flags matter before you sign
Most solar complaints to state fair trading offices fall into predictable categories. The warning signs are usually visible in the quote or the sales conversation - the problem is that most homeowners don’t know what they’re looking at. Here are the seven that appear most frequently.
1. No CEC accreditation
CEC accreditation is required to claim STCs (your government rebate). An unaccredited installer either leaves money on the table or misrepresents their status. Check at cleanenergycouncil.org.au- it takes two minutes. If they’re not listed, walk away.
2. Price more than 30% below market
Dramatically low prices are funded by something: unknown panel brands, unlicensed labour, missing workmanship warranty, or all three. Get at least two other quotes to establish what the market actually looks like for your setup before evaluating a price that seems too good.
3. Verbal quotes only
Written quotes are a legal requirement in most states for contracts over a certain value. A solar system almost always exceeds that threshold. Any installer who won’t provide a written, itemised quote is telling you something important about how they’ll handle disputes post-install.
4. Same-day signing pressure
“This price is only available today” is a classic high-pressure tactic. Quality installers are busy - they don’t need to pressure you into a same-day decision. If a salesperson is pushing you to sign before you’ve had time to compare quotes, that urgency is designed to prevent you from doing exactly that.
5. STC rebate presented as a “government bonus”
STCs are a real, legitimate government incentive - but they should already be deducted from your invoice price. Installers who present the STC value as a separate “bonus you’ll receive after installation” are either misrepresenting how the scheme works or delaying the financial benefit to inflate the apparent gross price.
6. Short or absent workmanship warranty
The industry standard for workmanship warranties from reputable installers is 10 years. A 5-year warranty is a downgrade worth asking about. No workmanship warranty at all — especially when the panel and inverter warranties are emphasised instead - is a significant risk. Manufacturer warranties don’t cover installation defects.
7. No local references available
An installer who has done good work locally will have customers willing to be contacted. Asking for three recent local references is standard practice. Reluctance to provide them - or references who can’t be verified as real - is a warning sign about either the quality of past work or the longevity of the business.
What to do if you spot a red flag
One red flag doesn’t automatically mean a bad installer. Ask directly about what you’ve noticed — a good installer will have a clear explanation. If the explanation doesn’t satisfy you, get another quote. There are more than 3,700 CEC-accredited installers across Australia. You don’t need to settle for one that makes you uncomfortable.
See our full solar quotes guide for a complete checklist of what to verify before signing.
Information is current as at May 2026. STC values and rebate eligibility change - always verify current figures.
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