Buying a house with solar panels

2nd_time_buyer

Alnat1 said:

I agree with Spies, they can't take the panels with them, they are part of the building. Simply say you are no longer prepared to pay extra for them. They aren't worth what is being asked.

I fully agree in principal. However, if we tried that and lost the house I would expect my wife to be a little miffed with me. 

Alnat1

If they will only sell to someone who will pay £5k more than you offered, are they likely to get much interest? Also consider if the seller will also be buying another property which they might lose if their sale falls though.

Reed_Richards

I think it's too late for bluff-calling, the OP has already made their interest in the house and willingness to pay extra for the solar panels well known to the vendor.  The most they can achieve now is to haggle over the exact price and bring it down a bit.  They must insist that the FIT transfer paperwork is completed by the vendor as a condition for buying the panels at all; otherwise they might as well start again with complete new and more efficient panels. 

Krakkkers

They can't take the panels with them and FIT is transferable to the new owner, don't pay.

ispookie666

I hope you reach an amicable agreement and get all the information needed for registering FiT/transfer of ownership. 

70sbudgie

It seems as thought the vendor specified from the start that the panels weren't included in the asking price of the house. This sounds to me like they wanted the opportunity to haggle over the cost of the PV panels.

But, you need an EPC to sell a house and I wonder how much the PV system contributed to the EPC rating - and also how much value the buyer (OP) put on that.

If the asking price was higher because of a good EPC rating, I would suggest that the price therefore includes the fixtures that contribute to that rating - regardless of what the vendor says.

The article posted above ruling (ground mounted) PV panels to be fixtures defined them as:
Fixtures are items that are so permanently attached to a property that removing them would cause noticeable damage. 

I think it would be difficult for the vendor to argue that the panels are not fixtures given that there is now legal precedence.

But, buying a house is stressful enough, so if the OP is happy with the solution they've got, I would suggest that is the best course of action.

dunstonh

he said the final price is £8500.

Ruddy hell.   
285w is low by modern standards.  Circa 410w for new installs today.     11 panels installed with modern equipment would generate the same ouput and, after checking current prices with the installer that handles the council sponsored scheme, that would be £6,691 fully installed.

You have just agreed to pay £5000 for a dated system that would cost £6691 today.       Only the FIT is the potentially valuable bit and it is vital you get that otherwise you have been royally ripped off.