FDG installed an ASHP system 3 years ago and I was impressed with FDG’s performance: competitive; installation excellent; fast reaction to any post installation questions. So, based on my earlier experience, when I decided to go for a Solar PV system in 2022, I chose FDG for this work as well: with the benefit of hindsight, this was a BIG MISTAKE. According to Steve Allan, the CEO, I was the launch UK customer for new-model inverter & batteries from Soltaro; Steve assured me that the Soltaro kit was the best on the market. The kit is very good, but the after-sales service from FDG has been – and still is – APPALLING. The following gives a flavour of FDG’s performance: • My Quotation [which formed part of the Contract] contained inconsistencies in stated warranties and stage payment terms together with a lack of payment milestones [the balance was to be payable on completion, but FDG demanded the balance before starting the installation!]. The Quotation offered 20-30 year warranties [just like on FDG’s then website] and, instead of resolving the minor inconsistencies, Steve Allan has since reneged on all of it by reverting to 10 years. This is a breach of Contract and still an ongoing dispute. • Within a few days after installation in Sep 22, the inverter was not working correctly and, after 1 month, crashed. I GOT NO ACTION FROM FDG until, while Steve Allan was away on holiday, his ‘trouble shooter’ organized a new electrician [who was brilliant] within 1 day to fix the snag, which he found was an installation error that was causing over-voltage in the inverter. • After-sales service and documentation - non-existent: o No post-installation documentation; it took 6 months to get a DNO letter (without which one cannot apply to export excess PV), and even then there was an error; o No instruction on how to use Soltaro’s apps for controlling the system [in contrast, Soltaro support has been excellent]; o I could not register my Sotaro kit because FDG would not give me FDG’s installer & Partner Accreditation numbers – these took 4 months to get from FDG. Of course, FDG should have registered the Soltaro kit for me, but it didn’t. • Colour variation in the solar panels: I have 18 and I noticed that 8 are black and 10 are black with a brown hue. Reported to Steve Allan 2 weeks after installation. My stance was that the panels must be changed to all the same colour. I later agreed a deal with Steve Allan that I would live with them on condition that FDG pay for pigeon/bird proofing around the panel array; he has reneged on this agreement and, in Jul 23, I organized the proofing to be done and sent the bill to Steve Allan for reimbursement…. surprise: no reimbursement from FDG! An ongoing dispute. I raised a formal complaint against FDG as per its Complaints Procedure on 1 Mar 23. 5 months on, I await any written response to my complaint. In short, FDG’s Complaints Procedure is not worth the paper it’s written on: nice words, but no action….a common theme when dealing with FDG I will be elevating my complaint to FDG’s regulatory body. Summary FDG now is so different compared to the one that fitted my ASHP system. Now, the CEO seems to run around with his hair on fire, either promising the Earth and delivering nothing or, more usually, just ignoring e-mails from customers; FDG’s admin is shoddy at best; documentation extremely poor. I’ve spent the past year chasing FDG to address issues without success – even a formal complaint has made no difference. Sadly, FDG is no longer a company that any customer dare trust: it takes your money and then you are on your own.