Solar Panel advice

missdaisy58

Hi, looking for a little advice about my solar panels. I recently moved to a new house with solar panels which were installed in 2012, the previous owner did own the panels outright so it transferred to me during the sale and I was given a folder with the MCS certificate, invoice etc. I sent all appropriate documents for the feed in tariff scheme to my energy supplier. Today I received this email from them -

- Unfortunately the previous owner did not register the solar panels into the feed in tariff scheme. Any new applications which were commissioned before 15th January 2016 had a deadline of 31st March 2016 to submit their application to their supplier. As your solar system was installed prior to 15th January 2016 you will not be able to apply for the feed in tariff payments but will benefit from the free energy the panels produce during daylight hours.

Is it worth considering a solar panel buy back scheme or are the savings made by the panels enough to make a difference to electric bills? I received an enquiry from one of these companies not long after I moved it and wondered if anyone had made use of this.

caraj316

Have you checked whether your solicitor investigated this during the sale?

System

The response that you have received is an accurate interpretation of the rules. Whether the decision to impose a deadline was fair is debatable. Given that a 3rd Party will only takeover the panels if it can obtain the FIT payments, then I doubt that there will be any interest. There is an argument that your solicitor failed to carry out the appropriate searches which you may wish to persue.

A 4kWp system will deliver about 4000kWhs/year. How much you use is up to you? I have a 2.15kWp system and I use about 75% of my output but I have an electric vehicle which I plug in when the sun is shining. Without a system of diverting the power to, say, your HW cylinder then most homeowners struggle to use more than 25 to 50% of the output.

JimLad

Why on earth did the previous owner not register for the FIT? Madness

missdaisy58

Thanks, I'll check with the solicitor and find out more. No idea why they weren't registered, seller was an elderly gentleman so that may have something to do with it if he didn't completely understand the process but it seems like such a waste.

Martyn1981

missdaisy58 wrote: »

I sent all appropriate documents for the feed in tariff scheme to my energy supplier.

Massive long shot, but you say you asked your energy supplier. Is there any chance that this has gotten a bit confused, and the previous owner registered the system with their 2012 energy supplier?

I say a long shot, as your supplier may have access to a FiT registry.

I think there's a postcode list somewhere of FiT registrations, but I can't remember where.

missdaisy58

Thanks, I have downloaded that list, long shot as you say but worth a look

jimjames

missdaisy58 wrote: »

Thanks, I'll check with the solicitor and find out more. No idea why they weren't registered, seller was an elderly gentleman so that may have something to do with it if he didn't completely understand the process but it seems like such a waste.

If you can find who installed them you may get some more info. If they have an MCS certificate is that the installation registration?

With a 4kWp system from 2012 you'd be looking at around £2000 per year for FITs if it was early in the year (before March) and a bit less from later on so you're right it is a waste.

Churchy8019

Hi Missdaisy58,

I'm selling my house and discovered my solar panels are not registered. I've gone through the solicitor and 3 companies to try and resolve for the purchase. Unless you are selling you'll never know if the solar panels are registered or not. Confirmation was received from the mortgage lender and paperwork from the solar panel to confirm all was ok.

Turns out it's not. I'm currently between Solicitors, Mortgage lender, and Solar Panel company for a resolutions. 2+ months laters, still waiting...

EricMears

If you've been receiving FIT payments then you can be pretty sure all the necessary registration had been done. If you haven't then it's almost as certain that registration wasn't done.