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The CGSO says it has received 202 complaints between February 2022 to the 9th of February this year.
It says the most common type of complaints relates to the non-issuance of compliance certificates, accepting payment and not delivering goods or installing the systems within agreed timeframes.
The Ombudsman, Magauta Mpahlele, says 36% of the cases have been addressed so far with R277 273 paid in refunds to consumers.
She says 46% of cases had to be terminated because of the lack of cooperation from suppliers.
"This is of great concern to us as it means that complainants did not receive any redress. This outcome proves that there are high levels of non-compliance around the Consumer Protection Act in this sector," she added
She says the nature of complaints received indicates low levels of awareness and understanding by consumers of the highly technical product and installation specifications.
"Consumers are, generally speaking, not clued up on the requirements of systems or their limitations. As a result, consumers are suffering enormous financial losses by purchasing incorrect equipment and/or, appointing unqualified installers," Mpahlele added.
The Ombudsman also warned against consumers going the DIY route as in many instances, this nullifies any manufacturer's warranties.
-Before purchasing or installing a solar system, contact a qualified and trusted solar installer to assess your needs and the structure of your home to advise on the type of system.
-Obtain several quotes and verify the credentials of the installer
-Ensure that the inverter and batteries are installed with surge protection as most warranties do not cover surge damage.
-Familiarise yourself with the warranty conditions and do not try to fix any problems yourself or tamper with the equipment.
