Does this constitute fraud?

Dooferry

Reed_Richards said:

Here's something I found online:

What happens to FiT payments when you move?
According to energy regulator Ofgem, FiT payments are made to the homeowner or operator of a solar PV system. So, as a general rule if you as a homeowner were to move house the payments would normally transfer to the new property owners.

Thank you Reed.

Yes, I have searched the company’s website and have found the same, however for a FIT to be transferred for ownership a fixtures and fittings document, solicitors letter and confirmation from the previous owner are required.

Hopefully it’s just a mistake and I am reading too much into this.  I’m hoping they will respond to my emails soon.

niktheguru

How would you expect to be paid though if you hadn't been providing readings for 2 years?
It is indeed bizarre that youre still getting the emails but none of the payment, yet the company is unwilling to talk to you.

Dooferry

niktheguru said:

How would you expect to be paid though if you hadn't been providing readings for 2 years?
It is indeed bizarre that youre still getting the emails but none of the payment, yet the company is unwilling to talk to you.

It’s always been hit and miss when I have received the readings to enable me to request my FIT payment, however the energy company usually back date these.  I think the last time I provided readings (for the last payment received in 2019), were for over 2 years worth of generation and export.

Dooferry

Deleted_User said:

So, if the FIT ownership has in fact been transferred to the new owner of the property, that is the correct outcome, and you are just complaining about the procedure that may have been used to obtain that outcome?

Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

Thank you.

Reed_Richards

Dooferry said:

Hopefully Ofgem may be able to provide the answer as to whether or not the FIT is still registered to me.

Please be aware I have no legal training but:

If there was anything unusual in the transfer of ownership of the solar panels then I believe it would have to be recorded as a covenant in the deeds at the time you made a transfer of equity.  If there is nothing in the deeds to say that you continue to own the solar panels then you don't - which means you have not been entitled to any FIT payments since you transferred the equity in 2015.  You can purchase a copy of the deeds from the Land Registry for a small sum if you want to check.

If it turns out that the FIT is still registered to you then this is an oversight by the solicitor who handled the transfer of equity.  Or it could be an oversight, or an act of kindness, by your Ex.   

Reed_Richards

Dooferry said:
Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

The transfer of ownership (most likely) took place with the transfer of equity in 2015.  There is no need to pretend to be you or for you to be informed; the new owner just needed to provide proof that they owned the house.  Not to put too fine a point on it, if there is any illegality that has taken place, it seems most likely to be you collecting FIT payments after you were no longer entitled to them.  

niktheguru

Reed_Richards said:

Dooferry said:
Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

The transfer of ownership (most likely) took place with the transfer of equity in 2015.  There is no need to pretend to be you or for you to be informed; the new owner just needed to provide proof that they owned the house.  Not to put too fine a point on it, if there is any illegality that has taken place, it seems most likely to be you collecting FIT payments after you were no longer entitled to them.  

The odd part of it though was him getting an email in his name saying the fit payment was going through. I suspect a change of account number has taken place rather than a full change of account details.

Dooferry

Reed_Richards said:

Dooferry said:
Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

The transfer of ownership (most likely) took place with the transfer of equity in 2015.  There is no need to pretend to be you or for you to be informed; the new owner just needed to provide proof that they owned the house.  Not to put too fine a point on it, if there is any illegality that has taken place, it seems most likely to be you collecting FIT payments after you were no longer entitled to them.  

I understand what you are saying, but I’m not sure this would be the case.  You can sell a property with solar panels installed, but you are not forced to ‘sell’ the FIT along with them and can carry on receiving payment (even though this wouldn’t benefit the new owners, and anyone buying a house with fully paid for panels would think twice about not having the FIT transferred as well).  I know in a normal situation this probably wouldn’t happen, and the new owner would purchase both with the house sale, etc.  There is no mention in the transfer of equity documents regarding the panels or the FIT, and whilst the panels are fitted to a property I don’t own anymore, I understand that they are now part of that property, but I have not agreed to transfer the FIT account to anybody.

niktheguru

Dooferry said:

Reed_Richards said:

Dooferry said:
Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

The transfer of ownership (most likely) took place with the transfer of equity in 2015.  There is no need to pretend to be you or for you to be informed; the new owner just needed to provide proof that they owned the house.  Not to put too fine a point on it, if there is any illegality that has taken place, it seems most likely to be you collecting FIT payments after you were no longer entitled to them.  

I understand what you are saying, but I’m not sure this would be the case.  You can sell a property with solar panels installed, but you are not forced to ‘sell’ the FIT along with them and can carry on receiving payment (even though this wouldn’t benefit the new owners, and anyone buying a house with fully paid for panels would think twice about not having the FIT transferred as well).  I know in a normal situation this probably wouldn’t happen, and the new owner would purchase both with the house sale, etc.  There is no mention in the transfer of equity documents regarding the panels or the FIT, and whilst the panels are fitted to a property I don’t own anymore, I understand that they are now part of that property, but I have not agreed to transfer the FIT account to anybody.

you might find this difficult to defend unless you have a productive conversation with whoever is living in that property currently (your ex +/- their partner)
Lets just hope its an admin error with your supplier! What reason did they give you for not discussing it with you over the phone?

Dooferry

niktheguru said:

Dooferry said:

Reed_Richards said:

Dooferry said:
Yeah, I just wanted to understand my options if a transfer of ownership has taken place without me knowing, or if someone has indeed contacted the FIT department pretending to be me and providing them with a different bank account for payment.

The transfer of ownership (most likely) took place with the transfer of equity in 2015.  There is no need to pretend to be you or for you to be informed; the new owner just needed to provide proof that they owned the house.  Not to put too fine a point on it, if there is any illegality that has taken place, it seems most likely to be you collecting FIT payments after you were no longer entitled to them.  

I understand what you are saying, but I’m not sure this would be the case.  You can sell a property with solar panels installed, but you are not forced to ‘sell’ the FIT along with them and can carry on receiving payment (even though this wouldn’t benefit the new owners, and anyone buying a house with fully paid for panels would think twice about not having the FIT transferred as well).  I know in a normal situation this probably wouldn’t happen, and the new owner would purchase both with the house sale, etc.  There is no mention in the transfer of equity documents regarding the panels or the FIT, and whilst the panels are fitted to a property I don’t own anymore, I understand that they are now part of that property, but I have not agreed to transfer the FIT account to anybody.

you might find this difficult to defend unless you have a productive conversation with whoever is living in that property currently (your ex +/- their partner)
Lets just hope its an admin error with your supplier! What reason did they give you for not discussing it with you over the phone?

You’re probably right!

The FIT team are not customer facing, so only deal with you via emails.  I managed to get through to the customer support team, but apparently they cannot access these types of accounts.  I hope it is an admin error which can be resolved.  It might be more beneficial if I try to contact my ex and get this sorted once and for all.

Thank you all for your advice and comments.