Free solar panel feedback discussion: HomeSun

DoctorBanzai

cosmicgirl1962 wrote: »

I feel even more of an idiot now! Have just trawled back through the last few weeks of posts, and can see that Homesun were already cancelling installations whilst I sat there waiting for them to arrive. I do feel some sympathy for the staff, but at the very least they could have kept me informed. They clearly knew they could not do mine. I am very angry as I look out of my window and see my neighbours panels glinting at me in the sunlight. We had a 16 panel south facing roof in the furthest south you could get without being in the sea, with the scaffolding waiting.

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear you've joined our (not very) exclusive club.

Don't beat yourself up abouth missing the signs. I did what I thought was a lot of research before I signed up and found nothing to ring the ole alarm bells. Funny how it's so much easier now to find the horror stories.

Trust me, I know how you feel.

zeupater

FreeSolar_-_No wrote: »

.... How many customers have they let down?? They have known about this rate cut for weeks. Why agree to all these installations and getting people signed up if they couldn't fulfill the orders!

Hi

Possibly that's the point at hand .... expand the order books as much as possible to use as leverage in the consultation, possibly attempting to persuade the government to allow them to clear the existing order books in order to no 'dissappoint' all of these people who are trying to reduce their carbon emissions .... possibly to stop the customers going elsewhere and keeping them onboard for RaR2 ... ((?) - see next post ) .... whatever the reason it's obvious that either the position was planned, or the planning process was flawed to a level where a question of incompetence should be asked ....

HTH
Z

zeupater

Tedward64 wrote: »

... told me that "we cannot install before the 12th December and Homesun were re-positioning the company" and somebody "might be in touch in January with a revised offer".

Hi

So, this and a couple of other posts elsewhere made me think .... what would a revised offer be in a RaR environment where the installation would be free.

Okay, conjecture ..... Some of the RaR companies have attempted to levy a charge for their 'free' system in the past when there was no need to do so seeing that the returns were so high anyway, so it must have been out of pure greed.

What better an excuse for bringing greed back into the equation than blaming the government .... :T:rotfl:.... claiming destitution and destruction of an industry ... ... 'repositioning the company' and then making a 'revised offer' to all of their dissappointed customers, just to prove that they're still uber-green and flying in the face of government changes ... :rotfl:

I'd expect a move towards a form of 'shared ownership' agreement where the 'customer' pays a good proportion of the installation cost and the system exists on some form of shared ownership basis, with an option to buy-out the RaR2 scheme operator's share on a sliding-scale consideration basis ....

A punt at the likely scale .... Install a 3.5kWp system for £3.5k and split the FiT with the 'customer' on a 70/30 basis ... if the 3.5k isn't affordable either a different split to suit, or an offer of finance (Green Bank ?) ... Buyout scale similar to current arrangements ....

Well, what else would a "revised offer" consist of ....

Here's even the basis for the marketing campaign (note the text is in green ) ... "RaR2 for the environment ... the caring, sharing option ..... :whistle: "
Z

DoctorBanzai

Hooray! The scaffold is leaving as I type! I'm almost pathetically happy to see the side of my home again.

Just goes to show that it just took one genuinely helpful person to go the extra mile. Thank you S.

Now to take on the management...

Cardew

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

So, this and a couple of other posts elsewhere made me think .... what would a revised offer be in a RaR environment where the installation would be free.

Okay, conjecture ..... Some of the RaR companies have attempted to levy a charge for their 'free' system in the past when there was no need to do so seeing that the returns were so high anyway, so it must have been out of pure greed.

What better an excuse for bringing greed back into the equation than blaming the government .... :T:rotfl:.... claiming destitution and destruction of an industry ... ... 'repositioning the company' and then making a 'revised offer' to all of their dissappointed customers, just to prove that they're still uber-green and flying in the face of government changes ... :rotfl:

I'd expect a move towards a form of 'shared ownership' agreement where the 'customer' pays a good proportion of the installation cost and the system exists on some form of shared ownership basis, with an option to buy-out the RaR2 scheme operator's share on a sliding-scale consideration basis ....

A punt at the likely scale .... Install a 3.5kWp system for £3.5k and split the FiT with the 'customer' on a 70/30 basis ... if the 3.5k isn't affordable either a different split to suit, or an offer of finance (Green Bank ?) ... Buyout scale similar to current arrangements ....

Well, what else would a "revised offer" consist of ....

Here's even the basis for the marketing campaign (note the text is in green ) ... "RaR2 for the environment ... the caring, sharing option ..... :whistle: "
Z

Even at the high rate of FIT, this firm(Homesun) [STRIKE]conned[/STRIKE] charged some gulibles £500 plus £5 a month maintenance fee.

It would appear that A Shade Greener will carry on their Rent a Roof business even at the newer rate of FIT.

Will Homesun?

DDW

We had the survey done, signed the lease and the authority for the local council. Installation of the free sloar panels was due to go ahead before the Government's reduction in FITs and then last Friday Home Sun called to say that they would not be able to get a fitter to us in time to beat the reduction. Because of this they had decided not to proceed. The caller intimated that we may be interested in a solar share deal they were planning to release. I told her politely where she could put this. To say we are livid is an understatement. I have asked Home Sun to confirm they have notified our council of this change so that we don't have the equivalent of a sitting tennant on our roof when we have no solar panels. They have not answered my e-mails. My advice - steer clear of this company. :mad:

DoctorBanzai

Well, scaffold finally gone, thank God.

Next job to get some clarity as to whether my lease has been cancelled or is still pending awaiting further developments.

I do wish they would release a FAQ or something explaining where customers stand.

zeupater

Hi

I suppose that the next question for all who have signed leases and have no panels is related to lease expiry or formal cancellation.

Could it be possible that the RaR scheme operator holding such roof leases for 25 years would see these as a tradeable asset ..... just think, a position where thousands of leases could exist for people who really want panels have leases held by companies which no longer intend to supply the panels .... it'll all be in the contract, but that depends on whether the contract has been read/understood or referred to professionals for advice ...... "Yes, of course Mr Smith, you can have your own panels fitted, but first you'll need to pay an administrational cost of £500 to cancel our existing lease" ? .. or .. "No, Mrs Jones you cannot allow another RaR supplier to fit panels on your roof, but we can arrange for cancellation or transfer of the lease if you, or the other RaR supplier, just pay the cost of our administration ... "

Perhaps each of the RaR scheme operators should provide information on their contract cancellation/lapse process.

:eek:
Z

oakchip

If you haven't had free solar panels fitted by 12/12/2011 - they will charge you!!
We missed the deadline!! They have signed up far too many people to fit before then. So their attitude is "tough luck". They will wait to see if the Government restore some of the feed-in tarriff (no chance!). If not they will offer you a new contract - BUT you will have to pay. Not very good customer service really!

HomeSun_company_representative

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

What is the position on outstanding signed contracts/leases where there is no longer intent to supply under the original offer conditions ?

Z

Hi zeupater,

In this case we would have to cancel the contract unfortunately.

Tanya