Buying house (with solar panels)

F70

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

I'm having a horror too with the FIT.

Our vendor is not responding to anyone (nor do they need to), however, my solicitors have been no help either. During conveyancing, I kept asking them to confirm that the panels were included. I never received a response.

After buying, we realised what a problem this was and had to absolutely exhaust their complaints process until one of their directors sent us through the information we needed (whilst being really snidey about why they hadn't sent them - insisting that they'd already done it, even though they had no proof - we have an email address that splits 2 ways - to me and my wife, so we definitely know they never sent it).

3 months in, we believe that OVO manage the FIT, but they aren't talking to us either, so it looks like we might have to exhaust their complaint process too.

Either that, or we'll just remove their meter and send it back to them and fit a new one - after all, we don't have a contract with them so they can hardly sue us as long as we don't break it. Our FIT tariff is shocking - 2016. Octopus would offer us more on their standard tariff and we'll probably fit a battery at some point.

The big issue is who owns the panels that is why OVO won't deal with you took me a year to sort it. 

Same with us the vendor was a nob and because there was a delay In the chain (not us!) he got impatient and done a few things to stitch us up including forcing us to wait 7 weeks for internet/phone (telling them not to disconnect him) telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

martindow

F70 said:

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

I'm having a horror too with the FIT.

Our vendor is not responding to anyone (nor do they need to), however, my solicitors have been no help either. During conveyancing, I kept asking them to confirm that the panels were included. I never received a response.

After buying, we realised what a problem this was and had to absolutely exhaust their complaints process until one of their directors sent us through the information we needed (whilst being really snidey about why they hadn't sent them - insisting that they'd already done it, even though they had no proof - we have an email address that splits 2 ways - to me and my wife, so we definitely know they never sent it).

3 months in, we believe that OVO manage the FIT, but they aren't talking to us either, so it looks like we might have to exhaust their complaint process too.

Either that, or we'll just remove their meter and send it back to them and fit a new one - after all, we don't have a contract with them so they can hardly sue us as long as we don't break it. Our FIT tariff is shocking - 2016. Octopus would offer us more on their standard tariff and we'll probably fit a battery at some point.

The big issue is who owns the panels that is why OVO won't deal with you took me a year to sort it. 

Same with us the vendor was a nob and because there was a delay In the chain (not us!) he got impatient and done a few things to stitch us up including forcing us to wait 7 weeks for internet/phone (telling them not to disconnect him) telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

(Bit in bold) While other things seem malicious, saying that you do not wish your internet and phone connection to be disconnected seems eminently reasonable. 

ThisIsWeird

F70 said:

...telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

What was the £900 for? The damage they caused? If so, well done you.

F70

ThisIsWeird said:

F70 said:

...telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

What was the £900 for? The damage they caused? If so, well done you.

£900 was a year of backdated FITs payments.

martindow said:

F70 said:

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

I'm having a horror too with the FIT.

Our vendor is not responding to anyone (nor do they need to), however, my solicitors have been no help either. During conveyancing, I kept asking them to confirm that the panels were included. I never received a response.

After buying, we realised what a problem this was and had to absolutely exhaust their complaints process until one of their directors sent us through the information we needed (whilst being really snidey about why they hadn't sent them - insisting that they'd already done it, even though they had no proof - we have an email address that splits 2 ways - to me and my wife, so we definitely know they never sent it).

3 months in, we believe that OVO manage the FIT, but they aren't talking to us either, so it looks like we might have to exhaust their complaint process too.

Either that, or we'll just remove their meter and send it back to them and fit a new one - after all, we don't have a contract with them so they can hardly sue us as long as we don't break it. Our FIT tariff is shocking - 2016. Octopus would offer us more on their standard tariff and we'll probably fit a battery at some point.

The big issue is who owns the panels that is why OVO won't deal with you took me a year to sort it. 

Same with us the vendor was a nob and because there was a delay In the chain (not us!) he got impatient and done a few things to stitch us up including forcing us to wait 7 weeks for internet/phone (telling them not to disconnect him) telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

(Bit in bold) While other things seem malicious, saying that you do not wish your internet and phone connection to be disconnected seems eminently reasonable. 

Once we exchanged we set up our internet to take over on day after competition, when he received a letter from BT telling him someone was taking over his line on date he contacted BT and told them that he did not want that to happen. This blocks the process for 4 weeks to ANY provider, then it takes 3 weeks to set up new account equipment etc. It was deliberately done as he knew my wife works from home as we asked what the connection is like when we viewed.

ThisIsWeird

F70 said:

ThisIsWeird said:

F70 said:

...telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

What was the £900 for? The damage they caused? If so, well done you.

£900 was a year of backdated FITs payments.

martindow said:

F70 said:

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

I'm having a horror too with the FIT.

Our vendor is not responding to anyone (nor do they need to), however, my solicitors have been no help either. During conveyancing, I kept asking them to confirm that the panels were included. I never received a response.

After buying, we realised what a problem this was and had to absolutely exhaust their complaints process until one of their directors sent us through the information we needed (whilst being really snidey about why they hadn't sent them - insisting that they'd already done it, even though they had no proof - we have an email address that splits 2 ways - to me and my wife, so we definitely know they never sent it).

3 months in, we believe that OVO manage the FIT, but they aren't talking to us either, so it looks like we might have to exhaust their complaint process too.

Either that, or we'll just remove their meter and send it back to them and fit a new one - after all, we don't have a contract with them so they can hardly sue us as long as we don't break it. Our FIT tariff is shocking - 2016. Octopus would offer us more on their standard tariff and we'll probably fit a battery at some point.

The big issue is who owns the panels that is why OVO won't deal with you took me a year to sort it. 

Same with us the vendor was a nob and because there was a delay In the chain (not us!) he got impatient and done a few things to stitch us up including forcing us to wait 7 weeks for internet/phone (telling them not to disconnect him) telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

(Bit in bold) While other things seem malicious, saying that you do not wish your internet and phone connection to be disconnected seems eminently reasonable. 

Once we exchanged we set up our internet to take over on day after competition, when he received a letter from BT telling him someone was taking over his line on date he contacted BT and told them that he did not want that to happen. This blocks the process for 4 weeks to ANY provider, then it takes 3 weeks to set up new account equipment etc. It was deliberately done as he knew my wife works from home as we asked what the connection is like when we viewed.

Good result on the FITs!

I believe the other things - deliberate damage - could have been sued for, and it would have been a pleasure. I understand that the house, on completion, should be as 'sold' to you in the first place.

newsgroupmonkey_

F70 said:

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

I'm having a horror too with the FIT.

Our vendor is not responding to anyone (nor do they need to), however, my solicitors have been no help either. During conveyancing, I kept asking them to confirm that the panels were included. I never received a response.

After buying, we realised what a problem this was and had to absolutely exhaust their complaints process until one of their directors sent us through the information we needed (whilst being really snidey about why they hadn't sent them - insisting that they'd already done it, even though they had no proof - we have an email address that splits 2 ways - to me and my wife, so we definitely know they never sent it).

3 months in, we believe that OVO manage the FIT, but they aren't talking to us either, so it looks like we might have to exhaust their complaint process too.

Either that, or we'll just remove their meter and send it back to them and fit a new one - after all, we don't have a contract with them so they can hardly sue us as long as we don't break it. Our FIT tariff is shocking - 2016. Octopus would offer us more on their standard tariff and we'll probably fit a battery at some point.

The big issue is who owns the panels that is why OVO won't deal with you took me a year to sort it. 

Same with us the vendor was a nob and because there was a delay In the chain (not us!) he got impatient and done a few things to stitch us up including forcing us to wait 7 weeks for internet/phone (telling them not to disconnect him) telling us estate agent had lost all the keys for the shed, back door, side gate ect. All paperwork missing and saying he left it in the house ripping the carpet halfway down stairs by 'accident' when moving so new carpet downstairs stairs and landing, taking the remote controller for the heaters stuff like that. Breaking all the blinds because I said we don't want then and he wanted to charge for them. 

Anyway we solved it in the end with a letter from his solicitor and our solicitor stating the panels are sold with house and fits are payable to myself. We got a nice cheque for £900 in the end.

Apologies for the delay in reply (Christmas etc. lol).

I don't think our vendor was in any way funny about this. Problem is, she's moved on without a forwarding address.

I'll continue to badger OVO. I do fiinally have the proof, but whether they'll accept it is another thing....

Ram_Tungala

Thanks for your kind replies and support. I had a word with vendor today and they are mentioning now the FIT can't be transferrable to new home owner(I don't know with whom they spoke to). I agreed to purchase the solar panels for £5000 including FIT. Now they are saying FIT might not be transferrable(they are still confirming via email though). They are mentioning that I might get Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

I thought FIT can be transferable to new home owner? If yes, can anyone provide me a proof of reference document please?

In case of No, kindly suggest me the best options please!

Spies

Of course fit is transferable 

anselld

Ram_Tungala said:

Thanks for your kind replies and support. I had a word with vendor today and they are mentioning now the FIT can't be transferrable to new home owner(I don't know with whom they spoke to). I agreed to purchase the solar panels for £5000 including FIT. Now they are saying FIT might not be transferrable(they are still confirming via email though). They are mentioning that I might get Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

I thought FIT can be transferable to new home owner? If yes, can anyone provide me a proof of reference document please?

In case of No, kindly suggest me the best options please!

FIT contract is definitely transferable.
Search "[fit provider] change of ownership form".
The only exception is rent-a-roof systems owned by third parties but then you would not be buying it separately for £5000.  

ThisIsWeird

I am concerned that your vendor is a bit fixated by their PV panels. I have seen and heard of this before - these are folk who probably don't normally take a 'gamble' (actually an investment...) forking out largish sums with a lump in their throats in the hope of ultimately getting a 'return'. They will then closely monitor the generation, working out on a near daily basis the likely date they'll have paid it all off, and can now earn earn earn! They can barely cope with the thought that they have paid for your gain! It will likely haunt them for years

They lose sight of what the actual value of their system is, when compared to the whole house transaction.

The greater concern now is that they must surely know that they are fibbing about this - so treat anything they say with some caution. I am not going to say for certain that all FITs are transferrable, as there have been different rates and other changes over the years, but I am pretty certain that they still are - ours certainly would be, and I wouldn't dream of trying to keep it when we sell.

What info do you have of the system? I doubt you have the MPAN number? If you know the year of installation, and you know it's set up for FIT payments, then Ofgem should be able to give you a yes/no answer for such a system, I'd have thought. 

You don't know the FIT rate? How close to 'year'?