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A Sydney solar company has collapsed, leaving large numbers of customers furious after they paid hefty deposits for battery systems under a multi-billion-dollar federal government scheme.
A Sydney solar company has collapsed, leaving large numbers of customers furious after they paid hefty deposits for battery systems under a multi-billion-dollar federal government scheme.
Consumer advocates are calling for an urgent increase to protections, oversight and regulation. Murray Wylie was fed up after shelling out a $5,000 deposit for a solar battery system in February which Macarthur Solar had still not installed by August. In late August he drove to Macarthur's south-west Sydney office.
"I was angry because the thoughts that were building up had come true. I wasn't going to get my battery," he said. When Murray Wylie questioned why the solar battery installation was taking so long Macarthur Solar told him to be patient. It was founded in 2015 by Mathew Cox, a local electrician.
The ABC spoke to eight Macarthur customers who fear they have lost large deposits for solar and battery installations that never arrived, ranging between $1,500 and $17,600. Many signed up with Macarthur Solar after being attracted by a generous federal government subsidy, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program . The program sparked unprecedented demand, with more than 530,000 batteries installed since July 2025 at an estimated cost of more than $7.2 billion over four years.
Macarthur's customers were charged 50 per cent up-front, far above what's considered industry standard. NSW home building laws limit deposits to 10 per cent and leading solar and consumer advocates say the higher deposits may have breached those laws. The state's Building Commission confirmed it was investigating after receiving more than 100 complaints.
Macarthur Energy owes almost $3.4 million to more than 79 unsecured creditors, including former customers and suppliers, according to a report by liquidator Daniel Soire of Jones Partners. Sixteen former employees are also seriously out of pocket, owed more than $420,000 for superannuation, annual leave and redundancy payments.
'Seemed fair dinkum' Mr Wylie had rooftop panels but got in touch with Macarthur because he was thinking about adding a battery. When Mr Wylie checked in at the office about when his install would happen he was told to be patient. Eventually, he was told it would be installed at the end of August, but that never happened.
"We signed a contract in good faith and got nothing," he said. Mr Barnes has now paid another installer for solar panels and a battery system, meaning he has paid twice. The loss means the retiree, who is on a part-pension, has been left with less money to spend on his grandkids.
However, he claims the company was repeatedly "stalling". In May he called the battery system's supplier for help, which prompted a call from the owner Mathew Cox, and eventually led to a commitment to install the system in July. Despite assurances from the owner of Macarthur Solar that his system would be installed, Mark Barnes says no works have been completed at his property.
Mr Barnes demanded a refund and lodged a complaint with the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal , the state's small claims tribunal, however the company went into liquidation before his case was finalised. The ABC has seen three NCAT and court orders secured by other customers against Macarthur Energy ordering repayment for amounts between $1,600 and $17,600.
Former staff members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were concerned sales had soared off the back of the CHBP, while installation wait times had blown out by many months. The warehouse was often short of stock and customers were coming into the office to demand answers, they said. Those impacted by the collapse questioned how long the company was struggling financially.
The liquidator, Mr Soire, previously met Mr Cox four times between mid-2023 and August 2026 before the company wound up. A Fair Work Commission decision about a dispute between a former worker and Macarthur Energy, described an April 2025 meeting where Mr Cox allegedly told all employees that the company "was going into administration and that all employees had to find new jobs", although Mr Cox disputed telling staff that.
Mr Soire did not respond to the ABC's questions, including whether he was investigating any potential breaches of director's duties such as the possibility of insolvent trading. Jeff Sykes, CEO of comparison website Solar Choice, said that was highly unusual.
"Across Australia, we see 10 per cent pretty much as the industry standard. " Solar Choice published half a dozen one-star reviews about Macarthur Energy this year with customers venting about poor communication and complaints to regulators about unfinished installations. The ABC requested an interview with Macarthur Solar's Mathew Cox and sent him questions but did not receive a response before publication.
Macarthur was one of thousands of solar companies impacted by changes to the CHBP, which sparked a consumer rush to get in before May 1 when subsidies reduced. Mr Kelly said installers who over-committed faced financial shortfalls if they did not complete their work before May 1, because the rebate was only paid after the job and they would not receive the higher rebates they had expected.
He also wants a mandatory code of conduct for companies accessing subsidies under the CHBP and an expansion of ombudsman schemes, as well as other action recommended by the consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission . Macarthur's customers and consumer advocates have questioned whether state and federal regulators were too slow to intervene, given the huge number of complaints.
"That's very concerning from my perspective and sounds like the exact harm that a lot of these consumer protection rules are designed to prevent," Mr Sykes said. A spokesperson for the Building Commission NSW said it was investigating, "allegations of requests for deposits which exceed the legal limit as well as a lack of Home Building Compensation Fund coverage by the business.
"Macarthur Energy has previously been fined $4,000 over taking an excessive deposit, a lack of Home Building Compensation Fund coverage and not performing work after taking money. In a rare step, the ACCC confirmed it "has several investigations currently underway in relation to the sales practices of solar and battery installers.
" The Clean Energy Regulator said in a statement it had passed information to the ACCC and state consumer protection agencies and was considering whether compliance action was warranted. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the rebate could not be claimed until a battery was installed and the government had zero tolerance for poor behaviour.
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