Free solar panel discussion

beedydad

JustineR wrote: »

Hi - I also received the Sol et Libre brochure this week. It looked good, so I called the company and spoke to one of their Directors. They are a new company, but part of a much bigger European Company. They are currently offering to install free solar panels on homes throughout the South Coast. They benefit from the standard PV Feed-in Tariff scheme (like A Shade Greener and ISIS Solar). Service so far is very good.....I will be signing and returning my contract and then monitoring progress.

Justine

Why do you think yet another company has got onto the "free" solar PV bandwagon?

They are not doing out of charitable reasons or that they want you to feel really good...

Its only to make money (as they say when the sun shines!!!) - I know and have looked at the business modelling that has gone on that these companies are going to make serious money from the FIT and you will make very little in savings on energy not paying for - that is if you can structure your home life to make the most of the energy generated!

I have suggested before about getting a balance form the income by way of getting these companiues to pay a rent - given that a many people on here and elsewhere call them "rent a roof" schemes - so pay a rent.

jellyhead

I've had a call from Isis (having thrown the pack away!) trying to persuade me, and I told them that it's the cost of having to remove panels and also compensate the company for FITS if I need any roof work doing that puts me off.

She reckons that their in-depth survey would tell me whether my roof is like to last for the 26 years length without needing to be repaired.

Is this true, or just sales-talk?

Gizmosmum_2

jellyhead wrote: »

I've had a call from Isis (having thrown the pack away!) trying to persuade me, and I told them that it's the cost of having to remove panels and also compensate the company for FITS if I need any roof work doing that puts me off.

She reckons that their in-depth survey would tell me whether my roof is like to last for the 26 years length without needing to be repaired.

Is this true, or just sales-talk?

If it's carried out by a proper structural surveyor they might be able to do this but somehow I can't see them paying for a structural survey on every property and even if they do I can't see the structural surveyor guaranteeing it, they're usually very careful to cover their backs.

jellyhead

Hmmmm ....

I don't know anything about housing, roofs etc. so I'm not sure. I do know that the chimney needs repairing (repointing or whatever, it's sort of crumbling), but we can't afford it. A new roof was put on around 10 years ago.

What worries me if that we will go for this system, save some money on electricity per year but then have to repair the roof and be landed with a huge bill for removing then replacing the panels, and also the lost FITS that Isis will want while their panels are off the roof ... and the savings on electricity might not offset the cost of faffing with the panels during a repair.

It's a small roof, we live in the Midlands which is not the sunniest part of the country, we are not completely south-facing (the comparemysolar link on the previous page told me we are 199 degrees whereas 180 is ideal).

Nang

Cardew wrote: »

FITS are certainly inflation linked.

However it will take an annual figure at some date in the year, so it might not be 3.7%, and applies it at a later date.

For instance the Government takes the inflation figure for the year to 30 Sep and applies it to pensions/social security payments on 06 April the following year.

Thanks for the helpful response

Does anyone know / is anyone likely to know the other info i.e when the rate is calculated and when its applied to the FITS payments?

Gizmosmum_2

Personally I wouldn't touch rent a roof with a bargepole but that's because I'm lucky enough to afford the panels myself.

Have you tried Homesun or ASG? It seems from the info on the forum that they are the best of the bunch in terms of rent a roof if you're never going to be able to afford it yourself.

If ISIS are chasing you it looks to me like you might soon be in a position to ask for rent every year as well as the free electricity ..:T

Cardew

Gizmosmum wrote: »

Have you tried Homesun or ASG? It seems from the info on the forum that they are the best of the bunch in terms of rent a roof if you're never going to be able to afford it yourself.

..:T

ASG agreed - nothing but good reports and don't charge a penny.

However why Homesun?

It seems that they charge what the market can bear. £100 for the survey, £500 fitting charge and £5 a month - all a try on. Anyone who pays anything needs their head examined IMO.

I personally wouldn't recommend any of these 'rent a roof' schemes(even ASG) as the returns are not that high(for the house owner) and there are too many disadvantages.

Gizmosmum_2

Cardew wrote: »

ASG agreed - nothing but good reports and don't charge a penny.

However why Homesun?

It seems that they charge what the market can bear. £100 for the survey, £500 fitting charge and £5 a month - all a try on. Anyone who pays anything needs their head examined IMO.

I personally wouldn't recommend any of these 'rent a roof' schemes(even ASG) as the returns are not that high(for the house owner) and there are too many disadvantages.

Just because you at least have an option of buyout at a later date even if it is at a relatively high rate. Haven't they got rid of the £5 a month scheme (agreed that was rubbish) and don't you get the £100 back once the solar is fitted.

RacyRed

Phew! What a marathon task checking all of this out has been.

After a lot of consideration I've personally decided not to go ahead with a rent a roof scheme (I'd been talking to Isis), mainly because I think the disadvantages outweigh the advantages in my particular circumstances.

I want to keep control of my own roof for now.

My roof is a good prospect (I'd tell you how good if I could get comparemysolar to work for me - what an awful website!) So I'll consider a self funded system if I can fund it.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the helpful information on here.

Cardew

Gizmosmum wrote: »

Just because you at least have an option of buyout at a later date even if it is at a relatively high rate. Haven't they got rid of the £5 a month scheme (agreed that was rubbish) and don't you get the £100 back once the solar is fitted.

see post #1742