Buying House with Solar Panels

Roland_Flagg

Took readings from previous house and took readings from new house Friday when we moved in. Not had chance to phone provider yet (we are contracted with e.on until June 18). Will they put us on a different tariff, or will we just get rebates from previous owners provider British Gas for having the panels (they were bought outright).

Raxiel

Your contract with E.ON at your old property ends when you move out, there are no exit fees in this situation.
If the new house is currently supplied by British Gas, you will automatically be on a Deemed Contract with them, you need to register with them as the new owner. Once you've done that you can switch to E.ON (or any other provider you like). E.ON will only offer you their current tariffs in that event, not the one you had before.
If you are taking over the FIT contract with the solar panels, and British Gas are currently paying it, as I understand it, you are free to leave it with them, your FIT supplier doesn't have to be the same as the energy supplier. If you did decide to switch the payments are set by the government and would be the same.

Cardew

Roland_Flagg wrote: »

Will they put us on a different tariff, or will we just get rebates from previous owners provider British Gas for having the panels (they were bought outright).

The payments you receive for the solar panels are nothing to do with the tariff provided by any Energy supplier. It is simply income i.e. feed in tariff(FIT) and payments for exporting electricity - both inflation linked and tax free. As said above you can get your gas/electricity from any supplier, and the FIT/export payments from several of the major energy provider.

You can also use as much of the generated energy in your house as you wish, and it won't affect those payments.

The rate of FIT depends when the panels were fitted and the term will be either 25 years for early systems or 20 years for later installations.

System

Cardew wrote: »

The payments you receive for the solar panels are nothing to do with the tariff provided by any Energy supplier. It is simply income i.e. feed in tariff(FIT) and payments for exporting electricity - both inflation linked and tax free. As said above you can get your gas/electricity from any supplier, and the FIT/export payments from several of the major energy provider.

You can also use as much of the generated energy in your house as you wish, and it won't affect those payments.

The rate of FIT depends when the panels were fitted and the term will be either 25 years for early systems or 20 years for later installations.

Spot on. OP - if you have purchased a property with solar panels then your solicitor should have carried out appropriate searches re ownership etc. If you purchased the house and panels then you will have to apply to the FIT payer for the FIT payments to be transferred to you. This is not automatic, and I hope that this was covered in any contract of sale.