RECC — Renewable Energy Consumer Code Scotland
RECC membership delivers three protections no other accreditation offers: deposit protection if an installer fails, a binding complaints process with access to ADR, and guaranteed cancellation rights from day one.
Get a Quote from a RECC Registered Installer
Your deposit is protected from the moment you sign.
Why Request a Quote from Scottish Energy Efficiency?
MCS certified. RECC registered. No pressure. No hidden costs.
"From survey to switch-on in under two weeks. Every step explained clearly and no hidden costs. Exactly what you want from a solar installer."
Your Protections
What RECC Membership Provides
Four consumer protections that only apply when you use a RECC registered installer. Each addresses a distinct risk in the renewable energy purchase process.
Deposit Protection
RECC members must protect consumer deposits through an approved scheme. If a RECC member installer goes out of business before completing your installation, the scheme ensures you can recover your deposit. For solar installations requiring 10–25% upfront, this protection can cover thousands of pounds. Non-RECC installers have no equivalent mechanism.
Binding Complaints Process
RECC provides a structured formal complaints process with defined timelines. If a complaint is unresolved directly with the installer, the case escalates to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. ADR decisions can be binding on the installer. This gives you a genuine remedy pathway that is faster and more relevant than general consumer law.
Cancellation Rights
RECC membership requires installers to provide consumers with proper cancellation rights in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This is especially important for contracts agreed at home following a sales visit, where the 14-day statutory cooling-off period must be clearly communicated and honoured.
Code of Conduct Compliance
RECC members must comply with a published code of practice covering sales standards, pre-contract information, contract terms, installation quality, and aftercare. This prevents misleading claims about savings or grants, prohibits high-pressure sales tactics, and requires written quotes before signing.
If Things Go Wrong
The RECC Complaints Process — Step by Step
RECC provides a clearly defined escalation path. Understanding it before you sign means you know exactly what protection you have if problems arise.
Raise the Complaint Directly with the Installer
Allow 10 working daysContact the installer in writing with a clear description of the problem, when it arose, what remedy you are requesting, and a deadline for response (typically 10 working days). Keep all written correspondence. RECC requires member installers to acknowledge complaints promptly and respond within defined timescales.
Escalate to RECC if Unresolved
After 8 weeks or deadlock letterIf the installer has not resolved the complaint satisfactorily within 8 weeks (or has issued a deadlock letter), you can escalate to RECC. Contact RECC via recc.org.uk with your complaint details, correspondence, and installer membership number. RECC will review the case and may intervene to facilitate resolution.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
ADR decision within 90 daysRECC provides access to an independent ADR scheme for unresolved complaints. The ADR adjudicator reviews both sides of the dispute and issues a decision. Critically, ADR decisions can be binding on the installer — meaning the installer is legally obliged to comply with the outcome. This is a meaningful remedy that small claims court often cannot match for specialist technical disputes.
Trading Standards or Legal Action if Necessary
Parallel or subsequent routeFor serious matters involving potential criminal conduct, Trading Standards Scotland can be involved in parallel. For financial remedies beyond the RECC process, small claims court provides a further route. RECC documentation and outcomes are useful evidence in any subsequent legal proceedings.
Keep records from day one
Save all written communications, quotes, contracts, and photographs. The RECC complaints process — and any ADR proceeding — relies on documentation. Email is always better than phone for disputes.
Financial Security
Deposit Protection — How It Works
Why Deposits Are at Risk
Solar and heat pump installations typically require a deposit of 10–25% before work begins. For a £10,000 solar installation, that is £1,000–£2,500 paid upfront before a single panel is installed. For a £15,000+ heat pump project, the deposit can exceed £3,500.
If the installer goes out of business after taking your deposit — and before completing the installation — you become an unsecured creditor in any insolvency proceedings. Without deposit protection, recovery is unlikely.
The renewable energy sector has seen a number of installer insolvencies over the past decade. Without RECC membership, consumers in these situations typically lost their deposits entirely.
How RECC Deposit Protection Works
Protected from contract signing
RECC deposit protection applies from the moment you pay your deposit to a RECC member. The protection is automatic — you do not need to take separate action.
Covers the full deposit amount
The protection covers the deposit paid (subject to scheme limits). If the installer fails, you make a claim through the protection scheme, not the installer's insolvency process.
Applies only to RECC members
Non-RECC installers cannot offer this protection. An installer claiming deposit protection without RECC membership is misrepresenting the position.
Side-by-Side
RECC Member vs Non-RECC Installer
RECC membership lapses — always verify before signing
An installer may have previously held RECC membership that has since lapsed or been removed. Always verify current membership at recc.org.uk before signing any contract.
Scottish Energy Efficiency Is RECC Registered
We are fully RECC registered. Your deposit is protected from contract signing, you have access to our complaints process and ADR, and your cancellation rights are guaranteed. We can provide our RECC membership number on request — call 0141 230 0198 to confirm.
Investment
RECC Registered Installation Pricing
4kWp System
0% VAT until 31 March 2027
- MCS installation certificate
- RECC consumer protection from signing
- Deposit protection included
- Tier 1 panels + 25-year warranty
- SEG registration with Octopus Flux
- G98/G99 DNO notifications handled
Air Source Heat Pump
After £7,500 HES grant
- RECC registered installer
- Deposit protected from contract
- MCS certified installation
- HES grant application handled
- Rural uplift available (£9,000)
- ADR access if needed
Common Questions
RECC Scotland FAQs
Choose a RECC Registered Installer in Scotland
Scottish Energy Efficiency is RECC registered, MCS certified, and HES registered. Your deposit is protected and your consumer rights are guaranteed from the moment you sign.
Unit 3 Prospect III, Dundee Technology Park, Dundee, DD2 1TY
Installations provided by scottishenergyefficiency.co.uk