Poor performance by Sezela Trading owner

We received a solar installation quote from Pierre Hamman on 12 May 2022. He quoted on a Growatt SPF5000ES inverter. I have asked him on the same day if we also can look at the Sunsynk inverter. His reply was it is more expensive. He suggested the Growatt inverter is an excellent product and that a lazercut housing comes with it that will makes it very neat. He did not mention anything that other inverter types has also an option of taking the lazercut housing with it. I excepted this and he advised me he will be happy with a deposit of R50 000 (do not worry about the deposit on the quote). I have done so on 3 July 2022. He promised me the best service and the installation will follow asap. It is then when he advised me he cannot get stock from his suppliers. On 5th July he advised me that they are orginizing me a Growatt inverter. I asked him if it is a new one – he replied yes to this. (All on whatsapp). He also mentioned that they spend a lot of money at his suppliers and they have to help him. I also showed him where he can get stock but he had an different answer every time. On 6 July reminded me to pay the next deposit. This is where I started to get irritated but I paid him another R30 000 immediately to stay close as possible to the quote. I have asked him if I can pay the balance of R40 000 on completion – He replied this is no problem. He then send me a photo of where he said he is busy with my inverter setup and installation. On 8 July they arrived to do the installation. Only then he advised me he is installing a demo inverter because he cannot get any stock. (Why have they started with the installation when they knew there were no stock?) After they have left the system started to give me errors and problems. He sent his colleague and he admit that the inverter was not function correctly. I advised him that we will pay another amount but will keep R20 000 back till the job is complete and I am happy. He told me that I will pay him another R30 000 and they gave me a loan unit as a favour. It is just fair to pay the money and they do not do incomplete work. So once again I paid him. I asked him on a regular basis on the stock issue. In the mean while we tried to use the solar panel power. The on 14 July the inverter went totally haywire and then I told Pierre I will not use any solar till everything is sorted. I sent him videos and this was a totally inconvenience after paying already R110k with the system not working. We kept the battery off – was afraid the inverter will damage the battery. Only then he admitted that they have to get a new inverter but stock is a problem. He promised he will phone each and every supplier to find an inverter. I made a comment that I should be putting in another inverter brand as this was what I wanted. He then replied they install a lot of Growatts and that there is nothing wrong with Growatt. On 15 July I advised him Bundu Power has stock. He phoned me and told me that I have to go and buy the inverter myself and if anything goes wrong he will not take the warranty responsibility. Also only a few days later he advised me there will be a fee for taking off the inverter if anything goes wrong. I decided I will rather wait then. Only on 21 May Pierre came back to advise me he can get stock on the Deye but the price is R25720. I questioned the price and he replied he add his profit margin. His exact words were he cannot supply me the products at Indier prices and they really helped me by supplying me with a loan unit (which does not work).

He also mentioned the following: -He cannot supply me products at Indien prices. -He went out of his way to supply me a loan unit which cost him money and I still have an outstanding amount of R10k -I never let him know if I want to proceed with the installation while stock was still available. -He never needed to test the loan unit as it is a loan unit -I have to pay him the outstanding R10k before I can complain. -He could sent in the loan unit long time ago for repairs but he rather lent it to me. -I have not complied with the quotation deposits as set out on the quotation - I need to be grown up enough to see where we stand.

I therefor instructed Pierre 22 July to sent his colleague to come and remove the so called “demo” unit and to make sure he pays back my R2500 which makes up for a new inverter unit with the outstanding R10k. Also I advised him not to put his foot onto my property. The demo unit was removed and the R2500 was paid back.

Please think twice before using Pierre’s service in the future. It was a bad experience and after R110k paid to Pierre, the system still does not work. Be very careful who you choose before doing any type of installation.