PV Solar Uk Ltd / Free Electricity 4U Ltd

leeberry

Hello everyone, I've found a website that is pretty helpful and answers most of your questions heatwaveenergysolutions

Regards

Lee

John_Pierpoint

Ho hum, it is always a bit suspicious when a one post newbie plugs a single company.
For those of you in Lancashire:
http://heatwaveenergysolutions.com/contact-us.html

stureid

I have a PV installation company and I have found that people often compare their quotes based on the make and model of the panels and inverter alone, and neglect to consider the two most important issues to do with PV installation - the quality of the installation company itself, and their choice of roof mounting system.

MCS accreditation, despite what many firms will tell you, is ridiculously easy to obtain. Since the Feed in Tariff was launched, an ever increasing number of training companies have come out of the woodwork, offering diabolical courses which are currently being accepted by registration bodies as MCS compliant (although, as I understand it, from April next year the qualification requirements are to be tightened).

MCS registration bodies only look at one individual in the company that is nominated as competent. There is nothing to prevent a company gaining registration then employing teams of unqualified labourers to do the work unsupervised. Obviously smaller firms where the business owner is on the tools are a safe bet in this respect.

I was talking to one of my my scaffolders recently and told me that he and his mate had been fitting solar panels the previous week. Apparently they had erected a scaffold for one of my local competitors but the installers didn't turn up, so the company in question paid the scaffolders in cash to do the roof work.

There are various registration bodies and some of them seem to operate an open door policy. One of them in particular isn't at all selective of their membership, and this seems to be the one that all the former double glazing companies have joined. If the cheque clears, they're in.

Being a real tradesman, I am highly critical of installations, and the majority I see while I am out an about leave a lot to be desired, often with badly aligned panels or a mess of cables under the array. The former is just ugly, the latter a potential fire hazard. Choose your installer wisely!

The roof mounting system is the other part that is often overlooked. I notice from their website that PV Solar UK use the Clickfit system. This system uses a hook with a serrated edge that simply slots round the tile and batten. It is not fastened in any way other than the interference fit onto the tile and batten. Battens aren't substantial enough in my opinion to take the load of a PV array (its weight and the wind lift), and indeed battens are only fixed to the rafters or trusses with nails. Do you want your array to be ultimately held on with nails?

In my opinion the best mounting system is one that screws into the substantial timbers of the roof. The only systems that I use are screwed into the rafters or trusses with self-drilling coach screws. It's an important part of the installation and any prospective PV customer should ask their installer to show them the system.

The best advice I could give is to read the REAL Code (search for it as I am not allowed to post links) before you invite anyone to quote. Make sure any company representatives comply with the Code during their visit, and ask them lots of questions to make sure they are knowledgeable.

Once you have selected your installer then ask to view a completed roof installation. Look for well aligned panels, and cables kept off the roof surface. Read the Guide to the installation of PV systems, 2nd Edition published by the Department of Trade and Industry - it is designed for installers but will help you. Download it from the BRE website.

I hope this helps!

Care4Pets

Ok we have took the plunge and today paid deposit for 8-10 panels on SE facing front roof the back faces NW as there are dorma bedrooms there is a flat roof both front and back does anyone think it's worth putting any on the flat roof at the back?
Have any of you got them on a flat roof that faces NW?

Cheers in advance

young69

goody2 wrote: »

Hi there

Has anyone had any dealing with PV Solar Uk Ltd or FreeElectricity4U.co.uk based in Lanarkshire, as we recently had a visit from them [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM].

They came around our home to discuss installing Solar Photo Voltaic Panels.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks

Bill

Bill

I signed a contract with PV Solar UK Ltd in June 2011 and the system was installed shortly afterwards. From day one it has never worked satisfactorialy and dispite 16 emails to the company, numerous phone call, five months later and nothing has improved. I have written to the MD but had no reply

NEVER NEVER deal with this company

Richard Young based in Hampshire

simonm_3

Hi

Just to say that PV Solar UK LTD which is up North, is not the same company as solaruk Ltd which is down South and has been around for over a decade.

lynzal

If anyone from PV Solar UK Ltd or Free Energy4U gets in touch with you be VERY sure you get EVERYTHING in writing - their customer service and promises leave much to be desired.
Lost a lot of time effort and money through them.
Don't expect anyone to call you back once they've got your money - everyones too busy lining up their next vi..... sorry, customer. Sales Manager is all promises and no substance - suppose that what some SM are like, not all but theirs is.
Might help if someone from the company went on a Customer Service course

lynzal

muircat wrote: »

A little digging on the companies house website proves that PV Solar and Freeelectricity4u in Scotland are both owned/directed by Douglas Wilkie and Robert Skillen - two of the men behind Aquashield - which was/is one of the most disreputable companies (franchises) in the entire UK.

The insurance policy was only for the deposit and the guarantee wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

I have a wep page that details my full experience with the company but am not allowed to post the link here. If you want to see it, google "Aquashield Cowboys".

Unfortunately I've read your notice too late - we have just experienced their wonderful customer service and knowing now what you say about them I doubt we are going to get anywhere with resolving our problems - Scotland needs to be warned about them

Lucyfus

If anyone from PV Solar UK Ltd or Free Energy4U gets in touch with you be VERY sure you get EVERYTHING in writing - their customer service and promises leave much to be desired.

I had a similar problem!
Got the quote and paid the deposit, unfortunately we failed the finance with Barclays Bank.
It took us a over a month of phone calls to their agent before we finally got the Glasgow branch managers number, a Mr Andy Sanders. Told him unless the deposit money was returned within the next 5 days we would be seeking legal representation and talking to Trading Standards.
Now i wouldn't touch that company with a 20 foot barge pole!!

unknown3rd

PV Solar / Free electricity 4 you / Helms (they said they have many different names which they operate under) have been cold calling us for months now. The fact that they operate under alot of different names instantly rang warning bells for me.

We are on TPS (and have been for year) but when we told them this, they said it can take over 5 years after you register with TPS for the database to be updated (even though on the TPS website it says it is only 28 days). They said they get phone numbers to cold call from the phone book, which I am pretty sure they are not allowed to do.

They said they worked for the government, but later in the call they said they did not work for the government. When I questioned this contradiction they said it was "complicated".

They said they were offering free solar panels electricity which you have to pay Barclays bank for, hence how can something you pay for be free? To this they replied "it is complicated" (this seemed to be a common response to any questions I had). They said, Barclays and RBS buy the solar panels from Pv Solar. Then Pv solar fits them, and then you have to pay back Barclays (with interest) for the cost of the solar panels. The government pays you a fixed amount for the energy which gets paid to you and you then have to pay it Barclays. However they did not broach the subject of what happens if the fixed amount of money the government gives you drops below the amount you have to pay Barclays back as a minimum payment. After getting the solar panels installed it is not advised you move house until the solar panels have been paid for. Until you have done so you cannot sell them with the house. However you can pay for them to be taken down and reinstalled at your new house.

They also said ALL the energy companies in the UK are foreign owned, even British Gas. I had to laugh this statement since I had no idea what this had to do with them trying to sell Solar Panels.

When trying to make themselves look legit they then told me the names of my neighbors and said that those neighbors where having work done and that their company would be in the area if we were interested. After speaking to one of the neighbors they mentioned by name, that neighbor said they have not even spoken to this company and hence I can safely say this company is trying to con people into thinking they are trustworthy.

In summary it sounds like PV solar gets paid a lot of money while you are left with a credit agreement where you could lose a lot of money, get a bad credit report and are unable to move house anytime soon without a lot of hassle.