Energy Reduction UK - they installed panels - now what ?

byronc_2

Hi,
there is a huge uproar about Energy Reduction UK Ltd , but they actually installed my panels and I did not pay any up front fee. I have now sold my house and want to contact them to ge the lease moved over to the new owner etc (and its pre contract swap) Their phones are just taking messages and I see online reviews saying they have closed down. What now?

Who owns the panels? Does it revert to me? Who is getting the electricity over supply money?

This is a bad situation as I dont want the buyer to be scared off?

thanks

Wywth

byronc wrote: »

Hi,
there is a huge uproar about Energy Reduction UK Ltd , but they actually installed my panels and I did not pay any up front fee. I have now sold my house and want to contact them to ge the lease moved over to the new owner etc (and its pre contract swap) Their phones are just taking messages and I see online reviews saying they have closed down. What now?

Who owns the panels? Does it revert to me? Who is getting the electricity over supply money?

This is a bad situation as I dont want the buyer to be scared off?

thanks

Ask the solicitor who is dealing with the sale of your property to resolve & explain this confused situation to you

Wywth

I can't find any trace past or present on Companies House about any company called Energy Reduction UK Ltd.

Energy Reduction UK however is a trading name of Energy Reduction Surveying Limited.

They are shown as an active company on Companies House Website, so notices can be sent to their registered office. They only filed their annual return 29 August 2012, so if that is the company you dealt with, they don't seem to have closed down to me.

According to that company's website it says:


What happens if I decide to sell my house during the 25 year lease?The lease agreement is attached to the title of your property. If you sell your house the lease will automatically pass to the new owners, this would be identified by the potential buyers solicitors in the normal conveyancing process. The new owners are free to enjoy the benefits of the free PV system

Cardew

Are you sure Energy Reduction UK Ltd actually installed the PV panels, or were they 'middle men' for another firm?

Someone is getting the FIT for your generated electricity. Are the readings transmitted automatically?

Trig1

Energy Reduction UK only did the Surveys on behalf of Carillion, they in turn were contracted by Malasian Investors, the Investors get the FIT payments from your Panels. The installation could have been completed by any number of companies? Energy Reduction UK ceased due to bad publicity and massive debt (which are all still outstanding). They now trade as Vigortas, extremely dodgy company still run (silently) by Steve Dickson. DO NOT have any dealings with this company, they will just take your money and run! They have no credit rating and are trying to dupe third party companies into signing up to credit agreements and then offering it to their customers! FREE SOLAR LOAN is a con, BOILER FOR LIFE is a con, DO NOT sign up!!!

LittleVermin

Just spotted this http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/2013/04/10/news-Court-order-for-solar-energy-firm-67811.html

- court order back in April 2013 on Energy Reduction UK and its directors Steven Dickson and James Manley. They offered free solar panels (i.e. 'rent-a-roof') and were taken to court by their local trading standards, Worcestershire Regulatory Services, for not honouring previous commitments. Steve Dickson is well known to viewers of BBC's Watchdog for his earlier activities with the 'Energy Saving Group'....offering free solar panels. The report in the Redditch Standard says ERUK "had denied claims it was linked to the scandal-hit Energy Saving Group'. More on the Energy Saving Group in a much longer thread here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/59645505#Comment_59645505

Energy Reduction UK is the trading name of Energy Reduction Surveying Ltd, ....

and Energy Saving Group is/was the trading name of Energy Saving Improvements Ltd.

HTH

thenudeone

If someone installed the panels for free, they will be getting the feed in tariff as their return on the investment.

As your father doesn't own the panels I can't see any reason why he should see any statements, but presumably he can see the generation meter and see the readings, so the calculation of the FIT being earned is pretty straightforward using the appropriate table from https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/feed-tariff-fit-scheme/tariff-tables

It's very difficult to make use of a high percentage of generated power because output will vary even minute to minute, and it's simply not possible to switch appliances on and off to match the variation in output.

The "official" estimate of 50% usage is probably too optimistic, but it depends on your own usage pattern. If there are no appliances on during the day time, there would hardly be any saving in electricity use at all.

You'd need to look at what was offered in writing before making a judgement, but no-one can guarantee any savings at all.

Cardew

Patrick13 wrote: »

I am enquiring on behalf of my 91-year old uncle who, after considerable delays, had free solar panels installed on behalf of Energy Savings Group a couple of years ago. It seems that ESG is no longer trading and my uncle is concerned because (he says) he is not getting the promised saving on his electricity bills. He wants to know where the feed in tariff is going, because he has no statements or whatever. Can anyone help me explain to my very frail relative, please?

What savings was he promised? What has he got in writing?


The savings on electricity bills can vary a great deal, but in the range of £50 to £100pa would be reasonable(I believe WHICH quoted £70?)


However to make savings you really need to understand the system, and it is possible(but unusual) for someone to actually have higher bills.


For instance if someone leaves on the immersion heater permanently, instead of using gas CH, thinking the 'free electricity' will be a cost saver, it will be more expensive and can wipe out any savings on other appliances.


Ditto electrical heaters!


The Feed in Tariff(FIT) for 'free panels' will go to the firm who installed the solar PV system. That apparently is not ESG as it appears they were just 'middle men' who put your uncle in touch with the installation firm.

Cardew

Therefore the power being generated by the free panels is ALL going to the grid and Salcon are picking up the FIT.

I think there is a misunderstanding.
It is always the case that the FIT for 'free panels' will go to the installer - or whoever financed the installation. Your Uncle has simply leased his roof for 20 or 25 years and that lease will be binding on the next owner of the house.

It is NOT the case that 'ALL' solar generated power is going to the grid. The whole point of these 'Rent a Roof' installations is that the house owner can use any of the generated power in the house.

For instance if the panels are generating, say, 3kW on a sunny day, and the consumption in house is say 1kW, then 2kW will be exported and the 1kW will be 'free' to the house owner. Your uncle doesn't have to do anything to get that 1kW free. If that situation of getting 1kW 'free' lasted for an hour he would have saved 1kWh off his electricity bill.

The whole point of getting the free panels is to maximise the use of the solar generated electricity. This is achieved by knowing what the panels are generating, and planning to use appliances etc at times of maximum generation.

macman

Your uncle has no involvement in the FIT's side: that is between the leaseholder and the company they register for FIT's with. He has no right to see those statements unless the leaseholder wants to share them-and they won't.

Cardew

Patrick13 wrote: »

. Meanwhile the panels seem to be producing electricity OK as the PV unit's readings change from day to day, but he SAYS he's not getting free electricity because his bills are just the same as before.

Bills the same consumption in kWh, or the same cost?(bear in mind that prices have increased.


He will be getting some free electricity, but as said earlier, he does need to understand the basics of the system.


You can check on a sunny day with a couple of lights switched on and perhaps a fridge operating, you can look at his main electricity meter and it will not be turning/flashing and thus all his electricity will be free.


Gradually turn on more lights/appliances and when the house consumption exceeds that of the panels the meter will start to turn/flash.