Installers do fail, and the questions arrive in many shapes: my retailer went bust before claiming, my solar company liquidated, can I claim my STCs if my installer closed, what about unpaid STCs. They share an answer, and it starts with working out which position you are in. For the shorter overview, see our existing guide. This page goes deeper on the certificates.
Step 1: have STCs been created?
The key fact is whether your installer or its agent created the certificates in the REC Registry before closing. Ask the liquidator or administrator, and see how to check if your installer claimed.
- Created and sold. The money has moved through the company. Your discount is already in your price, and you generally owe nothing more.
- Created but unsold. They are an asset of the company, and the liquidator handles them. You have no claim on them if you assigned them.
- Never created. The right to create may still exist. Time matters.
Step 2: the 12-month window
STCs must be created within 12 months of installation. If your installer went under before claiming, that clock keeps running. The owner can register as a person in the REC Registry and create the STCs themselves, but identity verification can take weeks, and the Clean Energy Regulator suggests using a registered agent if you are close to the deadline. Note that if you already signed an assignment, the installer’s liquidator may hold that right. Speak to the liquidator in writing before acting, so you do not double claim.
Step 3: protect the rest of your position
- Collect your quote, contract, receipts, assignment form, photos and the compliance certificate (CES or equivalent).
- Contact the administrator and lodge your details as a creditor if you are owed money.
- Report to your state fair trading office.
- Ask the manufacturer about warranty, since panel and inverter warranties usually survive the installer.
- Have an accredited installer check the system, because unfinished or unsafe work needs fixing.
Why a retailer and an installer can differ
Many solar companies are retailers that sell the system and subcontract the install. Which entity holds your assignment form decides who the liquidator is, so look at the name on your form. A retailer’s collapse can leave the installer unpaid and the STCs uncreated even though the work was done.
What this means for you
Keep every document, stay calm and move within the 12-month window. If the company took a deposit and vanished without installing, read what to do when a solar installer disappears after a deposit. For the broader picture of household rights, see the homeowners guide. Before signing with your next installer, use our choosing a certificate trader checklist and see the pricing page to see how a transparent settlement works.