Buying and installing solar pv before the deadline.. couple of tips.

[Deleted User]

For anyone who has an installation booked before or getting close to the 12th Dec deadline - I strongly suggest you confirm that the right equipment you have ordered is what is being delivered on the day of installation.

No mean feat perhaps, but now absolutely VITAL, especially as the installers may be someone completely different to who you are buying from - as in my case.

My installation was 10 days ago so I'm now ok. I sent the FIT forms off via special delivery today - but - even the MCS certificate has taken 10 days to arrive as the installers insisted on sending it direct to who I had ordered from first.

On the day of installation the installers turned up with the wrong inverter and I refused it so they couriered the correct one over 200 miles to me.

My reason for refusing the inverter was that I had ordered a Fronius inverter as Fronius have an extended warranty offer which means if I buy 5 years warranty (£231 in VAT) in addition to the 5 years already provided, making 10 years, Fronius will double that for free giving 20 years.

Scaffolding - work was also held up till nearly lunch time as the scaffolders had not placed a 'scaftag' on the scaffolding and could not be got back to to attend.

The installers were not allowed onto the scaffolding for H&S reasons until the 'scaftag' was sorted - which ended up being done via lots of phone calls. Luckily, they managed to complete the installation in the same day - but - if your installation is held up for these avoidable reasons, it could cause you all sorts of woe, even more so now if your installation runs late.

So make sure your scaffolders do not leave without showing you they have placed a 'scaftag' on.

Hungerdunger

In addition to these useful tips, could I also point out that although people are referring to the "12th December deadline", 12th December is the first day from which the revised figures take effect, which means that everything needs to be in place by the previous Friday (9th).

munchkin88

Even the 9th is pushing it. By the time your install has been completed, balance paid, MCS documents created and you've received them, you then need to get it to the FiT supplier whether that be by post or email so i would say to ensure you've got it sorted that it needs to be posted by the 6th at the latest. Just make sure nothing goes wrong with your install!

[Deleted User]

Just bumping this as there seem to be a lot of posts in other threads from people about to go for solar pv and I would hate for anyone to miss the deadline because of a couple of AVOIDABLE things that happened to me.
If these things happen to you as you get nearer the deadline it may just scupper the installation at a crucial time.