Fit solar panals

Clarksharon

I had fit solar panels fitted 8 years ago. I’m now selling my property, the buyer needs to know all the info on them . I can’t contact the supplier . Anyone got any ideas how, or can I just take them off? 

Thanks

tim_p

Are these panels you paid for or are they ones you got ‘free’ for the electric but no Feed in Tariff (FIT)?

Ectophile

Many suppliers went out of business, as it was such a boom-and-bust industry as the government kept changing the FIT levels in big steps.

It makes a huge difference if they are owned, or a rent-a-roof scheme.

If they are yours, then the bit of paper you really need is the MCS certificate, which you should have been given.  It says the system was installed to industry standards.  A receipt/invoice showing that you bought the panels is also good.

If it's rent-a-roof, you need to find out who bought out the ownership, and get details of the lease.  That can be a bit of a nightmare.  The panels will belong to somebody, so you can't just remove them.

matelodave

As Tim say, there's a lot of difference between solar panels that you actually own and those on a "rent a roof" scheme. Likewise if you actually own them, did you pay for them outright or have you got a finance agreement on them.

Who claims the FIT, you or someone else.

It should be easy if you've got the paperwork and you own them but can be a nest of vipers if it's a rent roof scheme and the company doesn't exist and has transferred their lease to others as they may have a registered lease on your house. TBH sorting all this out is what you pay a solicitor for when you are buying and selling a house, but it helps a lot and can reduce the cost of searching if you haven't chucked or lost the paperwork.

Mister_G

Your solicitor (or you) can check with the Land Registry to see if a Charge has been registered.

macman

If it has, then expect a long delay trying to resolve it, and the buyer may decide to walk away. The buyer might not be too concerned, but the mortgage lender certainly would be.

ElephantBoy57

Clarksharon said:

I had fit solar panels fitted 8 years ago. I’m now selling my property, the buyer needs to know all the info on them . I can’t contact the supplier . Anyone got any ideas how, or can I just take them off? 

Thanks

If they are 'free' solar panels then you do not own them, the company that fitted them do.

So if you just take them off, the company will no longer receive their Feed in Tariff and they will chase you for thousands of pounds.

Have you told the buyer that you do not own them? This could cause the sale to fall though, if not handled properly.

tim_p

We don’t know if they’re rent a roof panels or if the OP paid for them. Until we do we can only speculate.