The ACCC looked at door knockers, cold calls and quote websites. Here is what it found

Solar panels and energy devices are among the products often bought after a knock at the door or a cold call, and the details behind those calls often come from forms people fill in online. The ACCC has now looked closely at how that works. If you have ever asked for a solar or battery quote online, this review is about you.

What the ACCC found

The review, Unsolicited selling and lead generation, was published on 28 July 2026 and drew on consumer research, submissions and case studies. It found that high-pressure and misleading tactics are widespread in door-to-door selling, telemarketing and other unsolicited sales, and that details people type into quote and comparison websites are often sold on to fuel those sales calls. Among its findings:

• About three quarters of people surveyed had experienced an unsolicited sales approach at least once in the previous two years, and about 28% had bought something after one.
• Two thirds said they had felt pressured.
• About 40% of those who bought something regretted it, and more than 60% had problems with their purchase.
• Some smaller businesses selling solar devices told the ACCC that up to 80% of their business came from unsolicited selling.
• Many consumers who bought solar panels or energy devices this way spent more than $1,000.

Salespeople often misrepresented the full cost, whether a product was suitable or had been checked by a trusted source, and whether the buyer might be eligible for a government program.

The existing rules were often ignored, too. Of people who bought after an unsolicited approach, only 70.9% said the salesperson identified themselves, 54.1% received a copy of the written agreement, and 63.0% were told about their right to cancel.

Where quote websites and data brokers fit in

The review describes how personal information is gathered online through price comparison websites, online quotes, free trials and surveys, then often sold through data brokers to create leads for sales calls and visits.

The unsolicited selling rules were written before this kind of data-driven lead generation became common. The ACCC's view is that unless a website clearly tells you it is collecting your details so a business can contact you to sell something, a sale that follows is still unsolicited, and the protections for unsolicited sales still apply. It noted this has not been tested.

To be upfront: SolarAnswers is a quote site too. When you ask for quotes, we pass your request to up to three installers, and each one pays us a fee. We do not sell lists of names. You can read the details on how we make money.

What the ACCC proposes

The review recommends three main changes:

• An opt-in model instead of cooling off. Right now you have 10 business days after signing to change your mind. The ACCC wants that replaced with a rule that you must confirm the sale within a set period, separately from the sales conversation, before the sale takes effect and any payment is processed.
• Higher penalties. The current maximum penalty for breaching the unsolicited sales rules in the Australian Consumer Law is $50,000 for a corporation and $10,000 for an individual. The ACCC recommends increasing them but did not name new amounts in its release.
• Lead generation in the rules. The ACCC recommends that lead generation be explicitly covered by the rules on unsolicited selling.

These are proposals, not law

The review makes recommendations to government. Nothing in it applies yet: governments would have to change the law, and the ACCC's release gives no timetable. Until then, the current rules apply, including the 10 business day cooling-off period for unsolicited agreements.

What it means for you

You do not need to wait for new rules to protect yourself:

• Read the form before you submit it. A quote form should tell you who will receive your details and why. If it does not, think twice.
• Keep a note of who you agreed to hear from. If a different company calls, ask where it got your details.
• Do not sign on the doorstep or on the first call. If you do sign after an unsolicited approach, you currently have 10 business days to cancel.
• Check program claims yourself. The ACCC advises looking into your eligibility for government programs before agreeing to anything. Our rebates overview and battery rebate calculator are a starting point.
• Compare written quotes. Get more than one and compare final prices and what is included. See how to compare solar quotes.
• Know the warning signs. Our list of sales tactics to walk away from covers the most common ones.

If you think a business has broken the rules, report it to the ACCC, or ask other readers about a pitch in our community.

Our take

We can see the appeal of the opt-in idea: a sale would only take effect once you confirm it, away from the salesperson. But it is still a proposal, and the 10 business day cooling-off period is what you have today. As a quote site ourselves, we think any form should say plainly who gets your details and why. We would treat a pitch that arrives out of the blue as the start of your research, not the end. Ask who the caller works for, check any rebate claim yourself, and compare written quotes before committing to anything.