Late Addition to Solar Panel Installation - Legal Position

Krankyoldman

I recently had a solar panel system installed in March (with which I have no issues !)
My problem is that one week before installation I contacted the salesman to purchase an additional battery, and the price of £950 inc was agreed in an exchange of emails.
On Installation, the installers knew nothing about the second battery, and told me to contact their Head Office to arrange another installation date.
I was out of the country in April, and as the salesman had verbally told me that the offer of the second battery was valid for 6 months, I contacted Head Office in May, to be told that the price was now £1200 inc.
I pointed out that the order was placed in March and after negotiations, I was verbally told that the original price would be honoured. I was given two different dates in May but the first was cancelled the day before, and the second time no-one arrived, so I made a formal Complaint.
This Complaint was totally ignored, and since then they are not accepting my calls or emails.
I still have the emails from the Firm's Salesman - Do I have any Legal Rights to force the company to honour the emails ?

Alderbank

Krankyoldman said:

I recently had a solar panel system installed in March (with which I have no issues !)
My problem is that one week before installation I contacted the salesman to purchase an additional battery, and the price of £950 inc was agreed in an exchange of emails.
On Installation, the installers knew nothing about the second battery, and told me to contact their Head Office to arrange another installation date.
I was out of the country in April, and as the salesman had verbally told me that the offer of the second battery was valid for 6 months, I contacted Head Office in May, to be told that the price was now £1200 inc.
I pointed out that the order was placed in March and after negotiations, I was verbally told that the original price would be honoured. I was given two different dates in May but the first was cancelled the day before, and the second time no-one arrived, so I made a formal Complaint.
This Complaint was totally ignored, and since then they are not accepting my calls or emails.
I still have the emails from the Firm's Salesman - Do I have any Legal Rights to force the company to honour the emails ?

The additional battery deal is a separate contract from the solar panel installation which was satisfactory.

As far as the additional battery is concerned you have paid nothing and they have supplied nothing?

It depends on the precise wording of the contract but it looks to me as though no contract has actually been made, just an offer to treat and an offer to buy, but no acceptance or fulfilment.

What precisely are the T&Cs of the £950 contract? When is the contract formed? Any mention of errors, omissions, price changes?

Krankyoldman

OK, thanks for your quick reply.
The emails exchanged with the salesman were just that, not a formal contract -  just can you ?; Yes; how much ?; OK go ahead; acknowledgement to pass it on to Head Office.
They have supplied nothing and I have paid nothing.

Aylesbury_Duck

As advised above, the second battery transaction is separate to the first installation transaction.

It sounds as if their offer, made in March, was replaced by a new price in May.  Not unreasonable, prices change.  What it comes down to is whether you actually had a contract.  You might have agreed a price in principle but if you haven't paid anything and don't have some sort of a signed purchase agreement, you won't be able to force them to apply a historical price purely on the basis of some back-and-forth over email three months ago.

What exactly do you have by way of evidence of an order being properly placed?  Anything?

Krankyoldman

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your input.
I have just had a phone call from the firm after posting a review this morning.
They have given me a new installation date for this month, so I shall wait and see what happens next

Krankyoldman

The review seemed to do the trick, I have now had the second battery installed (at the original price) on condition that I amended the review.
I am now a completely satisfied customer !!