Most trader problems are not scams in the legal sense. They are slow payment, murky terms or a business that ran out of cash. Treat them with the same care.
The market ceiling is a useful check
STCs have traded at roughly $38 to $40 at the time of writing, and the Clearing House ceiling is $40. A trader cannot sustainably pay an installer more than the certificate sells for, so a rate at or above $40 deserves a question: where does the difference come from? It may be a promotion or a lead-in rate, but ask.
Warning signs
- No clear counterparty. You cannot tell which company holds your certificates or who signs the contract.
- Pressure. “Lodge today to lock the rate” without terms in writing.
- Vague recourse. An unwillingness to say what happens if a claim is rejected or audited. See trader terms after payment.
- Payment drift. Terms that stretch from days to weeks without notice.
- Fees that arrive late. Admin or portal charges not on the rate sheet.
- No humans. No phone number answered by a person, no named contact.
- Odd bank details. A payment that comes from or goes to an unrelated account.
Checks before you lodge
- Look up the ABN and company name.
- Read the terms, especially recourse, fees and rate lock.
- Ask for references from installers of your size.
- Lodge one claim and watch the timeline.
- Keep a copy of every form you sign. See the assignment form guide.
If it goes wrong
Collect the contract, claim records and emails, then ask the trader in writing for a payment date. If that fails, see complaints, disputes and tribunals. Read also what to do when a trader owes you money.
What this means for installers
Treat a trader like a supplier you extend credit to, because that is what you are doing between lodging and getting paid. The trader checklist is a good start. Energy Merchants publishes the rate daily on pricing and has a named account manager on every account; see the switch page.