Solar panels included in house purchase, how to get payments?

Frostybrook

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help.....

I bought a house in January which has 10 solar panels fitted in the garden, the person I bought from owned the panels outright. This is confirmed by my solicitor, hence the panels now belong to me as they were included in the house purchase.

However, I don't have any paperwork for them and the person I bought from is no longer contactable.

I know nothing about the panels or how they work, like, who gets any payments from them or do they generate the electricity that I use and I pay my provider for any extra electricity I've used?

I've spoken to Npower, EDF, Dept of Energy, Ofgem and my Solicitor, non of who can give me any advice that's proved to help.

I just don't know where to go to get any information.

EricMears

Frostybrook wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help.....

I bought a house in January which has 10 solar panels fitted in the garden, the person I bought from owned the panels outright. This is confirmed by my solicitor, hence the panels now belong to me as they were included in the house purchase.

However, I don't have any paperwork for them and the person I bought from is no longer contactable.

I know nothing about the panels or how they work, like, who gets any payments from them or do they generate the electricity that I use and I pay my provider for any extra electricity I've used?

I've spoken to Npower, EDF, Dept of Energy, Ofgem and my Solicitor, non of who can give me any advice that's proved to help.

I just don't know where to go to get any information.

Unless the previous owner has transferred the FIT contract to you, he (or she) will continue to get any payments. This is a point that your solicitor should have taken up with theirs when arranging the conveyance.


However, you're under no obligation to give the previous owner access to read the generation meter (and even if it reports readings via a SIMcard you won't be breaking any laws if you disable it) so they can't actually claim the FIT payments and might just as well do the decent thing and transfer the contract to you.

Dave_16

I was under the impression that there is a central database where all the fit applications are all registered.

I would have thought that if your solicitor has not arranged to transfer the fit payment account over to you it must still be with the previous registered person.

I'm no expert but it's just as I see it.

Dave

Frostybrook

My solicitor has recalled the paperwork regarding the house transfer and said the solar panels were owned outright by the previous owner and there is no mention of fit payments in the documents. He can't help any further and suggests we contact the estate agent to get details from the previous owner.

The problem with that is the previous owner has dementia and is in a home.....

Dave_16

The previous owner should have been compussmentous (I know I can't spell it) ot have signed for the fit agreement unless it has come on quite fast.

Can you find out if someone has the power of attorney, the home should know.

Dave

Mojisola

Frostybrook wrote: »

I bought a house in January which has 10 solar panels fitted in the garden, the person I bought from owned the panels outright. This is confirmed by my solicitor, hence the panels now belong to me as they were included in the house purchase.

However, I don't have any paperwork for them and the person I bought from is no longer contactable.

Your solicitor shouldn't have let the sale go ahead until this was sorted out.

TrickyDicky101

We don't even know if the panels are registered for FITs.

OP, is there any documentation anywhere in the house/your purchase documentation that deals withe installation of the panels? How are they connected to your electrics?

Dave_16

Can you leave a message at the home for the next of kin, or ask the manager to contact the next of kin and leave your details with them.

If the next of kin were to check the bank a/c of the previous owner they may be able to determine if there is a fit payment, if the is a fit agreement and the fit partner has not been notified they will b ringing soon for a reading.
Of course the next of kin probably don't even have to acknowledge you, but some people that will do the right thing.

Dave

Frostybrook

I've checked the paperwork left at the house, there was even the paper that came with the Baxi open fire in 1930 but absolutely nothing for the solar panels.

I know there is a daughter that dealt with the sale so I'll have to ask the estate agent to contact her, I know the previous owner said she received a cheque for about £50 from the panels?

I never thought it would be this difficult to get them changed over to me.

Dave_16

There is a central fit register of the technology that is administered by ofgem
The text below is from a fit partner.

"We will then register the technology with the Central FIT Register that is administered by Ofgem. Ofgem will confirm that the installation is registered and we will then send you a FITs Statement of Terms, which you are required to complete and send, back."

So if the daughter had a check from the panels maybe there is a fit agreement in place.

Dave

jimjames

Frostybrook wrote: »

I know there is a daughter that dealt with the sale so I'll have to ask the estate agent to contact her, I know the previous owner said she received a cheque for about £50 from the panels?

I never thought it would be this difficult to get them changed over to me.

I wonder what size they are?

£50 sounds very low unless it was winter or they were installed very recently. For 3kWp panels you'd be looking at somewhere over £1000 per year, possibly more depending on your location.

Have you found the inverter and the generation meter?

If you need to check your installation is registered you can do so here

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/feed-tariff-installation-report-31-march-2014