Questions to ask before you sign a solar or battery quote

A quote is the document you can hold a business to if something goes wrong, so it needs to be specific. The questions below close the gaps worth closing before you sign: a component swapped for a cheaper one, an extra that wasn’t mentioned, or a discount that changed because installation was delayed.

Work through them with your quotes side by side, and ask for any answer you get over the phone to be added to the quote in writing.

Who is selling to you?

1. Are you a New Energy Tech Consumer Code Approved Seller? Businesses that sign the Code agree to honest sales practices, no pressure selling, clear quotes with no hidden costs, and honoured warranties. You can check any business on the Code’s Approved Seller search, and every retailer in our directory shows whether it’s a signatory.
2. In Victoria: are you a Solar Victoria authorised retailer? Solar Victoria rebates are paid through authorised retailers, so if you’re counting on one, check before you go further. You can filter our directory to Solar Victoria authorised retailers.
3. Who will actually do the installation? Some retailers use subcontracted installers. That’s normal, but the quote should say who is responsible for the work, and you should know the installer’s name before installation day so you can check their accreditation.

Who will install it?

4. What is the installer’s Solar Accreditation Australia number? Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accredits the people who design and install solar and battery systems. Enter the number or the installer’s name into SAA’s accreditation status check to confirm it’s current. For a battery, the installer also needs a battery endorsement, which is one of the Clean Energy Regulator’s conditions for the federal battery discount.
5. Will the accredited installer be on site? The Clean Energy Regulator suggests confirming the accredited installer will be there for job set-up, mid-installation and commissioning, and asking to see their accreditation and electrical licence on the day.

What exactly are you buying?

6. What is the brand and model of every panel, inverter and battery? “Tier 1 panels” or “a 10 kWh battery” isn’t specific enough. Exact models let you compare quotes properly and check that nothing changes later. For batteries, check the model is on the Clean Energy Council’s approved battery list, which the federal discount requires.
7. What size is the system, in the right units? Panels and inverters are sized in kilowatts (kW): how much power they can deliver at once. Batteries are sized in kilowatt-hours (kWh): how much energy they store. Ask for a battery’s usable capacity, because that’s what the federal discount is calculated on.
8. What’s included in the installation? Ask whether the price covers switchboard upgrades, meter changes, roof access or scaffolding, cabling to the battery location, and removal of old equipment. If nobody has inspected your switchboard, ask what happens to the price if it needs work.

How is the price worked out?

9. How much is the STC discount, and how many certificates is it based on? Solar panels, batteries and efficient hot water systems create small-scale technology certificates (STCs). You usually assign them to the retailer or its agent, who takes their value off your price. Prices in the Clean Energy Regulator’s clearing house are capped at $40 per certificate excluding GST, and open-market prices change daily, so ask how many certificates the discount is based on and what price per certificate the retailer used.
10. Is the price fixed if installation is delayed? For batteries, this matters more than it used to. The federal battery discount is set by the installation date, not the date you sign, and it steps down every six months. Ask the retailer to put in writing what happens to your price if installation moves past 31 December 2026. Our guide to how the battery discount works shows the dates.
11. What deposit do you need, and when is it refundable? From 1 December 2026, the updated New Energy Tech Consumer Code requires quotes for custom designs to state any fees and when they’re refundable. Ask for this now, whichever version of the Code applies.

What happens after installation?

12. Who applies to connect the system to the grid? Your electricity network has to approve new solar and battery systems, and some networks limit how much power you can export. Ask who submits the application, whether your export will be limited, and whether the quoted price depends on the approval.
13. What are the warranties, and who do I call if something fails? Each product carries its own manufacturer warranty, and the installer should give a separate warranty on their workmanship. Solar Victoria’s buyer’s guide to warranties explains what to check. Write down which business you contact for each part of the system.
14. What will you show me at handover? Before the installer leaves, check the system is running, how to read the monitoring app, and how to shut it down safely. For batteries, the Clean Energy Regulator also recommends a safety check every year by a licensed, SAA-accredited electrician.

If the salesperson came to you

Different rules apply when the sale wasn’t your idea, such as a door knock or a phone call you didn’t ask for. Under the Australian Consumer Law these are unsolicited sales, and the ACCC’s rules for door-to-door and phone sales give you extra protection:

• 10 business days to cancel, counted from the day after you sign or receive the agreement, for any reason.
• No payment in that time. The seller can’t take money or start providing services during the cooling-off period.
• Longer if the rules are broken. If the seller doesn’t tell you about the cooling-off period or doesn’t give you the agreement in writing, you have six months to cancel. Calling or visiting outside the permitted hours extends it to three months.

Your checklist

Take these to every quote:

1. Are you a New Energy Tech Consumer Code Approved Seller?
2. In Victoria: are you a Solar Victoria authorised retailer?
3. Who will do the installation?
4. What is the installer’s SAA accreditation number (with battery endorsement for a battery)?
5. Will the accredited installer be on site?
6. What is the brand and model of every component?
7. What is the system size in kW, and the battery’s usable kWh?
8. What’s included in the installation, and what could cost extra?
9. How many STCs is the discount based on, and at what price?
10. Is the price fixed if installation is delayed?
11. What deposit is needed, and when is it refundable?
12. Who applies for grid connection, and will my export be limited?
13. What are the warranties, and who do I call?
14. What will you show me at handover?

To see which businesses service your area and whether they’re NETCC Approved Sellers or Solar Victoria authorised, search the directory by postcode.

This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rules, rebates and prices change, so check the linked sources before you decide. Facts checked 18 October 2026.