Solarplicity has been issued with a provisional order by Ofgem to pay outstanding money owed to customers with domestic generation who are eligible for Feed-in Tariff (FIT) payments.

Ofgem said it understands that Solarplicity failed to pay a number of FIT generators despite receiving FIT levelisation payments which should allow them to do so. Anthony Pygram, director of conduct and enforcement, said: “Not paying FIT generators will impact their finances and affect their viability, which is why we are taking swift action to ensure that Solarplicity makes the payments due. Suppliers must comply with their obligations and if they do not, ultimately we can take steps to revoke their licence.”

Solarplicity must:

• Pay outstanding money owed to FIT generators by 16 May 2019
• Make all future FIT payments that become due to FIT generators, by the relevant due dates
• Not give preference to pay any FIT generator connected in any way to Solarplicity
• Report back to Ofgem on the progress of the actions set out in the provisional order.

The provisional order will remain in place for up to three months, unless it is confirmed. 

Ofgem says that if Solarplicity does not pay FIT generators they are likely to suffer from financial harm  and the non-payments could undermine the integrity of the FIT scheme itself.

Ofgem is currently deciding whether to confirm a separet provisional order issued to Solarplicity in February over its customer service failings. It listed the supplier’s failings:

• Customer service arrangements that were not fit for purpose;
• Not identifying vulnerable customers or adding them to the Priority Services Register;
• Not providing help or support in relation to ability to pay (eg payment plans);
• Not providing notice of a contract renewal;
• Not identifying, logging or signposting customer complaints.

Other complaints over Solarplicity’s service on Trustpilot include long-outstanding refunds for overpayment or where a customer is in credit when switchig away.