Solar Panel Guide Discussion

zeupater

ronlizpatsimon wrote: »

My next door neighbour has just got approval to have the "Rent a Roof" from "ThinkGreen Earth".
The surveyor told her that, in about a year, customers would have the option to install an extra meter, showing "spare kw" sent to the grid. These would be noted as credits and you could then use them when required (at night etc.) and thus not be paying the normal 12p a kw at such times. I understand that some other countries already use this system.
No doubt our power companies will oppose it!

Hi

They were talking about the roll-out of smart meters with import/export metering capability over the next few years ....

Info .... http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/smart_meters/smart_meters.aspx

HTH
Z

madmandi

I was in Plymouth on the weekend with my inlaws and they had a visit from "Free solar 4 u", part of the Ideal Home Group, they signed up to free solar panels and they returned on the Saturday evening for them to sign the rent the roof lease. However they were not left any copies of any paperwork they signed. Has anybody else out there had any dealings with the company?? I feel I ought to write to the company for a copy to check it all out, as I am now nervous!

ronlizpatsimon

I would look the company up on the internet for opinions - as well as to find their email address to request a copy of the paperwork.
Of course your releatives should have taken a copy themselves before giving it to the comapny rep. I hope they have not signed up for any maintenance costs including the invertor.

madmandi

I did ask the question regarding maintenance costs and was told that the company pay for all maintenance costs. It all sounded good and I asked lots of questions, was told The Ideal Home Group had been trading for 15 years which I now find is not correct. I cant find any information that shows bad reviews, and have never heard of not being left a copy of the documents. My inlaws dont have a photocopier so I think they assumed they would be sent a copy. I just wanted to check whether anybody else had had dealings with them??

ronlizpatsimon

If anything ontoward is found within a certain period; the contract can be cancelled.
Did they have to pay for the survey? Some companies charge say £400 which is payable before the contract is signed; then they refund it if the survey shows that the company do not want to offer a contract. ("ThinkGreenEarth" do that)

EricMears

madmandi wrote: »

was told The Ideal Home Group had been trading for 15 years which I now find is not correct.

I couldn't find an actual establishment date but did find several references to them "having been established for over ten years"

From their website, http://www.idealhomegroup.co.uk you can get their 'freefone 24 hour helpline' of 0800 019 2801 or email address of [EMAIL="enquiries@idhgplc.co.uk"]enquiries@idhgplc.co.uk[/EMAIL]

madmandi

Thank you everyone for your help, think my main concern was not having the paperwork, so I will phone them and get that sorted. The Ideal Home Group Plc seems to be incorporated in 2009 which also raised concerns, but thank you everyone for your feedback. The rent the roof scheme caused me concern, as it seems quite a new scheme, and not alot of information online. So many scammers out there nowadays too!

EricMears

madmandi wrote: »

The rent the roof scheme caused me concern, as it seems quite a new scheme, and not a lot of information online.

'Rent a roof' is a marvellous scheme - for the installers !! - but of limited benefit to householders. Nobody should even consider it unless they haven't got a spare ten grand or so and have no chance of borrowing it at an interest rate of up to 10% pa.

If indeed you've found evidence that it's NOT "over ten years" since they were established then it would cast serious doubts over any other claims made on their website.

Elainemary

:eek:Found this in Saga magazine and thought it might give you a laugh. It's by Solar Direct Savings.
3.995 kWp from £10899 fully installed ( were they going to leave it lying on the ground??
ANNUAL INCOME on generated elec
with feed in tariff £999.77
based on 43.3 til Mch and 21p
thereafter.
+ Annual saving on elec used £260.82
+ Annual export £ 59.89

= Annual total tax free £1320.48
Lifetime earning including
original investment inflation
assumptions apply £46777.32

Payback time is 8 years, 7 months.
WOW we can all be rich!!:j:T

ronlizpatsimon

Without checking the arithmetic above, in my opinion, at an average generation of 10 kw per day throughout the year; The FIT payments will be about £800 and the savings of electricity will be about £100 if the occupants are normally out all day and £150 if someone is in.
So a total of about £925 a year. Which is a return on investment of 8.5%. This is good compared with say a cash isa at 4%. (except that you cannot withdraw your investment it you suddenly were short of cash!) At £925 a year it will take about 12 years to recover the initial investment. However; at the 12 year mark, a new Inverter will be needed, so a years income will be lost. So now its 13 years to recover your investment.
A minor factor is that the FIT payments go up with inflation.