Business/Trader identified: Sanctuary Energy Details of…

Business/Trader identified: Sanctuary Energy

Details of Complaint: We signed a 5 year contract with Sanctuary Energy on 27/09/2010 to be our electricity supplier and also for the installation of solar panels. This was so that we could avail of the NSW Government's feed in tariff scheme which was 60 cents in the Dollar at the time. The tariff was to be split 50/50 for 5 years and at the end of the 5 years we would own the panels. The solar panels were installed (but not connected) 13/09/2011, almost one year later. It cost us $1055.00 for the installation. In that intervening time we made several phone calls to Sanctuary Energy to ask about the progress of the installation. I never got passed the customer relations person "Tracy" even though I asked to speak to a member of management. They made no attempt in any way to keep us informed of what was happening. On 15/05/2012 we received a letter from Endeavour Energy stating that the government's feed-in tariff scheme was ending on 30/06/2012 and that if our panels were not connected by then we would lose out. Again,several calls to Sanctuary Energy in relation to this dead line. No response and no updated information. The deadline came and went. On 23/08/2012 (5 months later) we received a letter from Sanctuary Energy admitting liability for not meeting the deadline for connection of the panels and offering a 20% reduction in future electricity bills or to get out of the contract, we would have to purchase the panels for $1100.00.We did not have the $1100, so we signed up for the 20% reduced electricity bills on 27/09/2012. Since then, (now over 4 months ago) the panels remain on our roof unconnected and I again have made numerous calls to Sanctuary Energy to find out when they will be connected as they are of no benefit to us until they are connected. Again I can't get past the customer relations person even though I have on several occasions, requested to speak to someone in management including the past CEO (Mark Marjorlbanks) and the current CEO Peter Wesley. I have also left several messages for "Kim Wessex" (Installations Manager) to phone me but she has not. This company does not seem to have a problem sending out bills (as regular as clock work) but cannot seem to write a simple letter or make a phone call informing us when the solar panels on our roof will be connected. We are very dissatisfied at the way this company has treated us. This matter has gone unresolved for over 2 years.

We are seeking the following from Sanctuary Energy:

1. A refund of $1055.00 for the cost of the solar panel installation.
2. Agreement by Sanctuary Energy that the solar panels will be connected within one month of the date of the tribunal hearing.
3. That we will (from the date of connection) own the panels outright without having to pay the cost of the panels ($1100)

Mr.Leonard Duff & Mrs.XXXXX XXXXX

Less than 1 week before this matter was due to heard by the "CONSUMER,TRADER & TENANCY TRIBUNAL" (CTTT) the panels were connected.The connections person showed up without notice .We went to the hearing anyway.Sanctury Energy failed to show up and faxed their response to the CTTT on the morning of the hearing.It stated:
1/ Sanctury Energy would not pay the initial installation cost of $1055.
2/They would transfer the ownership of the panels to us without cost to us but would not terminate the contract for supply of electricity.
3/They would extend their contract with us for another 6 months.
The member hearing the case informed me that we could not terminate the contract and keep the panels.i.e. If the contract was terminated,we would loose the panels also.
We rejected this offer.Another hearing was set down for May 9th.Again Sanctury Energy failed to show.At this hearing,I asked the member hearing the case if we could claim some form of compensation for what we would have saved if Sanctury Energy had honoured the contract in the first place.He advised me we could.I don't know how to estimate this loss.He also informed me that he could make an order to terminate the contract but we would keep the panels and stated that we should not have been told by the previous member that that this was not possible to order.
We would very much appreciate your advice as to how much compensation we should seek in this matter please.