Free solar panel discussion

Gizmosmum_2

sallysave wrote: »

Best to get it installed today if you can - i reckon today is the last bit of sun we'll see this year

Think we saw the last of ours 2 weeks ago

M4ximillion

Cardew wrote: »

Isn't that the whole point of internet forums, for people to give their opinions on both sides of the argument.

Personally I have two main objections to 'free' solar schemes.

Firstly the subsidies(FIT) are paid for by all electricity customers in a levy on our bills. The vast majority of those customers cannot have solar because they don't own a property, live in flats, or the roof of a house is not suitable etc.

Now the subsidies are fixed to encourage private house owners with installations of less than 4kWp - commercial schemes get far less. So we have firms who have discovered a loophole in the regulations who are fitting thousands of systems on individual roofs and collecting the subsidies meant for individuals for a commercial enterprise.

So let us be very clear all electricity customers(with or without solar) are paying all these firm's profits - the figures are astounding -£billions

Secondly these firms are signing up people for 25 years to rent their roof on legally binding leases(that have to be honoured by the new owner)- the firms collect(for the ASG system) about £1,300 and the house owner gets 'free' electricity worth between £50 and £100.

So yes I think it is a very poor scheme for house owners - but it seems anything 'free' is irrestible! If they gave 'Nectar' points they would triple their applications!!

So count me in as a 'downer'!

Of course youre allowed your opinion but anyone else coming on this forum whove said anything good about free solar and youve just tried to intimidate them. Also your estimates on 'free' leccy get lower and lower - so you reckon its only £50 a year now eh? God youre like the grim reaper. You should look on ASG website they've just got some of their customers talking about what theyve saved up to now and one woman had a cheque for £140 back from leccy comapny and they reduced her mnthly standing order by £20 - that adds up to more than £50 a year to me. I reckon folk shouldn't be too swayed by whats said on here cause theres people here with their own agendas and people should make their own mind up. Ask lots of questions from the company youre dealing with, like I did. Remember Cardew - nobodies forcing anyone to do anything or sign up to anything. You make it sound as if these poor folk with these free systems are being tortured into doing it. If it werent for these companies doing the freebie option I wouldnt have a cat in hells chance of having solar. Lighten up!:D

geoff2

... they have changed the roof size for acceptance from 24 square meters to 30, they must think everyone lives in a mansion, that's one hell of a roof size

It sure is - and it counts me out, despite being in sunny Sussex, in a 4-bed semi and south facing, my roof area simply isn't that big. For me, that's further proof that these companies only want prestigious large modern detached homes that look good in their sales literature etc., that provide above-average roof-space so they get plenty of bucks per installation. That's why some of you haven't heard back for months - you've probably got small roofs and you'll be deemed unsuitable in due course. Increasing the roof area requirement will also dampen down the demand, which means the better-off with their very big houses will be the ones to benefit. This scheme may not be a scam exactly but it's certainly becoming disreputable. Now, where did I put my "downers" club application?

M4ximillion

geoff2 wrote: »

It sure is - and it counts me out, despite being in sunny Sussex, in a 4-bed semi and south facing, my roof area simply isn't that big. For me, that's further proof that these companies only want prestigious large modern detached homes that look good in their sales literature etc., that provide above-average roof-space so they get plenty of bucks per installation. That's why some of you haven't heard back for months - you've probably got small roofs and you'll be deemed unsuitable in due course. Increasing the roof area requirement will also dampen down the demand, which means the better-off with their very big houses will be the ones to benefit. This scheme may not be a scam exactly but it's certainly becoming disreputable. Now, where did I put my "downers" club application?

Well sorry to disappoint Geoff but mine's an ex council 3 bed semi!!!!:rotfl:

geoff2

M4ximillion wrote: »

Well sorry to disappoint Geoff but mine's an ex council 3 bed semi!!!!:rotfl:

And I bet it's got a nice simple rhomboid roof instead of my combination Edwardian triangles and chimney stacks!

Gizmosmum_2

geoff2 wrote: »

It sure is - and it counts me out, despite being in sunny Sussex, in a 4-bed semi and south facing, my roof area simply isn't that big. For me, that's further proof that these companies only want prestigious large modern detached homes that look good in their sales literature etc., that provide above-average roof-space so they get plenty of bucks per installation. That's why some of you haven't heard back for months - you've probably got small roofs and you'll be deemed unsuitable in due course. Increasing the roof area requirement will also dampen down the demand, which means the better-off with their very big houses will be the ones to benefit. This scheme may not be a scam exactly but it's certainly becoming disreputable. Now, where did I put my "downers" club application?

I don't live in a mansion and mine's 55m2

easy

geoff2 wrote: »

It sure is - and it counts me out, despite being in sunny Sussex, in a 4-bed semi and south facing, my roof area simply isn't that big. For me, that's further proof that these companies only want prestigious large modern detached homes that look good in their sales literature etc., that provide above-average roof-space so they get plenty of bucks per installation. That's why some of you haven't heard back for months - you've probably got small roofs and you'll be deemed unsuitable in due course. Increasing the roof area requirement will also dampen down the demand, which means the better-off with their very big houses will be the ones to benefit. This scheme may not be a scam exactly but it's certainly becoming disreputable. Now, where did I put my "downers" club application?

geoff2 wrote: »

And I bet it's got a nice simple rhomboid roof instead of my combination Edwardian triangles and chimney stacks!

Ah, so you are against this scheme entirely simply because you can't get accepted,

"If I can't benefit from this, nobody should " hmm ???

daytona600_2

if you do not want to see your solar panels
you get them in all black for dark or slate roofs
and you get in-roof systems BIPV
and even waterproof in roof systems
ideal for new building or when your roof needs re-tiling
these are almost invisible on the roof
or modules can be supplied in virtually any colour from
black to transparent



i

Solargain wrote: »

From my perspective it depends very much on two things.

The first is the design of your house. It's a personal thing, of course, but I think the panels sit much more comfortably on a modern design than an older one.

The second is the neatness of the installation - a messy installation is always going to look a mess, whatever the design of the house.

I'm not so sure about your ISA comparisons - have you seen this:

http://www.reuk.co.uk/REUK-Feed-In-Tariff-Calculator.htm

My calculations produced a total payback (allowing for interest lost) within around 10 years, with clear 'profit' after that. Different for everybody, of course, but the calculator might be helpful.

pauldreed

Gizmosmum wrote: »

Out of interest, how long did it take the surveyor to do his part of the job and did you have to sign a contract before they would come and survey?

The ASG surveyor takes about 30-40 minutes, measures the size and angle of roof, checks the electric box, and takes measurements from within the loft.
The surveyor takes the details back to the office, and the details are checked by a structural engineer before giving the go ahead.
You don't sign a contract until they are fully satisfied that they can offer an installation to you.

I have read in other posts that people are being asked to sign contracts with other companies BEFORE they even know if an installation is feasable.
Which does not sound logical, as a contract is an agreement to do something by BOTH parties.

jpmcc

We're about to sign up for a solar PV system. One of the items on the suppliers' checklist is they ask us to check with our insurance company.

Has anyone on the list any experience (good or bad) with insurers and solar PV?

Tx