Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

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  • liquidity_2
    liquidity_2 Posts: 60 Forumite
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    RRatchet wrote: »
    I'm sure that I read in a newspaper (Sunday Times Business Section - I think) a few weeks back that Spain and I think Portugal have or are about to scrap their FIT's as part of their austerity measures. Germany has/had also reduced the FIT rate. Sorry to be so vague, I can't remember the details, but the article did say that a number of companies would go bust because their income would disappear. The article also queried whether the Uk would follow suit.

    Yours

    R

    Are you referring to to www platts com / RSSFeedDetailedNews . aspx ?xmlpath = RSSFeed / HeadlineNews / ElectricPower / 8823245 . xml

    (Sorry, newbie rules mean I can't post full URLs so you'll need to do some editing)

    Note that the subsidy reduces by only 5% for roof systems less then 20 kW.
  • Gizmosmum_2
    Gizmosmum_2 Posts: 448 Forumite
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    beedydad wrote: »
    Yes - as stated before they may well be swamped but they should, as a serious business model, have gone thru worst/best case scenarios before putting these deals into the public domain - especially for thelikes of MSE to get hold of it and the followers!

    It seems they have not got their infrastructure sorted and no doubt have not got either sufficient staffing nor PV kits - let alone other elements such as scaffolding, etc.

    So could be an ever lengthening wait for such a good deal!!

    I remember all those previous "free" deals - example being a free holiday by buying a hoover!!!! what happened to that????

    DYOR.

    It is the right thing to do to have the company rep to visit and go thru the finer points, why not? You are going to have a big bit of kit sitting on your roof for 25 odd years so i think it makes good sence to see the company whether you like them and get a decent feel as to whether they are genuine, creditable, trustworthy etc.

    Just trusting their websites to make a decision seems barmy!! Anyone can make a website seem half decent it does not tell you the whole story - buyer beware!

    Regards

    I got one of those free flights with my hoover - it worked well for me :j not so good for others though ....

    On a more serious note - give the guys providing free solar for those who can't afford it a break. To provide 2,000 new pv systems costs somewhere in the region of £16 million. There's no doubt that this will be released in staged payments and installations will only be able to take place as the funding becomes available.

    Add to that the best form of marketing in the world - personal recommendation, a novel way of delivery (free pv) and media with a huge interest in a new gov't initiative and it's no wonder everything has gone mad. I doubt there are many companies that could cope with this level of interest. With a bit of luck it will all have settled down in 12 months time and those who can afford to buy will get a great return on investment and those who can't will be able to access free pv through the likes of asg, Isis and Homesun.:j
    Target of wind & watertight by Sept 2011 :D
  • sassy_one
    sassy_one Posts: 2,685 Forumite
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    Just to add, I was near Newport (Gwent) today, and they had a sales person and a stand in the centre of town, promoting this offer, although, it was strange, it said about the 25 year term, but nothing about the 'free' bit.........

    So, think they may be going around most town centres, might be worth a call to them and ask, specially if you want more details, they even had the solar panel on display what does on your roof, looks okay.
  • Poosmate
    Poosmate Posts: 3,126 Forumite
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    sassy-one wrote: »
    Just to add, I was near Newport (Gwent) today, and they had a sales person and a stand in the centre of town, promoting this offer, although, it was strange, it said about the 25 year term, but nothing about the 'free' bit.........

    So, think they may be going around most town centres, might be worth a call to them and ask, specially if you want more details, they even had the solar panel on display what does on your roof, looks okay.

    Was it one of the free companies mentioned on here? A Shade Greener, Isis or Homesun?

    If not, then they were probably a local company (selling the panels) trying to drum up some business.
    One of Mike's Mob, Street Found Money £1.66, Non Sealed Pot (5p,2p,1p)£6.82? (£0 banked), Online Opinions 5/50pts, Piggy points 15, Ipsos 3930pts (£25+), Valued Opinions £12.85, MutualPoints 1786, Slicethepie £0.12, Toluna 7870pts, DFD Computer says NO!
  • John_Pierpoint
    John_Pierpoint Posts: 8,391 Forumite
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    edited 20 August 2010 at 2:33AM
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    Anyone remember Delia Smith waving about a small steel frying pan and saying "I really like this one" and nearly bankrupting a small family business in the Lake District?:rotfl:

    Solar PV is getting that feel of "let's invest in breeding ostriches" about it.
  • M4ximillion
    M4ximillion Posts: 76 Forumite
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    poos thansk for the info, didn't quote you cause i cant put in links.

    I read their website but had other questions that theyve not answered yet and I also wanted a copy of the contract before i applied. I'm in south notts so might be in everyones area, which is why i was going to apply to them all. Have applied to asg.
  • M4ximillion
    M4ximillion Posts: 76 Forumite
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    beedydad wrote: »
    It is the right thing to do to have the company rep to visit and go thru the finer points, why not? You are going to have a big bit of kit sitting on your roof for 25 odd years so i think it makes good sence to see the company whether you like them and get a decent feel as to whether they are genuine, creditable, trustworthy etc.

    Just trusting their websites to make a decision seems barmy!! Anyone can make a website seem half decent it does not tell you the whole story - buyer beware!

    Regards


    youre presuming they dont go through all of that - i reckon that they will if your roof passes cause there must come a point when you have to sign everything, but theyre not going to do it with every tom !!!!!! and harriot who applies on the website are they? And who just trusts the websites? I got a load of info from asg, including a copy of the agreement before i even applied. Give us public some credit.
  • M4ximillion
    M4ximillion Posts: 76 Forumite
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    John_Pierpoint wrote: »
    Anyone remember Delia Smith waving about a small steel frying pan and saying "I really like this one" and nearly bankrupting a small family business in the Lake District?:rotfl:

    Solar PV is getting that feel of "let's invest in breeding ostriches" about it.


    i remember my mum (RIP) was going to invest in ostriches when she got her redundancy money :rotfl:bless her! i talked her out of it

    Dotcom bubble too???
  • Doc_N
    Doc_N Posts: 8,277 Forumite
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    M4ximillion wrote: »
    i remember my mum (RIP) was going to invest in ostriches when she got her redundancy money :rotfl:bless her! i talked her out of it

    Dotcom bubble too???

    Interesting programme about that (ostriches) earlier this week on Radio 4. A lot of money lost.
  • Gizmosmum_2
    Gizmosmum_2 Posts: 448 Forumite
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    M4ximillion wrote: »
    youre presuming they dont go through all of that - i reckon that they will if your roof passes cause there must come a point when you have to sign everything, but theyre not going to do it with every tom !!!!!! and harriot who applies on the website are they? And who just trusts the websites? I got a load of info from asg, including a copy of the agreement before i even applied. Give us public some credit.


    That's a pretty good service - any chance we could see the agreement. I'm guessing it might put some people's mind at rest.
    Target of wind & watertight by Sept 2011 :D
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