A customer accepts a solar proposal, then asks your administrator to “do the rebate application for me”. It sounds like another paperwork task. In Solar Victoria’s process, it crosses an important boundary.
Your team can coordinate the retailer’s work and explain the next step. The customer retains control of their application. A clear division helps a local coordinator or Philippines-based solar VA provide useful support without taking over decisions or declarations that belong elsewhere.
The workflow below focuses on household Solar Homes PV applications, using official information checked on 21 September 2026.
Start with the correct program
Solar Victoria currently advertises a solar panel rebate and an optional interest-free PV loan for eligible households. Since 1 May 2026, customers choosing that loan must select it when applying. Check the current program page before discussing availability or preparing a quote; an advertised incentive does not establish a particular customer’s eligibility. Solar Victoria: solar panel rebate.
Keep the PV loan separate from the state battery loan scheme, which closed to new applications in May 2025. The Commonwealth battery program has its own requirements. Remove obsolete battery-loan instructions from customer templates. Solar Victoria: battery loan closure.
Rental properties, hot water and apartment projects also need their relevant instructions. Solar for Apartments, for example, involves owners corporations and announced eligibility changes in September 2026. Do not reuse a household application checklist for it. Solar Victoria: Solar for Apartments.
Keep the customer in control of the application
Solar Victoria’s retailer terms prohibit retailers from starting a customer’s portal application on their behalf. Uploading the retailer’s quotation is expressly treated separately. Write this distinction into training and task permissions. Solar Victoria: retailer terms, clauses 23–24.
As an operating rule, staff should not request customer passwords or one-time codes, complete identity checks as the customer, or tick declarations and consent boxes for them. A request for help should trigger guidance through official instructions, rather than a staff member taking over the session.
The retailer FAQ also states that the customer must submit the loan request and Solar Victoria determines eligibility. Staff can explain where to find information without selecting a financial option for the customer. Solar Victoria: retailer and installer FAQs.
If someone cannot complete the process, direct them to Solar Victoria’s support team on 1300 376 393 to discuss suitable assistance, including language support. Solar Victoria: contact and assistance.
Give each role a practical checklist
Use this as a task-allocation aid alongside current program instructions, rather than a complete eligibility checklist.
| Work item | Responsible party | Useful administration support |
|---|---|---|
| Quote and retailer statement | Authorised retailer | Prepare accurate records for review and permitted retailer-portal submission |
| Identity, income and ownership evidence | Customer | Send the official instructions and remind the customer of their next step |
| Application, declarations and loan choice | Customer | Explain the sequence; refer questions requiring interpretation to Solar Victoria |
| Eligibility assessment | Solar Victoria | Track the confirmed status without predicting the decision |
| Installation and required declarations | Responsible installer and retailer | Coordinate access and assemble records for the appropriate reviewer |
The PV process calls for customer evidence of identity, income and ownership. Keep the distinction between “customer says they submitted” and an approval actually recorded by Solar Victoria. Solar Victoria: application requirements.
Add a named retailer contact for unresolved issues. A VA who notices conflicting quote references needs someone to resolve them before the next message goes out.
Use staged customer updates
Build messages around verified milestones. The retailer portal distinguishes an application that has started, one needing further information and one approved with a QR code. These stages require different communication. Solar Victoria: portal status guide.
For example, after confirming the quote upload, a support person could send:
“Your quote has been uploaded. Please follow Solar Victoria’s instructions to complete your application and provide your supporting information directly. Solar Victoria will assess eligibility. Tell us if you need the official support contact details.”
If further information is requested, remind the customer to check the request and respond through the indicated channel. Do not copy sensitive attachments into a general task board to prove a reminder was sent.
After approval, confirm the relevant quote reference and next scheduling step. Record the message date and its factual basis. Avoid promising approval dates or payment timing your team does not control.
Check retailer readiness before booking
The customer’s application does not replace the retailer’s responsibilities. Before quote submission, the retailer must obtain applicable network pre-approval, communicate export constraints and use the required accredited designer for the site-specific performance assessment. Changes to the quoted system require written customer consent. Solar Victoria: retailer terms, clauses 22 and 26.
Give the administrator a readiness review that records the approval, current quote, installation deadline and any outstanding change. A mismatch goes back to the responsible reviewer. It should not be silently corrected to make two documents agree.
For PV, installation before eligibility approval means no rebate. Current timeframes distinguish existing homes from homes under construction, so record the applicable deadline rather than applying one default to every job. Solar Victoria: installation process.
Remind the customer to have their QR code available. The installer scans it onsite before work begins; that action cannot be replaced by an administrator marking a checklist complete. Solar Victoria: QR code requirements.
Limit access to the information each task needs
Solar Victoria requires individual retailer-portal accounts and multi-factor authentication. Give access only to staff who need it and whose retailer role permits the work. Solar Victoria: portal access.
The retailer terms also require customer information to be protected. Solar Victoria: retailer terms, clause 21.
Practical controls include approved storage, restricted folders and a documented retention process. Track application status without duplicating customer identity documents. Use fictional records in training, review access when duties change, and avoid putting personal documents into unapproved AI tools.
These controls belong in the workflow for local and offshore staff alike. Define which records support staff need, which decisions require review and when customer assistance should go directly to Solar Victoria.
Talk to Nexus about organising your solar administration support.
