Solar Panel system advice really appreciated please

Freepost

Gizmosmum wrote: »

On a more positive note Eon and British Gas are both accepting scanned and emailed applications froms until midnight on 11th december.

bris wrote: »

I did everything by email with British gas, my MCS cert was emailed to me with an hour of the final checks being done, the forms are very easy to fill out, scan in the proof of ownership and email it all back, I was registered and complete with a week.

This is excellent news, thanks for sharing. Just a couple of questions;

1) Is it acceptable to complete the FiT application form electronically with a digital signature?

2) If I receive the MCS certificate by email from the installer can I just turn this around and append it with the FiT application form in the email to BG or Eon?

3) What do you mean by proof of ownership. Are you referring to the purchase receipt?


F.

[Deleted User]

Freepost wrote: »

This is excellent news, thanks for sharing. Just a couple of questions;

1) Is it acceptable to complete the FiT application form electronically with a digital signature?

2) If I receive the MCS certificate by email from the installer can I just turn this around and append it with the FiT application form in the email to BG or Eon?

3) What do you mean by proof of ownership. Are you referring to the purchase receipt?


F.

Unless things have changed in the last week - EON will NOT accept emailed FIT applications. I had sent mine in by special delivery and then chased up to ensure they actually HAVE SIGHT of the documents.

Proof of delivery is NOT the same thing and documents can still go astray after being signed for and before they get entered onto their system for processing.

I have now had written confirmation about my start date - which was the date of their receiving the FIT application form - but you will need to be almost obsessive about now if you are trying to beat the deadline.

Assume nothing!

Brian99_2

Our problem COULD be getting crucial receipt, and MCS cert, over the final weekend

though I havent even a starting date :mad:

[Deleted User]

Brian99 wrote: »

Our problem COULD be getting crucial receipt, and MCS cert, over the final weekend

though I havent even a starting date :mad:

My MCS cert took over a week to get to me and the installers refused to email it in the first instance and then follow up with the hard copy.

I suggest that unless you are now legally committed to the installation and you want to beat the deadline for the highter FIT, you ask your installer for something in writing as a matter of urgency, to the effect you will have the MCS by a certain date, even by email, - and meanwhile contact whomever you intend to get your FIT payment from and see if they will accept an emailed application with the emailed MCS.

Brian99_2

My FiT supplier, SSE, assured me emails were okay, deadline on the 11th at midnight.

MCS cert. and receipt should be quick, ie same day. But when they will start/finish the job is the problem, and will they work sat/sun....

Deposit already paid..... I will put on presssure soon.

bris

Freepost wrote: »

This is excellent news, thanks for sharing. Just a couple of questions;

1) Is it acceptable to complete the FiT application form electronically with a digital signature?
Yes, but after they receive it a further email with their T&C's were sent to me, this had to be printed out for a real signature, scanned back in and emailed to them
2) If I receive the MCS certificate by email from the installer can I just turn this around and append it with the FiT application form in the email to BG or Eon?
Yes, I emailed the MCS cert, application form and proof that I owned the system. Nothing was done by post.
3) What do you mean by proof of ownership. Are you referring to the purchase receipt?
Yes, or any other proof of purchase, I don't know why but I had to prove I owned the system.
F.

British gas allowed everything to be done by email, as some have said others don't, you should check with who you are going through.
Just a quick note though, you can decide who you want to handle your FIT payments, you don't have to have any services from them to register with them, so you decide who you want to handle them.

anselld

I would also recommend using British Gas. All accepted by email and very fast response. Make sure you scan a copy of photo ID and the final invoice if you are not a BG customer.

I would not trust Royal Mail under the present circumstances.

ViksB

npower accept application by email, but always follow it with a hard copy, making it clear that the hard copy is a duplicate of the email.
The MSC certificate can be generated as soon as the installation has finished. Our and our proof of ownership was sent within an hour of the contractors leaving.

bdavies

I have recently been quoted a price of 8.5k for fitting 8 panels with installation on 28 November. However, I couldn't raise £2k of this and contacted the supplier to tell them this. He then telephoned me a few days later to say that he has managed to source some new panels from Europe and that he could now install for just under £6,300 and still guarantee making the 12 Dec deadline. This is now affordable for me. Should I go ahead. A friend has had the same company install hers (she told me she paid £7k for ten panels but not sure if panels are of different sizes or not. The company is 4agreenhouse.com.

I have said I would think about it over the weekend.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I have also contacted apple solar energy for a quote. They too guarantee installation before 12 Dec deadline.

thenudeone

Good Energy will accept a scanned copy of the MCS certificate by email and were pretty quick at confirming that the installation was properly registered.

Unless you have a cast iron guarantee of receipt of the certificate with several days to spare, I'd be tempted to wait. The price of 4kw systems has already plummeted (tesco is offering them at £8.5k for new-FIT rate installations) and may fall further.