Removing solar panels

propinquitas · 3 December 2017 at 12:04PM

Hi, does anyone have any advice or experience they can offer please regarding removing a solar panel system and selling it on?
We have recently moved to a bungalow with these on the roof and we hate them. We are having a new roof so they would need to be removed regardless, the only difference being is that we won't be putting them back.
I would like to think they could be of use to someone who would like them.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Thank you in advance.

ajbell · 3 December 2017 at 12:25PM

Do you understand the benefits of the panels?.
Depending on when they were first installed they could be making hundreds or even thousands of pounds a year in cash.
You can sell them on but they wont be worth that much because as I understand it, if they are currently registered for FIT payments they can not be re used in another FIT registered system.

System · 3 December 2017 at 1:01PM

propinquitas wrote: »

Hi, does anyone have any advice or experience they can offer please regarding removing a solar panel system and selling it on?
We have recently moved to a bungalow with these on the roof and we hate them. We are having a new roof so they would need to be removed regardless, the only difference being is that we won't be putting them back.
I would like to think they could be of use to someone who would like them.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Thank you in advance.

Do you actually own the panels? They will have been registered for FIT payments by someone and this is not transferable between properties. My 2.15kWp system has a payback of just under £1K a year. If they are part of a rent-a-roof scheme, you will need to check the lease deal before you try to remove them or sell them on.

Cardew · 3 December 2017 at 1:48PM

The above posts are making the assumption they are solar PV panels - i.e generate electricity.

They could of course be solar thermal panels - i.e heat hot water. They also will have very little value. If they are solar thermal you will need to make sure they are properly disconnected.

ajbell · 3 December 2017 at 5:08PM

True, could do with a little more detail. Are they owned by you and are they solar thermal or solar PV. Also are they registered for a FIT scheme.

propinquitas · 3 December 2017 at 7:13PM

Thanks all for your replies, it is a photovoltaic system made by Landis & Gyr. They are solar pv panels. They were apparently on an FIT with the previous owners but we have had nothing from them.
We checked several times with our solicitors whether they were owned outright or rented and we were assured they were owned and not under a lease of any kind.
AJBell, I probably don't understand all of the benefits but looking at this roof, nothing could induce me to keep them. They were installed 2013. There are 16 panels.
I love the idea of solar power but the aesthetics of my roof are more important to me.

System · 3 December 2017 at 9:14PM

propinquitas wrote: »

Thanks all for your replies, it is a photovoltaic system made by Landis & Gyr. They are solar pv panels. They were apparently on an FIT with the previous owners but we have had nothing from them.
We checked several times with our solicitors whether they were owned outright or rented and we were assured they were owned and not under a lease of any kind.
AJBell, I probably don't understand all of the benefits but looking at this roof, nothing could induce me to keep them. They were installed 2013. There are 16 panels.
I love the idea of solar power but the aesthetics of my roof are more important to me.

I think that I am correct in saying that FIT payments will be paid for 25 years. I cannot understand why your solicitor has not questioned the ownership of these panels. If, or when, I sell my property I would expect to transfer the FIT benefit to the purchaser. I think that your solicitor has failed to carry out all the necessary pre-purchase searches. You would be entitled to a FIT benefit of about 45p for every kWh generated. A 16 panel array would probably generate just under 4000kWhs a year. Multiply that by 21 years and you can calculate how much money you might be missing out on.

propinquitas · 3 December 2017 at 9:32PM

Thank Hengus, perhaps we should enquire more but either way they're going.
Our solicitor queried ownership a couple of times but there was never a mention of FIT to our recollection. We just wanted to know if we could get rid of them to which they confirmed we could.
I know you probably think we're mad....
Thanks again for your reply.

System · 3 December 2017 at 9:48PM

propinquitas wrote: »

Thank Hengus, perhaps we should enquire more but either way they're going.
Our solicitor queried ownership a couple of times but there was never a mention of FIT to our recollection. We just wanted to know if we could get rid of them to which they confirmed we could.
I know you probably think we're mad....
Thanks again for your reply.

It’s your decision, but do get your solicitor to check that you actually own the panels, and that is not a ‘rent a roof’ arrangement. If it is the latter, you cannot legally remove the panels without the prior approval of the owner. It all seems a little odd. If you own the panels, the MCS Certificate should be lodged with the house deeds.

JC_Derby · 3 December 2017 at 9:54PM

propinquitas wrote: »

Thank Hengus, perhaps we should enquire more but either way they're going.
Our solicitor queried ownership a couple of times but there was never a mention of FIT to our recollection. We just wanted to know if we could get rid of them to which they confirmed we could.
I know you probably think we're mad....
Thanks again for your reply.

If money is no issue then its your look out
BUT
your solicitor has failed to do their job properly and im damn sure I wouldn't be happy with that
If you are not the owner of the array and it is a rent a roof scheme that you try to remove, you may be held liable for all the future 'income' that would be received by the array owners

Lastly. I suspect the landis & gyr is the meter (generation or normal) not the makers of the array.anyone know otherwise?

propinquitas · 3 December 2017 at 10:05PM

We did get the solicitor to check several times and she confirmed they are not on a rent a roof scheme (we would not have bought the house if they were so she knew how vital that query was). Thanks for the suggestions/queries, I'm learning. But they're still on borrowed time....

Removing solar panels

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free