Proving ownership of solar panels

gavthomas29

Hi All,
We had solar panels installed in 2013 through a company called pretty green energy who have since gone bust, we paid half of the installation up front with the remainder to be paid via the feed in tariff.
I have been doing some enquiring around this and it seems the panels where registered when installed but never registered on any feed in tariff. I cant prove that they are mine as the company no longer exists and i cant get the registration details as I cant prove ownership of the panels so cant get any benefit apart from the saving when they are generating.
I just seem to be going around in circles so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Gav

Jonboy_1984

Does anything show on the land registry, such as any air-space lease or charge on the property?

Looking at their liquidators filings on companies house there is no suggestion of a pre-pack administration with any assets being sold elsewhere.

gefnew

Try posting here .
Green & ethical MoneySaving — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Krakkkers

Why were they never registered for FIT? assuming 4kwp they would be making £1000 a year now.
Where is your original receipt?

[Deleted User]

gavthomas29 said:

Hi All,
We had solar panels installed in 2013 through a company called pretty green energy who have since gone bust, we paid half of the installation up front with the remainder to be paid via the feed in tariff.
I have been doing some enquiring around this and it seems the panels where registered when installed but never registered on any feed in tariff. I cant prove that they are mine as the company no longer exists and i cant get the registration details as I cant prove ownership of the panels so cant get any benefit apart from the saving when they are generating.
I just seem to be going around in circles so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Gav

I am sorry but your post doesn’t make a lot of sense. You say that you paid 50% upfront for the panels and the rest is being paid via the feed in tariff (FIT). For that to be the case, your panels must have been registered for FIT payments. If not, consider yourself lucky as you have an array for a lot less than you agreed to pay. If your panels were registered, then it doesn’t follow that the FIT money was being paid to a failed installer. Often FITs were re-assigned to a third-party finance company. You can check FIT registration by emailing this address: FITRegister@ofgem.gov.uk

The FIT Scheme closed to new registrations some years ago, and you are well past the retrospective registration date. If the panels were never registered, then your only option is payments under the Special Export Guarantee Scheme. To apply for this scheme, you will need a smart meter; proof of ownership (receipt); your MCS Certificate* and proof from your District Network Operator (DNO) that it was notified of your installation. Armed with this information, your supplier will then apply to your DNO for an export MPAN for your smart meter.

*How can I get my MCS certificate?

Your Installer should issue your MCS certificate within 10-working days of your installation being completed.

You can check whether an MCS certificate exists by calling the MCS Helpdesk on 0333 103 8130. You will need to know the technology type of the system and the full address (including postcode) of where the system is installed.

If you have never received a certificate, if you require a copy of your certificate or, if you require an amendment, you should contact your original MCS certified installer in the first instance to request this.

If your original Installer is no longer MCS certified or, is no longer trading, then the MCS Helpdesk Team will support you with your certificate query.

camdbug

Although this is a few years old, it was one of the few similar things that showed up when I was searching.

We're in a similar position, but it's trying to identify the ownership of solar panels that my late aunt had installed. Myself and sister are executors, and despite her fastidiousness on paperwork for everything else in her life, there is a complete lack of documentation for the 12 panels installed on her roof.

I have obtained the MCS installation cert. They were installed April 2014. The installers went out of business in 2021. She was with Octopus, but they have no record of panels, and it appears (via calling around every supplier) that she had a FIT account with EON, although they said they weren't making payments. Something I need to follow up on.

Have emailed the OFGEM FIT Registry, to see if they can shed any light.

My last gasp attempt is land registry, but it's not clear from their site what I should be requesting - so I will call them.

Any other ideas? Given we are getting the house valued and looking to sell it, need sufficient proof there's no outstanding debt/ownership issues. Genuinely don't understand how she could have these panels on her roof (way more than she needs) and she has zero paperwork associated with it, given I have the deeds to her house from 60 years ago, mortgage "paid off" docs from 35 years ago, basically everything else.

Were there any dodgy solar panel installation schemes going on a decade ago? She would have been one of the early adopters, but it just doesn't make sense - she would have been about 77 back then, living alone, with minimal energy usage...

QrizB

camdbug said:

Any other ideas?

She either owns the panels, or beneficial ownership is by another party under a rent-a-roof scheme.

If this was a rent-a-roof scheme, the sheme opertor would be the one receiving FIT payments. There would be a smart meter (NOT her supply meter, a separate one) used to measure generation and sending thse readings to the scheme operator automatically. There would be a note on the deeds recording the scheme owner's interest in the property.

If she was receiving FIT payments, there's no smart generaton meter, and no note on the deeds, it's highly likely that she owns the panels outright.

You should be able to get a copy of the MCS Certificate for the panels from the MCS:

https://mcscertified.com/consumers/mcs-certificate-queries/

You should also re-contact EON and get the FIT payments made up-to-date. They could owe you thousands.

wrf12345

There should be a note on the land registry certificate if rent-a-roof, as charge on the property I think, downloadable online for £7 via gov.uk (not some of the suggestions when you google which charge extra). If blank then assume it is owned by the property. THe OP could add a battery to the system to get more out of it, if fully owned.