Solar energy - Feed-in Tariff payment delays - your experiences?

dreaming

delboybiker wrote: »

Is it me or have Scottish Power suddenly started delaying payment?
For the first year it was always within two weeks but this one is now 40 days plus and still waiting:-(

I am waiting for my payment from SP (the first one) from a reading on 17th July. Had e-mail (after I chased it) on 29th August apologising for delay (apparently due to "exceptional circumstances") saying it should be in my account in "next 14 days". Am checking daily but expect it will be on the 14th day!
Mind you I have also had a bit of a battle over my import reading as the figure they reckoned had been read by meter reader was too high. I explained that they had changed the meter (as mine was going backwards after pv install) and gave them that reading, then the reading from the new meter and it was still lower than what they had. I also asked when the meter had been read (other than at exchange) and could I have sight of the reading, as to my knowledge no one had been to read it. Took a couple of weeks but luckily I had been writing down both import and generation figures so in the end they took those and re-calculated my bill down. Still wanted to put up my direct debit though.

KevinG

dreaming wrote: »

I explained that they had changed the meter (as mine was going backwards after pv install)

What was the process that led to this? SP have never shown any inclination to change mine.

EricMears

delboybiker wrote: »

Is it me or have Scottish Power suddenly started delaying payment?
For the first year it was always within two weeks but this one is now 40 days plus and still waiting:-(

NOT just you.

My May payment took 32 days to arrive - AND they used a stupid estimate for my 1st April reading instead of the actual figure I supplied.

However, it wasn't all bad news; they insisted on sending me an extra £30 (and the underpayment resulting from using silly estimate) by way of an apology.

My latest reading was supplied on 15th August and didn't trigger the usual automated email acknowledgement. After a series of reminders I eventually got an acknowledgement after 2 weeks. Remains to be seen when they'll actually pay me.

dreaming

KevinG wrote: »

What was the process that led to this? SP have never shown any inclination to change mine.

Not sure - I know it was noted on the paperwork sent off to SP on installation and on the FiT form, and then I received a message querying it then saying they wanted to change it. I only wrote the readings down as it was still in early days and I was watching the meters regularly. I tend not to bother so much now.
Have just given up work on 30th August (or rather it's given me up so I decided to retire early) and it has been nice catching up with things like washing bedding etc. while it is sunny rather than setting the timer and hoping for the sun as I did when I worked; and being able to dry it in the fresh air.

John_Pierpoint

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

My 'courtesy' email from BG has arrived' fortunately I was only away "on holiday" for a week, so I have keyed in the reading on-line and got back:

Thank you for your Feed-in Tariff meter reading


What happens now?


If you have responded to our email request to provide a quarterly meter reading, your Feed-in Tariff payment will be sent to you within the next 28 days.
If there is a query, one of our team will contact you.
To visit the British Gas Homepage, click here.

The £600+ cheque arrived within the week.

orrery

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

The £600+ cheque arrived within the week.

Lucky you, EDF still say:

It's important to remember that the Feed-in Tariff payment will be made within 90 days of the last day of your meter reading month.

That could be 120 days after my reading is submitted. I can't imagine how anyone thinks that would be acceptable. But all credit to EDF, they have been pretty good recently.

I'll report back when I get the payment.

dreaming

dreaming wrote: »

I am waiting for my payment from SP (the first one) from a reading on 17th July. Had e-mail (after I chased it) on 29th August apologising for delay (apparently due to "exceptional circumstances") saying it should be in my account in "next 14 days". Am checking daily but expect it will be on the 14th day!

OK Scottish Power - I take it all back. Just checked my bank account and can see the payment (not cleared yet). Works out at 45% of my annual power charges (gas and electric also with Scottish Power) so happy bunny now :j
As this is day 3 of my (early) retirement then the fact that I can pay for nearly half my power usage with one (admittedly very good weather-wise) quarter is good news indeed. Just have to make sure that I don't increase usage in the winter months by being home all day.

ETA - I know someone on this forum looks at how the investment in SP compares to ISA. Well my installation cost 6100 in April (funded from savings). I have had a similar amount in a cash ISA and just been paid interest (for the year) of less than half the Fit payment. I would say that is definitely a good investment.

KevinG

dreaming wrote: »

ETA - I know someone on this forum looks at how the investment in SP compares to ISA. Well my installation cost 6100 in April (funded from savings). I have had a similar amount in a cash ISA and just been paid interest (for the year) of less than half the Fit payment. I would say that is definitely a good investment.

But, as someone else will probably be at great pains to point out, you no longer have the £6,100

dreaming

KevinG wrote: »

But, as someone else will probably be at great pains to point out, you no longer have the £6,100

Very true - but as my dad used to say "you can only spend it once, so spend it wisely".

Nikki

orrery wrote: »

Lucky you, EDF still say:



That could be 120 days after my reading is submitted. I can't imagine how anyone thinks that would be acceptable. But all credit to EDF, they have been pretty good recently.

I'll report back when I get the payment.

We are with EDF too, meter reading submitted on the 2/8. Hopefully we won't have to wait that long for a payment.