Bankrupt solar installer: guarantee, after-sales service and documents to keep

The short answer

The bankruptcy or disappearance of a solar installer is stressful, but it does not mean that your panels are no longer covered by any warranty. Each project has several relationships: your sales and installation contract, the module manufacturer, the inverter manufacturer, the building owner, the network manager and possibly insurance. A commercial promise of “full guarantee” does not make it clear who should intervene.

First check for safety and functionality, then write to the relevant parties. Keep quote, contract, invoices, single-line diagram, commissioning report, serial number, photos, settings and exchanges. If the installer is in collective proceedings, enter your claim according to the official instructions; don’t just send a message to an address that bounces.

Swissolar explains in its mediation service that the contractual partner can be the installer, planner or manufacturer, and recommends reporting defects in writing. The organization also describes the general deadlines often cited for workmanship defects, while reminding that manufacturers' guarantees differ. This is not personalized legal advice: your contract, the nature of the defect, the delivery date and the applicable rules must be examined.

The decision to replace an installer must be separated from the decision to repair or modify the installation. Don't let a new provider erase the evidence by changing components without a diagnosis. First ask for a condition report, then an offer for security, repair and, separately, modernization.

What “bankrupt installer” means

A company may be officially bankrupt, in liquidation, deregistered, inactive, sold or simply silent. These situations are not identical. Check the legal name, identification number, headquarters address and existence of proceedings in official records or court communications. The brand name on your quote may differ from the company that signed the contract.

A change of domain or phone number does not prove bankruptcy. Conversely, a site that is still functioning does not guarantee that the company is responsible for the interventions. Write down the facts: date of your last message, auto-reply, telephone, returned letter, visible status and unpaid invoice. These elements will be useful to the manufacturer, the insurer or an authority.

The company may also have subcontracted the installation. The subcontractor who installed the panels is not necessarily your contractual partner. Read the quote, invoice and general conditions. Identify who sold the system, who provided the electricity, who made the connection, who declared the installation and who promised after-sales service.

Do not post unverified accusations or threaten a manufacturer who is not your seller. A factual and documented request protects your interests better than a public exchange. If a procedure is opened, follow the official information and the deadlines indicated.

Guarantees to be separated

The installation contract

The contract may cover design, delivery, assembly, commissioning, declaration, connection, initial cleaning or correction of defects. The duration and complaint procedure can be written in the general conditions. Record items on receipt, reservation, final payment, warranty and liability.

The installer’s guarantee

This guarantee depends on the company that signed it. If it disappears without a successor or without identifiable insurance, the exercise can become difficult. This does not mean that the defect disappears; this means that the person to claim from or the ability to pay may be lacking. Check whether the contract mentions guarantee insurance, a bank guarantee or a takeover by a partner.

Manufacturer's warranty

Modules, inverters, batteries, optimizers and fixtures have different requirements. The product warranty is not the same as the performance warranty. Registration may be necessary and the serial number essential. Some manufacturers require the diagnosis to be carried out by an approved installer; others accept a request from the owner.

Design responsibility

A leaking roof, a loose fixing, cable overheating or abnormally low production can be due to different causes. A module manufacturer does not guarantee the quality of a seal or protection scheme. The diagnosis must establish the link between defect, component, installation and damage.

The first 48 hours

If the installation produces without alarm, do not turn everything off in panic. Remotely check the inverter status and messages. If you see a burning smell, unusual noise, water in a box, damaged cable, electric arc, overheating or unstable fixing, keep people away and call an electrician or the competent services. Do not handle DC connectors with bare hands or disassemble a live inverter.

Take screenshots of the application and dated photos of the panel, inverter, modules, cables and any anomalies. Download production data before the account or portal disappears. Note the meter status and the date of last normal production.

Send a written complaint to the contract address and known headquarters. Use a channel that provides proof of delivery. Describe the defect, the date of discovery, the risk, the requested result and a reasonable response time. Don’t just send “my production is low”: indicate what the inverter shows and what you expect from a diagnosis.

Finally, inform your insurance if there is damage to the building, infiltration or an electrical risk. Insurance does not replace a contractual guarantee, but its inspection can protect the building and document the event.

The file to reconstruct

Create a digital and paper file with the legal name of the seller, contract, quote, invoices, deposits, date of receipt, declaration to the DSO, connection agreement, single-line diagram, roof plans, before and after photos, module and inverter references, warranties, certificates, test reports and production history.

Add serial numbers and transfer passwords, without publishing them. Note the DSO contact details and tracking account IDs. A new company can refuse an intervention if it does not know what power has been declared or if it does not have protection plans.

Search for documents in emails, the cloud, financing files, invoices and documents submitted during go-live. Ask the DSO what information it can legally communicate on the declaration and ask the manufacturer for the serial verification procedure. A neighbor or a PEP may have a copy of the general diagram.

Do not recreate an electrical plan from memory. If the diagram is missing, have it noted by a competent electrician before any modification. The document must represent the actual installation, not the configuration provided in an old quote.

How to write a useful complaint

An effective letter contains five elements. Identify the contract and installation. Describe the observable fact. Indicate the date and attached evidence. Ask for a specific action. Set a response date and indicate that you retain your rights without admitting liability that has not been investigated.

Avoid reporting the cause before diagnosis. “The inverter has been displaying an insulation error since August 12” is more useful than “the wiring is dangerous.” If production is low, compare a period, weather, channel or alarm. If infiltration exists, indicate the area, moisture and visible damage without removing the cover.

Send the same request to the contacts reasonably concerned: company, liquidator if known, component manufacturer and building insurer. Do not replace the official letter with a marketing form from the manufacturer. Request confirmation of receipt and keep the version sent.

If the seller is in bankruptcy proceedings, the liquidator's instructions take precedence for the declaration of a claim. A claim for repair, reimbursement or cost from a third party can be difficult to quantify before diagnosis. Seek advice from a qualified person on deadlines and form; don’t let a date pass because the installer is no longer responding.

Find a new provider

The new service provider must be chosen for their competence on the existing installation, not just for the price of a replacement. Ask if he works with the brand of inverter, if he is authorized to work on the panel and if he accepts an audit without obligation to modernize. A company that offers a battery before looking at the diagram is not necessarily the one that should take over after-sales service.

Request an offer in three stages: inspection and report, urgent securing, repair or replacement. The report should describe modules, strings, protections, fixing, sealing, inverter, meter, network, data and faults. Photos and measurements must be given to the owner.

Clarify the cost of the audit if no repairs are ordered, the time frame, liability during diagnosis, and ownership of new settings. If a part is replaced, ask for the reference, serial number, warranty and impact on the connection. A change in power or battery may require a new approach to the DNO.

Do not sign a general waiver of prior claims to obtain after-sales service. The new service provider can limit its guarantee to the work it carries out, which is understandable, but the scope must be written. Rights against the original seller or manufacturer must remain identifiable.

Manufacturer guarantees: what to ask for

Call the manufacturer with the serial number, model, in-service date, proof of purchase and a description of the defect. Ask if registration exists, if the warranty is transferable, which company can diagnose the component and who pays for labor, travel and removal.

Distinguish between product and performance. A module that produces less may be exposed to shadow, dirt, connectivity, inverter or weather before a power fault is established. A manufacturer can replace a component without covering roof repairs or transportation. A battery may have a different guaranteed capacity depending on the cycles and years.

Also ask about the return procedure and data retention. Do not return a device without proof of the defect, authorization and copy of the configuration. If a part is replaced, note the date, serial number and setting of the inverter.

A commercial guarantee does not prevent a claim against the contractual partner, but the two approaches are not identical. Read the conditions before choosing the order of actions. If in doubt, local legal advice can avoid a poorly worded prescription or acceptance.

After-sales service without an original installer

After-sales service may include monitoring, cleaning, inspection of fixings, testing of protections, updating of the inverter, alarm management, battery replacement and annual report. Ask for a contract that specifies exclusions. A monitoring subscription does not guarantee that a person will move during an alarm.

If the data portal is closed, check if the inverter keeps a local log and if the DSO has meter readings. Download the data now. Power generation can continue without a gate, but you will lose the ability to see gradual degradation.

Maintenance should not void a manufacturer's warranty. Ask the new provider to follow the brand's instructions and leave a report. Work on roofs or boxes must be photographed before closing.

In a PPE, the after-sales service contract must specify what concerns the common areas and housing. A common inverter, a collective battery or a production meter cannot be treated as a private device without an appropriate decision and budget.

Prevent the problem on new offers

Before signing for a new installation, check the seller's legal name, address, liability insurance, electrical partner, subcontractors and after-sales service. Ask who responds if the trademark changes. The contract must name the responsible entity and indicate the stages of receipt.

Do not pay in full until commissioning, receipt and delivery of documents, unless independent contractual advice is provided. Provide reasonable holdback or payment terms tied to deliverables. Exact coverage depends on the contract; the objective is not to lose all leverage before receiving the plan, declaration, account and guarantees.

Request a transfer file: manufacturers, serial numbers, access, settings, price, GRD, plan, warranties and shutdown instructions. Check that the manufacturer knows who the ultimate owner is. A simple link to an application does not constitute a complete file.

Finally, keep a copy out of the installer's account. A solar project lasts longer than a commercial relationship or a platform. Documentation is part of the value of the installation.

Questions to ask the new professional

Compare ratios and scopes, not just prices. A quality audit can prevent unnecessary replacement.

If a debt must be declared

When an official procedure is opened, the liquidator's information generally indicates the authority, reference and production deadline. A claim may include a deposit for unfinished work, reasonable cost of restoration, default or other amount, but it must be presented with a basis and supporting evidence. If the amount depends on a diagnosis still in progress, ask competent advice how to preserve the deadline and complete the estimate.

Make a separate list of items already delivered, items paid for but not installed, and defects that appeared after receipt. A manufacturer does not automatically reimburse an unfinished installation, and a liquidator does not guarantee the availability of a part. This separation facilitates parallel procedures without requesting the same compensation twice.

Do not stop paying an invoice or financing without checking the contractual consequences. If credit, insurance or PEP is involved, inform the relevant parties with facts and request a written instruction. The goal is to maintain your options while the case is reviewed.

Proof of payment, a report, a dated photo and an email may be more useful than a long description. Number attachments and keep a timeline. This method reduces forgetting when several people take over the file.

If production continues without alarm, monitor it during the procedure but do not undertake unrelated heavy repairs. If it is interrupted, prioritize security, connection and data retention. A lost yield can be estimated later; erased evidence or unsafe handling is much more difficult to recover.

When the new service provider intervenes, have an entry report signed which describes the condition received. This separates historical defects from the quality of new work and gives the owner a clear basis for moving forward.

If the procedure is open

When an official proceeding is initiated, follow the authority and reference given in the notification. A debt may include a deposit for an unfinished service, a reasonable cost of security or repair, but each element must have supporting documentation. If the exact amount still depends on an audit, ask how to preserve the deadline and complete the declaration.

Separate material delivered, material paid for but not installed and defects appearing after receipt. A manufacturer does not automatically take back an unfinished installation and a liquidator does not promise the availability of a part. This separation allows you to write to several people without requesting the same compensation twice.

Do not hold off on financing or an invoice without reviewing the contract. Inform bank, insurance or management with a dated timeline. If the installation is working, monitor it but do not allow a complete replacement without a status report. If it is stopped, priority is given to security, connection and data backup.

Have the new service provider sign an entry report which indicates the parts inspected, historical defects and points not checked. This separates the liability for the old work from the warranty for the new service.

Manufacturers and insurance after the takeover

Contact each manufacturer with model, serial number, proof of purchase and in-service date. Ask if the owner can open the record, if the recording is transferable, and which provider can diagnose the device. Clarify the coverage of labor, travel, drop-off and transportation. A module warranty does not automatically cover an installation or a roof.

Separate product, performance, installation and building. Low production can come from a shade, string, cable, inverter or meter before a module is declared faulty. A battery can guarantee capacity according to cycles and age, not its nominal capacity forever.

If the water, facade or interior are affected, inform the building insurance company. It does not replace the contractual complaint, but can organize urgent action and preserve the proof. A new service provider must submit a report for each intervention and enter the series, firmware, adjustment and warranty of the replaced part.

An after-sales service invoice must separate monitoring, travel, repair, roof, battery and software. A paid application is not worth a blanket guarantee. Ask what happens when the subscription or manufacturer warranty ends.

Conclusion

The bankruptcy of an installer complicates the warranty process, but it does not make your installation trouble-free or without recourse. Separate installation contract, manufacturer, insurance, GRD and bankruptcy procedure. Secure the risks, write with evidence, reconstruct the file and have it diagnosed before modernizing.

A well-documented owner can recover warranties, choose a new after-sales service and preserve the value of the system. The goal is not just to produce today; it is to be able to explain, repair and transfer the installation throughout its lifespan.