Complaints Handling Policy

Contact details

Complaints may be submitted using the following details:

Business name: Top One Solar
Service location: Australia
Email: Info@TopOneSolar.com.au
Phone: 0449 777 766
Alternative phone: 0416 666 644

What is a complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about Top One Solar’s products, services, staff, contractors, communication, pricing, installation work, warranty support or complaint-handling process where a response or resolution is expected.

A complaint may relate to:

  • A quotation or advertised price
  • Solar panel installation
  • Solar panel removal or reinstallation
  • Roof fixing or related work
  • Bird mesh and pest protection
  • Electrical work
  • System upgrades
  • Product quality or performance
  • Installation delays
  • Property access or site conditions
  • Additional charges
  • Payments, invoices or refunds
  • STCs or rebate information
  • Grid connection or export approval
  • Product or workmanship warranties
  • Customer communication
  • Conduct of an employee or contractor
  • Privacy or personal information
  • Any other service supplied by Top One Solar

A general question, service request or warranty claim may not initially be treated as a formal complaint. However, it may become a complaint where the customer is dissatisfied with the response or outcome.

Our complaint-handling principles

Top One Solar aims to handle complaints:

  • Respectfully and professionally
  • Fairly and without discrimination
  • As promptly as reasonably possible
  • Without charging the customer for submitting a complaint
  • With appropriate confidentiality
  • Based on available facts and supporting information
  • In accordance with applicable Australian consumer laws
  • Without affecting a customer’s right to seek external assistance

Customers will not be treated unfairly because they have made a complaint.

How to submit a complaint

A complaint may be submitted by:

  • Email
  • Telephone
  • Website contact form
  • Written correspondence
  • Communication with an authorised Top One Solar representative

For a clear written record, customers are encouraged to submit complaints by email.

Send complaints to:

Email: Info@TopOneSolar.com.au

You may also call:

Phone: 0449 777 766
Alternative phone: 0416 666 644

Information to include

To help us investigate the matter, please provide:

  • Your full name
  • Your preferred contact details
  • The installation or service address
  • Your quotation, invoice or job number, where available
  • A clear description of the issue
  • Relevant dates
  • The people involved, where known
  • The outcome you are requesting
  • Details of any earlier communication about the matter
  • Supporting photographs, videos, invoices, emails or documents

The ACCC recommends explaining the problem, stating the outcome being requested, including relevant dates and attaching supporting documents such as receipts or invoices.

Missing information will not automatically prevent a complaint from being reviewed, but it may make the investigation take longer.

Assistance when making a complaint

Customers may ask another person to help submit or manage a complaint, including:

  • A family member
  • A friend
  • A support person
  • A legal representative
  • An interpreter
  • Another authorised representative

Top One Solar may request written permission before discussing personal or project information with a representative.

Customers who require communication assistance should tell us what support is needed.

Acknowledgement of complaints

Top One Solar will aim to acknowledge a complaint as soon as reasonably possible after receiving it.

The acknowledgement may include:

  • Confirmation that the complaint has been received
  • The name or contact details of the person handling it
  • A request for missing information
  • An outline of the next steps
  • An expected response period, where possible

No fixed response timeframe should be published until the client confirms what the business can consistently meet.

Initial assessment

After receiving a complaint, Top One Solar may assess:

  • The nature and seriousness of the issue
  • Whether there is a safety risk
  • Whether urgent action is required
  • Whether the matter relates to a warranty
  • Whether another business or manufacturer is involved
  • What documents or evidence are available
  • Whether a site inspection is required
  • What outcome the customer is requesting
  • Whether the complaint has been raised previously

Safety-related complaints may be given priority.

Investigation process

Depending on the nature of the complaint, Top One Solar may:

  • Review the quotation, contract and invoice
  • Review emails, calls and customer records
  • Review installation photographs and technical documents
  • Speak with the customer
  • Speak with employees, installers or contractors
  • Contact a supplier or manufacturer
  • Review product warranty terms
  • Conduct remote system checks
  • Arrange a site inspection
  • Request an independent technical opinion
  • Review network or distributor requirements
  • Request further documents from the customer

Top One Solar will make reasonable efforts to consider both the customer’s information and the information provided by relevant employees, contractors, suppliers or other parties.

Site inspections

A site inspection may be required where the complaint concerns:

  • Installation workmanship
  • Roof condition or damage
  • Electrical work
  • Solar system performance
  • Product faults
  • Water entry
  • Panel mounting
  • Bird mesh
  • Wiring or equipment location
  • Safety concerns

The customer must provide safe and reasonable access to the property.

A fee may apply where the inspection finds that:

  • The issue is not related to Top One Solar’s work
  • The issue is excluded from warranty
  • The damage was caused by another person
  • The problem relates to customer-supplied equipment
  • No fault is found

Where possible, the customer will be told about any potential fee before the inspection.

No fee will remove any rights available under the Australian Consumer Law.

Possible outcomes

Depending on the facts and applicable legal rights, possible outcomes may include:

  • An explanation
  • An apology
  • Further technical support
  • Correction of records
  • Completion of outstanding work
  • Repair or rectification
  • Replacement of an eligible product
  • Referral to a manufacturer
  • Reinstallation or adjustment
  • Rescheduling of work
  • Removal of an incorrect charge
  • Partial or full refund
  • Contract cancellation
  • Another mutually agreed resolution
  • No further action where the complaint is not supported

Where products or services do not meet applicable consumer guarantees, remedies may include repair, replacement, refund or cancellation depending on the nature of the failure.

Complaint response

After reviewing the complaint, Top One Solar will aim to provide a response that explains:

  • The issues considered
  • The information reviewed
  • The outcome
  • The reasons for the decision
  • Any action Top One Solar will take
  • Any action required from the customer
  • Relevant timing, where available
  • How the customer may request a further review

The response may be provided by phone, email or another agreed method.

For complaints involving technical, supplier, manufacturer or network matters, the final response may take longer because information from another party may be required.

Urgent safety complaints

Customers should contact Top One Solar immediately if they believe there is:

  • Smoke, fire or burning
  • Exposed wiring
  • Electrical arcing
  • A serious electrical fault
  • Loose or falling equipment
  • A damaged battery
  • A risk to people or property

In an immediate emergency, customers should contact emergency services and keep away from the affected equipment.

Customers should not open, repair, move or modify solar, battery or electrical equipment themselves.

Product and manufacturer complaints

Some complaints may involve products supplied by another manufacturer, including:

  • Solar panels
  • Inverters
  • Batteries
  • Mounting equipment
  • Monitoring devices
  • Electrical components

Top One Solar may assist with a manufacturer warranty claim where appropriate.

Manufacturer assessment times and decisions may be outside Top One Solar’s direct control. However, this does not remove any responsibility Top One Solar may have under applicable consumer law.

Complaints involving contractors

Where a complaint relates to an installer, electrician or contractor working for or on behalf of Top One Solar, the complaint should still be submitted directly to Top One Solar.

Top One Solar may:

  • Speak with the contractor
  • Review the contractor’s work
  • Request supporting records
  • Arrange an inspection
  • Require corrective action where appropriate

Privacy complaints

Privacy complaints may relate to:

  • Unauthorised use of personal information
  • Incorrect customer information
  • Unwanted marketing
  • Disclosure of information
  • Access to customer records
  • Website forms or data handling

Privacy complaints should be sent to:

Email: Info@TopOneSolar.com.au

They will be handled in line with the Top One Solar Privacy Policy and applicable privacy requirements.

Internal review

If a customer is dissatisfied with the initial outcome, they may request an internal review.

The request should explain:

  • Why the customer disagrees with the outcome
  • Any information believed to have been overlooked
  • Any new supporting documents
  • The resolution being requested

Where practical, the review should be conducted by a person who was not primarily responsible for the initial decision.

Top One Solar may confirm, change or replace the original decision after completing the review.

External complaint options

Customers are encouraged to contact Top One Solar first so the business has an opportunity to address the matter. The ACCC also advises consumers to contact the business first and explain both the problem and the requested outcome.

If the matter remains unresolved, customers may seek assistance from:

  • Their state or territory consumer protection agency
  • A relevant energy or industry ombudsman
  • A building or electrical regulator
  • A licensing authority
  • A consumer tribunal or small claims body
  • An independent legal adviser
  • Another regulator with authority over the issue

The correct organisation will depend on the customer’s location and the type of complaint.

The ACCC accepts reports about consumer issues but generally does not resolve individual disputes. For individual assistance, it directs consumers to state consumer protection agencies, ombudsman services and relevant courts or tribunals.

Australian Consumer Law

Nothing in this policy excludes, limits or changes any customer right or remedy that cannot legally be excluded.

Consumer guarantees may apply automatically to eligible goods and services, regardless of any separate product or workmanship warranty.

A manufacturer’s warranty or Top One Solar warranty does not replace rights available under the Australian Consumer Law.

Confidentiality

Complaint information will be handled with reasonable confidentiality.

Information may be shared where reasonably necessary with:

  • Relevant employees
  • Installers or contractors
  • Product suppliers
  • Manufacturers
  • Insurers
  • Electricity networks
  • Professional advisers
  • Government agencies
  • Regulators
  • Other parties involved in resolving the complaint

Information may also be disclosed where required or authorised by law.

Complaint records

Top One Solar may keep records of:

  • The customer’s complaint
  • Supporting documents
  • Communication with the customer
  • Investigation steps
  • Site inspection findings
  • Internal decisions
  • Proposed and completed actions
  • The final outcome

Complaint records may be used to manage the individual matter, meet legal obligations and improve business procedures.

Unreasonable conduct

Top One Solar will continue to assess complaints fairly even where a customer is upset or dissatisfied.

However, Top One Solar may limit or change communication arrangements where conduct includes:

  • Threats
  • Harassment
  • Abuse
  • Discrimination
  • Repeated contact that prevents reasonable handling of the matter
  • Knowingly false statements
  • Refusal to provide information needed to assess the complaint

Any communication limits should remain reasonable and should not remove the customer’s legal rights.

Continuous improvement

Top One Solar may review complaint records to identify:

  • Repeated product issues
  • Installation concerns
  • Communication problems
  • Training needs
  • Supplier issues
  • Website information that requires correction
  • Areas where customer service can be improved

Corrective action may be taken where a repeated or preventable issue is identified.

Updates to this policy

Top One Solar may update this Complaints Handling Policy when its services, procedures or legal obligations change.

The latest version will be published on the website with an updated revision date.

Contact Top One Solar

To make a complaint or request a review, contact:

Top One Solar
Service location: Australia
Email: Info@TopOneSolar.com.au
Phone: 0449 777 766
Alternative phone: 0416 666 644

Information to provide

Please include your:

  • Name
  • Contact details
  • Service address
  • Quotation or invoice number
  • Description of the issue
  • Requested outcome
  • Supporting documents or photographs

Need to Submit a Complaint?

We take customer concerns seriously. Contact Top One Solar with details of the issue and the outcome you are seeking. We will review the available information and respond as soon as reasonably possible.