A Shade Greener say they can't do an installtion

Legacy_user

So I decided to get solar panels from A Shade Greener. They came at the beginning of December and did a survey and all was OK. A week later someone comes round and I sign up for it.

A week after that I get a phone call to say there is a problem and apparently they can't do an installation because of the cable routing. All it has to do is come straight out of the loft space, drop down vertically down the external wall to 2ft above ground level and go straight into the wall and behind there is the fuse box. There is already a cable taking that route for an electric shower the previous owner put in. I pointed out that they managed to install a system perfectly OK in a house 7 doors down the street which is identical to mine running the cable this way and they confirmed the installation was one of theirs. They then hung up and I received no further communication, my installation was not done.

I'm a bit annoyed. I have a contract which has been signed. I had a letter from the mortgage company OKing it so they've obviously written to them and they've given me a completely erroneous reason for why they can't do it.

Anyone else had this from this company? I thought they were supposed to be one of the good ones, supported by Which and the like. Any suggestions of where to go from here? Part of me feels like ringing them up, pointing out we have a contract, that they claim I can save around £3000 over the 20 year agreement and I feel that a payment of £1500 to compensate me for my losses would be enough to buy them out of the contract.

tunnel

I'm guessing the reason that ASG aren't doing the install may be something to do with the up coming slash in the FiT rather than a problem with your house. If they believe they can't get the install in and commissioned before the rate cut then why would they go through with it, contract or not. There may even be a clause in the contract that allows them to back out if something doesn't stack up, have you checked the contract(small print)?.
Furthermore there was thread stating that a house had to have a good EPC rating before panels have been installed to qualify for the highest FiT, has anyone been out to assess your property as you do need an EPC either way?

bazzyb

ASG aren't doing any more installations at all due to the FiT changes.

tunnel

bazzyb wrote: »

ASG aren't doing any more installations at all due to the FiT changes.

I was led to believe the rate has only been cut to 12.03p as of 1st Jan
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2015/10/fit_payment_rate_table_for_publication_1_january_2016_pv_tariffs.pdf


The much larger cut doesn't happen until the 15th and even that doesn't show on OFGEMs site but does on the energy saving trusts site
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/feed-tariffs


I'd still expect ASG to install right up to the cut off day to attract as many FiTs returns as they possibly can.

bazzyb

Correct. With just a few working days remaining, they are only completing installations that already have a solid agreed installation date. There will be no further installations. This is confirmed on their Facebook page, but it doesn't look like they've bothered updating their website.

tunnel wrote: »

I was led to believe the rate has only been cut to 12.03p as of 1st Jan
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2015/10/fit_payment_rate_table_for_publication_1_january_2016_pv_tariffs.pdf


The much larger cut doesn't happen until the 15th and even that doesn't show on OFGEMs site but does on the energy saving trusts site
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/feed-tariffs


I'd still expect ASG to install right up to the cut off day to attract as many FiTs returns as they possibly can.

tunnel

bazzyb wrote: »

This is confirmed on their Facebook page, but it doesn't look like they've bothered updating their website.

Sounds about right, update social media sites but not your own website, I don't do social media so no wonder I can't find anything about it.

n.harvey47

Avoid these like the plague!!!!!!!!! Workmen are cowboys;A Shade Greener staff unhelpful,lazy and liars. Referred my mother via correct referral 'conditions' on 15/06/15 when it was £100 each and confirmed we would both get this by , Mykel Hedge;however despite phoning 01226 369990 for THREE weeks continuously in December'15-we are still awaiting the full £100.YOU should all be ashamed-absolutely disgraceful and NO excuses.Simply not good enough. Mykel Hedge-do you read all these negative comments,if so why don't you personally do something about them?I will continue ringing until we get the referral money and will publish honest reviews on media forums such as this to highlight your short comings.I eagerly await your response

kevin6666

I'm sure FIT has provided the means to make the founders of ASG reasonably comfortable for the rest of their lives. They weren't in the business for customer focus or saving the planet and to expect as such is been somewhat naïve.

Well done FIT scheme.

tunnel

kevin6666 wrote: »

I'm sure FIT has provided the means to make the founders of ASG reasonably comfortable for the rest of their lives. They weren't in the business for customer focus or saving the planet and to expect as such is been somewhat naïve.

Say what you like about them, I do, I don't care for them and wouldn't have them on my roof, but with 67000+ installs, there's a hell of a lot of people who couldn't afford their own panels now enjoying the benefits of solar. Even MFW couldn't argue with that, the poor getting solar.

jimjames

Tarambor wrote: »

Part of me feels like ringing them up, pointing out we have a contract, that they claim I can save around £3000 over the 20 year agreement and I feel that a payment of £1500 to compensate me for my losses would be enough to buy them out of the contract.

Why not pay for the panels yourself then? You then get 100% of the FIT rather than just free electricity. A loss isn't a loss if it's hypothetical future amounts and there is no immediate cost to your pocket.

System

The agreed installation date was for the 28th December so before the small change in the FiT in January. In regards to the EPC it had new double glazing throughout in March, had cavity wall insulation, plenty of loft insulation, A rated combi-boiler, thermostatic valves on all the radiators. My combined gas/electric per year on the Moneysupermarket BG group deal tariff is just over £600 for a 3 bed semi even with me working nights so I doubt that is the issue.

I would have bought them outright but unfortunately had to spend the money replacing all the double glazing in the house instead.

Looking around, especially on their Facebook page it looks like I may have dodged a bullet.