Official MSE Free Solar Panel guide discussion
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Hiya jugglemummy, you may be interested in these two threads which seem to have similar stories about verbal promises, and are based on PV income covering loan finance (though I note you didn't take that route).
In both cases the paperwork seems reasonably accurate, but doesn't match the salespitch. Something certainly seems a little rotten.
Solar panels
Solar PV offer. Please can someone give advice on this offer
I think I've read at least 2 more similar threads since the summer.
Back to you. Couple of points, firstly regarding your 'hoped for income' of £134 per qtr. Whilst it won't be 4 even payments, your info and income so far would seem to suggest an annual figure of approx 4*£134, so hopefully that won't be too far out.
Secondly, you mentioned a leccy reduction of 40%. And Hengus quite rightly pointed out that own use of generation is probably within the 25% (easy(ish)) to 50% (difficult) range. But as for leccy import reduction, that'll depend entirely on how much leccy your household uses. I consume about 30% of generation, but that's equal to about 50% of import, so % of generation consumed and % of import reduced aren't quite the same thing ..... IYSWIM.
Mart.Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)
For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.0 -
jugglemummy wrote: »But as I said the salesman kept repeating and got us to repeat back that it was based on 4 hours of daylight per day. So by my mathematical thinking and his implication meant that when there was more than 4 hours of daylight 'which there always is' it would generate much more than the figures quoted which quoted for 100% efficiency which our panels are not. !
No one is doubting that you believe what you were told; however, a contract was signed that should have set out clearly your expected returns. If the stated projected returns were wrong - and you can prove this to be the case - then there is a clear case of mis-selling. However, if the installer has followed the Code of Practice and calculated the returns properly then I am not sure how you can prove to a 3rd party that mis-selling has taken place. You also had a cooling off period - with a right to cancel - during which time you could have looked carefully at the contract detail just to confirm what you had been told. If you are determined to go down the legal route then you need proper legal advice and have some idea of the remedy that you are seeking. 'No Win - No Fee' firms rarely take on complex cases.0 -
I had Solar King come and give me a quote for panels and after an hour of a powerpoint presentation saying how wonderful their company was and how much money I could save and make. then the SALESMAN said that will be £9000.00, which I replied a little too high that, after a few taps on his laptop reduced it to 7000.00 with the sentence shall we complete the paperwork!. I said sorry no leave me with the info and I will get back to you, which was fine with him.. I then contacted British Gas. which they arranged for a survey of my property. when the British Gas rep arrived he spent 10 mins looking at the position of the property and in regards to sunlight and shading of the property ( please note Solar King didn't do this) once the chap had finished he advised that due to the amount of shade ( tree overhang) it would not be a wise investment as it would take double the time to make my investment back, he said don't get me wrong we can fit panels for you no problem if you want , but I must advise of the potential long term investment. I thanked him for his honesty and he said we are not here to rip you off and he left, they were coming in at a lower price than the other supplier also.
All I can say is a Big Thank You to the British Gas team and I recommend their Solar Panel Service.0 -
Thank you for sharing ideas about solar panel. My husband is think if free solar panels are good investment. We are still asking professionals and friends if this type of energy saving is worth it? I hope you could help us.0
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If you think you might want to remortgage or sell your house, DON'T get free solar.
We got free Solar, from HomeSun, about three years ago. We were assured that there would be no problem selling the house, that they would obtain all the consents etc. It turns out they never got building consent.
But that's not the real problem. Now we're in the process of selling our panels, and the buyers' lender has refused them a mortgage because of the terms of the solar lease.
The lease conforms to current CML guidelines, but most lenders apparently have requirements in excess of these guidelines. The solar firm, quite rightly, don't see why they should comply with anything more than the basic CML guidelines. No lender will lend. Deadlock. We can't sell.
All we can do is buy the panels at the original price of £12,000 (they're worth about £7,000 now, and we don't get a refund of the feed-in that the solar firm has enjoyed). And if we buy the panels, we can't afford to buy our next home.
There's a clause in the lease that says if the panels are affecting demand for the property, we can have them removed. No doubt the solar firm will challenge this, so it could take months of wrangling. Then it will take three to six months for this to happen, so we'll lose the place we were going to buy, and lose our current buyers as well. We may well not get the same price for the house in six months' time, as we were very lucky.
Getting free solar is the biggest regret of my home-owning life. Don't do it.0 -
Hi... But that's not the real problem. Now we're in the process of selling our panels, and the buyers' lender has refused them a mortgage because of the terms of the solar lease ...
I take it that you meant to type 'house', not panels ....
HTH
Z"We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit. " ...... Aristotle
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A review of our recent experiences with A Shade Greener - a company offering free solar panels. Anything 'free' sways a lot of decisions and that's exactly why my father in law was suckered in to agreeing to free solar panels for his house from A Shade Greener. I wouldn't trust any business that isn't completely transparent about what they are getting out of their 'free' offer to customers.
Don't get me wrong I'm not at all opposed to solar energy, I just mistrust companies who are trying to make a quick profit out of hoodwinking people. I'm yet to see whether the panels will be worthwhile in the long term so I will just deal with the service so far.
Things to consider if you are contemplating getting solar panels from A Shade Greener.
1) You have to keep them for 25 years! Yes, TWENTY-FIVE years. What else would you commit to for 25 years? A marriage? A mortgage? Not much that's for sure.
2) The company will take them down free of charge twice if required in those 25 years. Roof needs fixing? That's once. A conversion? That's twice. What happens if you need them taking down and putting again? Who knows but I bet it won't be for free.
3) Another thing they fail to mention is the huge electrical panel that needs to sit in your loft...for 25 years. What happens if you want to convert the loft?
4) A Shade Greener claim that if you want to sell your house but are having trouble because of the panels they will pay the asking price. We'll see I guess but to me if they're free, they could only ever put a buyer off. If you were buying a house and it came with something you were committed to keeping for 10-15-20 years if it would certainly make you think twice.
5) It's been over two weeks since the panels were fitted and the scaffolding is still up at the house. A Shade Greener have ignored all attempts to contact them regarding this.
Don't be put off getting solar panels from this experience, all I am saying is consider absolutely everything and don't be blinkered by the flashing 'FREE' in front of your eyes.0 -
MY PLANET
This is a sorry tale, I thought I'd got a great deal, a 4Kw 12x327panel system with immersion booster switch for £6 K and all was going well the EPC survey went ahead ..all ok with that and an installation date set but then...
Quote from a complaint to My Planet customer services, I have to tell you all about..
"I should have had a system ( 12 panels @327w etc).. installed today at 10.30 am start arranged but no one has turned up.
I was rang yesterday by Mr Paul B (your rep)who said that your company head office had been in touch with him and couldn't supply the 327w panels and that you wanted to substitute lower rated panels and a new contract drawn up and sent to me. I stated that this was unacceptable to me and could I speak to his superior. A person called Mark subsequently rang me and stated that your company wouldn't supply that panel (327w) at the price agreed and that the representative had made an error ( even though he had checked with his manager
that the price was alright before he offered it ). Mark went further to say that he would redraw the contract and give another £500 off the lower rated panel system 2.5Kw or it would be an extra £2000 for the contracted system specified.
I stated that this was also unacceptable and I expected you (My Planet) to stand by the signed existing and fully paid for contact.A cheque for £6000 was given to Mr Beale when the agreement was signed and was cashed by My Planet. I
also said that all his proposals to alter the contract and why be put in writing."
This was a couple of weeks ago since then I have involved HIES, a trade organisation which offers mediation and a Ombudsman service. Although they broke the contract HIES accept that is was a genuine error by the representative and and that my options were to ask for my money back or take it to Ombudsman service which he said would take months to get my money back.I opted for contract cancellation and money back.
Since then the MD and his wife have been on holiday and the lady in accounts is off till next week and no one else can write cheques .Next they say its in the post or the computer is broke or the pen has ran out of ink.
Has any else used HIES to mediate or this Ombudsman, My Planet seem to be giving them the runaround .I know I was stupid but it all seemed so good.
HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE?0 -
MY PLANET
This is a sorry tale,
Has any else used HIES to mediate or this Ombudsman, My Planet seem to be giving them the runaround .I know I was stupid but it all seemed so good.
HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE?
Yes indeed!
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5043214&page=40
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