UPDATE: The Feed-In Tariff is now closed for new applications. To find out about the new scheme designed to replace it, click here.
There are now over half a million properties in the UK with solar panels on the roof. While many households have chosen to invest in solar panels to benefit from both the Feed-in Tariff and the free electricity produced, others have had them installed by companies offering ‘free solar panels’.
Free solar panels were popular almost the minute the Feed-in Tariff was launched. You can learn more about the Feed-in Tariff by clicking here, but basically it was a payment made by the Government for producing electricity with solar panels. Initially the FiT was extremely generous, with each unit of electricity produced by the solar panels being worth approximately 43 pence. Compare this to buying a unit of electricity from the grid; you pay about 10 – 12 pence at the moment.
The reason for the generosity of the Feed-in Tariff was to help people cover the installation costs of the solar panels on their roof. When first launched, the FiT was paid for the first 25 years of operation, so for 25 years the household would receive 43 pence for every unit of electricity produced by the solar system on their roof. This made the payback extremely quick (just 6-8 years in most cases) – and then the household would still benefit from the free electricity and continued payments.
Why did companies offer free solar panels?
The offer from these companies was pretty simple – homeowners made use of the free electricity the panels generated and the installers took the Feed-in Tariff payments. Loads of people snapped up this arrangement – A Shade Greener, one of the biggest companies offering free solar panels, installed over 67,000 solar systems!
Obviously for solar installers to offer the free solar panels, there were a few conditions to be met – the most important thing was that the solar panels were always producing electricity (when the sun was shining). For example, if the household needed to remove the panels for a period to do repairs, they would have to compensate the company for any loss of FIT income. There was a benefit though; since the install companies wanted panels to keep producing electricity, – if any issues occurred with the panels (i.e. inverter blowing), then they would act very quickly to get the system back up and running.
Why might someone want to remove free panels?
The contracts tend to last for the full term of the Feed-in tariff and so if the homeowner is looking to sell the property during the term of the FiT, the potential buyers (and banks offering mortgages) need to be happy with the arrangement since they would need to keep the panels in place on the roof.
We are sure this is going to become a more and more common situation, especially since the terms of the Feed-in contract were quite so long (25 years originally, although now just 20 years). In fact, it was a few years ago that the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) issued warnings that people could face problems when selling their home when free solar panels were installed.
Likewise, issues could also rear their heads when homeowners are looking to re-mortgage their properties, with some mortgage providers running miles when the term ‘solar lease’ is mentioned.
Just this week, we have had an email from a son whose mother has sadly just passed away – he is having real problems selling her property due the presence of the free solar panels, but as per the original signed contract the panels can’t be removed.
The only real solution is to find a buyer who is willing to take on the contract, or pay the install company to get out of the contract. Not quite the ‘free electricity’ deal that was signed up to originally.
Do you have free solar panels? How have they worked for you? Would you recommend this scheme to friends – let us know your thoughts below!
Caught in a trap!,
We had leased panels installed in 2011.
We did not have a mortgage then and decided to apply for equity release,to help our children out, in July 2016.
We were using a well known company and initially were told that we had to have property deeds altered to have both our names listed before our application could go forward.
We did as requested and then an application was made to a company who would agree to lending on a property with leased solar panels.
Then the fun began. The deed of variation issued by the original company was not correct.
We could not find a contact address so went via the local panel maintenance company to request current phone number.
We were then contacted by the operations manager of another solar panel company.
The company that we had the agreement with had been dissolved and taken over by another of 12 companies registered at Companies House.
We were not informed of the transfer but were told that it was quite a common occurrence!
We informed him that their deed of variation was unacceptable by a mortgage company and were asked by him ti provide an acceptable deed of variation that the new company could copy!,
The mortgage broker explained that another solar panel company had worked with the mortgage company to produce an acceptable deed of variation so a copy of that was sent to our solar provider.
The deed was altered and returned to me to send to the mortgage broker.
Refused again.
Could anyone give me advice on what to do?
We have a house which is unmortgageable and will need to sell in the near future to provide care fees.
I have already contacted the Law Society but they are not able to help directly and have advised to find a specialist solicitor.
Does anyone know of a relevant solicitor to contact?
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi. We have been trying to equity release on our house with the ‘free’ solar panels. We are signing to complete on Friday after 2 1/4 years
We are having to buy them for £18,000. I think that’s about double the price of todays new ones. During the 8 years we had the panels they changed ownership several times and it took a while to find the owners. We have never had them serviced or anyone call to see if they actually work. I could bore you for hours on our story
I have had free solar panels 11 years ago and now my relationship has broken down with my partner and I wish to remortgage in order to pay her out of the house. The problem being I can’t remortgage cos of the lease. nor can I sell the property because people are having problems getting mortgages themselves i have the option to buy out of the lease, but the company are asking for £24000, nearly £10000 more than they were originally worth.
Hi I think this is like. a legal scam the original company always seems to go into liquidation. I tried to contact them as the inverter failed apparently they always do after 5 years, but I got an anonymous letter back no letter heading, no signature and very non committal wording, so it’s a scam, the panels didn’t work for a good while but no one contacted me? I had to find them, which I did through the energy company who have now ceased trading! Same story. When you want to buy the panels from them they over price them way beyond there original value! I honestly don’t know the answer.
Hi all, I also have panels fitted by a company that went into liquidation. I never signed a lease and there was never any lease registered. The worrying thing is that I was told that the company was supplying the panels for free so that they could have it assessed for them to obtain accreditation. In fact the company appears to have sold the panels to another party, without my knowledge and they are demanding that I sign a lease. Although I would rather they remove the panels, I did offer a commercial figure, without prejudice, in order to settle the dispute. They have sent a solicitor’s letter demanding a lease be signed or a forced sale to me based on their original purchase price and their loss of possible Fit income with a supposed 25% discount, totalling £27,000 for a 2kw system. I think their dispute is with the supplier who obviously misled both of us but does anyone know where I stand without a lease being in place?
I have been trying my best to get answers from the government but the isn’t an acting prime minister!
The whole situation is has to be raised in the house of commons!
I have a contract with a shade greener it has not been dated when at all by the salesman when I have signed it and I was unwell at the time!
So I don’t know if it is legally binding!
No one else has the answer!
Contract law seems to be a mind field!
We all need to establish if the newly formed company can afford to go into
liquidation once again or not!
Hi what was the out come of this, I have the same problem
I am also similar situation under the rent a roof scheme. The solar panel company has go into administration.Another company in Malaysia has chased me for signature for years and also want to access to the meter. I refused and wrote them to say that if they fail to obtain letter from the the administrator of the company that went bust within 3 months. I will remove the panel or claim the feed in tariff. The period has gone past. There is no reply from them.
I thing the lease should have been signed before installation, but if they installed the panels without lease means no contract been signed, they are wrong, if they go to court they will loose the case.
First question from the court to them will be,
Why did they install the panels if no lease or signed agreement with the owner.
Hi Have you found a specialist
Lawyer who deals with solar panel leases.
As would be very keen to have there details if i find have the same problem when i want to sell.
We have the same problem no mortgage and will be looking for equity release in the future on the property we have just brought the company previous owners used is dissolved in 2011 who owns them now .? We’re you able to find a solicitor able to advise .
Hi,
A shade greener fitted panels to my leasehold house but failed to ask for permission from the leaseholder or lender and didn’t register the lease with land registry. Waiting to exchange on a sale but need these removing as the leaseholder has refused their install and said they must be removed
I had mine with them and cannot get equity release now as they didn’t register them on the lad registry and won’t do it now
Did you get the panels removed we are having a problem with selling our house
We have free solar panels on a 25 year lease, 19 to go. The firm who owned them has been dissolved. Who is now the owner of the solar panels
Hi was your lease with brightbox energy ltd .
Which was dissolved. .
Hi Val, I had the same issue with trying to find the new owners. The best solution is to shut them off completely – the new owners (if any) who bought your lease from the dissolved company will then see that your panels are not reporting and should contact you to see why. The new owners benefit from the feed-in tariff, so need to make their money, so non-reporting units need to be looked at. It could take a few weeks or possibly longer to contact you (may be to go through a calendar month reporting cycle), but when they do you’ll then have the new details.
I have the same problem..did you manage to sort it? Janelindaward@gmail.com
Hi Steve,
This is a great tip – thank you for sharing – this had never crossed my mind!!
You’re very welcome James.
You may have to switch them off for longer, but hopefully at least within a month they should contact you (just keep them off for as long as possible).
It can be a mine-field, especially with the scheme being widely available to anyone that wanted to start a business with good credit! The government should have vetted these companies more, or foreseen some issues down the line – very poor indeed.
The company that installed them were Ideal Solar 4U. The lease’s were then acquired by Ecovision.I am very disappointing by the whole thing as not only as its devalued my house (by £15K because of this lease), but it also will make it selling a real pain because the buyer has to accept the solar agreement is there, but also go through a mortgage company that agrees they are fine with the lease. Another issue I had was re-mortgaging and by taking so long because of this issue, it cost me about £1K more over a year being on my old mortgage!
I need to get out of this contract one way or another and don;t see why I should pay anything at all, namely because it’s devalued my house and for the issues I’ve had tracking the new owners (who are actually making money out of my misery).
Any help anyone has with specialist help in getting out of the contract would be gratefully received!
Thanks, Steve.
This is such an issue… qe have just lost a buyer for our home because of this type of agreement. I have seen in many discussion forums that others have experienxes the same problems although the solar company deny this! And proactively claim that this type of arrangement can help you sell your property… what a load of rubbish!!! Mis-selling rouge trader tactics spring to mind here!. I am now considering a legal case or campaign so wander if there are any others out there that want to join me???
We are going through the same our buyers can’t get the mortgage it’s a nightmare
Hi is this still valid pls ? I have same issue
Hello Trina,
I don’t know how old your message is, but if you are still active in getting together then could you reply to this message and I will fill in more details.
Hi Trina ,…did you ever get your campaign started ?,..would definitely join you. I cannot begin to tell you the nightmare we are having
with these solar panels which we inherited .
Regards
Margaret
Hi yes me to i am willing to take action against them as they sade to me before instalation that the panels will add value to my property which is lying to make me accept
I do … it needs to be legal action as we have all been miss lead.. it is causing problem to sell your homes and I am not saving money .. the government should step up as they recommended this mess
My mother-in-law was due to complete on the sale of here property tomorrow 19/04/2018. We’ve spent the last 4 days emptying the house, given most of her furniture to charity and put the rest in storage. This morning she received a call informing her the buyer had pulled out due to A SHADE GREENERs incompetence with the contract. This is the second time its happened and she’s also had lots of offers retracted due to the panels.
She is a 71 year old widow who has lived there for 30 years and once again this has reduced her to tears and unable to speak. ASG is and it is detrimental to her health.
A legal case or campaign is something I would be glad to join.
We have had the solar panels installed in 2012 on the free scheme too, now 2017 we have our house on the market we had one buyer drop out as either his solicitor or bank scared him regarding the solar panels lease, luckily the company that installed them is still in business and is on the list of accredited installers we contacted the installer to check if they had any problems with the buyers bank before and they said no and vise with the Bank and they said no so it’s probably the solicitors who scared our buyers away and they were first time buyers too so it is scary when a solicitor tells you it’s a big problem the solar panel business, in the panic if loosing the buyer we tried to check with the installer if we could take these off but the catch is that because we agreed the 25 year lease we would have to pay 13000.00 to do so, well luckily we got another potential buyer and now we got all the installation and accredited certificates in place to show before the bank or solicitor starts the questions about these bloody solar panels, it all depends on who installed your solar panels and the bank that you are dealing with as we have remortgaged our property with the solar panels with no problems but in my experience if I knew what the complications could be when selling our property with the solar panels installed I wouldn’t have bothered and if I had the chance to get them installed for free I’d say no and save up and install them myself to get the tarrif and free electricity and not to be tied down to a lease for that redicoulos amount of time, hope this info helps.
Hi does anyone knows any solicitor who can help with this issue pls because we are stuck too and not really can afford to buy the lease
OUR SOLICITOR SAID ITS A COMMERCIAL LEASE AND WE CANT GET OUT OF IT, EVEN THO DAD HAS PASSED AWAY AND MUM ADVANCED DEMENTIA IN CARE HME. WE HAVE ACCEPTED OFFER ON THEOR HOUSE, HOWEVER, ONLY IF NO PANELS. I WOULD JOIN A CAMPAIGN. 11 YEARS IN.
Hi James. We are in same situation because of solar panels our buyer wants to pull out. May I ask you who what was the solar company name you had lease with? As we are with A shade greener and on lease there is no buy out option. Thanks
I got mine from a firm called Norton ( who then went bust ) via the Govt scheme at the time I think -I am now having problems with the Company who took over Norton SLS and their Lawyers . A Deed of Variation was agreed and signed but they now wish to change it Does anyone else know of this happening as I may wish to sell the property .
Hi, I have a solar panel installed by solar company on a rent a roof scheme. the company has gone bust. I contact the company administer., they are not able to tell me the ownership of the panels. there was a company trying to claim the ownership. so far i have rejected the claim as I mentioned to them that they have to contact the administrator who deal with the adminstration.So far no detsil coming from them. Can I make a legal claim of ownership
Absolute rip off, I’m trying to extend my property and can’t get the funding from lenders because of the solar panels, Solar Sun 9 have written back saying it’s nothing to do with them so tough luck. Nice people, not.!! 4 companies are involved with my panels so all sounds dodgy as. We wasn’t warned of the possible complications and their excuse is they wasn’t aware at the time. The salesman for Paul O’Brian was independant and now doesn’t work for the company so is unacountable
We are now stuck with a house with a bigger family that we can’t extend, re-mortgage or sell and no one could care less
Dan Cambridge of Solar Sun 9 and Paul O’Brian are crooks and could not care less as long as they are still earning money
Hi Brett,
I hope this message gets to you. I am purchasing a property that has solar panels installed by Paul O’Brian. Under Solar Sun 4, I don’t know what is going on but I think we’re going to have to pull out because we want to extend and can’t – looks like the buyout is in the region of £900k.
Did you get anywhere with it?
All the best
We had free solar panels from a shade greener the deal was clearly miss sold to us as enhancing our property we now cannot re mortgage and have lost a buyer because of the lease of our roof space in
Same with me never made any difference to my bills now can’t sell or get equity release because of a shade greener not registerering them at all
Oh dear !!! We are in a similar situation. How many people are out their with this problem I think Keith is right it needs to go to parliament and they need to answer why their free scheme has rendered our homes unsaleable 😡
Brett i agree alot of these solar companies seem underhand.. keep changing owners and new company names. The problem is now why the lenders been so difficult as well . This is going to be a big problem when people can not sell and need to go into care homes. I think most people did not realise that solar panels. Leases. And the government allowing these companies to operate as they do.
We need solar panels, do these schemes still exist. We are planning on being in this house till the day we die!!
Have you a family who will inherit. They will be lucky to sell it. Its a nightmare. My children have been trying to sell their fathers house as he passed on. Think carefully. It doesnt pay what it used to anymore.
Do not think the free roof panels are around . As the panels earn too little fits tarrif for them to put them on for free.
the company who fitted these panels on my property was a shade greener i have an interest only mortgage which is due to be repayed by january i have tried contacting them but no reply there is a real danger here i could lose my home we are both in our seventies in poor health my wife with early stage dementia they dont care a flying fig for gods sake dont use these or other greedy shysters whatever you do
my father signed up to this when hed just come out of hospital after a stroke and now he has parkinsons and they need to downsize. They have lost three sales and cant sell their house. If you know of a lawyer or anyway around it please let me know
look it seems lots of you out there have been conned by these “free solar panels” do you think it is time a stand was taken against these people installing contact your local mp explain the problems you have had there needs to be an enquiry into the legallity of these companies if not judicially morally i feel we have all been misled and lied to take a look at a shade greeners so called myth busting comments saying there isnt a problem selling your home no problem for people getting mortgages who want to buy your properties people wanting equity release mortgages its all lies there are serious problems all over the country with selling getting mortgages etc my e mail address is keith 991@hotmail.co.uk
contact me please with your email address so we can move this into the house of parliament thank you i am incensed by this situation
Hi Keith
Email: lesmond62@gmail.com
Have ASG panels and want to remove for maintenance, they have asked for £1000 fully refundable ‘deposit’ but will not say what this is for?
Hello Trina,
I don’t know how old your message is, but if you are still active in getting together then could you reply to this message and I will fill in more details.
Hi Keith , i am having the same problems as everyone else here , I think it’s about time the Government sorted all this out , as it was done through them . Suemg53@googlemail.com
Agree totally this needs to be taken to parliament as the government backed these schemes
sending you and email direct
Totally agree we are with Isis 6 months down the line we are no further forward MP involved I want answers . I would love to hear from people with any advise and I agree a united front is called for !!!
Hi. We can’t get equity release because of lease solar panels. I am all for getting Parliament involved.
Regards
S Sims
simsbk@hotmail.co.uk
just noticed another lie from a shade greener myth buster as they called they say they are approved by the council of mortgage lenders it seems from the blog accompyining this website far from approving a shade greener they have actually issued warnings about the potential growing problems associated with these free panels again anyone out there please contact me at keith991@hotmail.co.uk
Hi I had panels fitted by a shade greener. They removed all my roof tiles and now I have only felt below them. I have been told and warned by a number of people that they were wrong to remove the tiles as this makes my roof open to leaks and escape of heat through lack of insulation and would be getting higher heating costs. I have also heard sounds in my loft like creaking and there seems to be new cracks appearing in the upstairs walls as it’s as if the roof may just blow off. A shade greener are a shade to shades and haven’t proved helpful in the past. What can I do.
I believe I was completely misled by A Shade Greener because of the Pigeon problems I now have. I dont believe im making very much saving now. I want out of this contract. The guy who sold it to us said if we werent 100% happy we could have them removed. That was a lie. My roof is being damaged not to mentions health implications.
We have exactly the same problem and want our panels removed. Did you have any success?
Hi, I’m having the same problem with A Shade Greener and pigeons, damaging my home. ASG said they would put pigeon guards up for free as my neighbours had them fitted before I requested mine, but I had to wait six months, no one got back to me, I tried to chase them up over two years of trying ASG came back saying they are not legally responsible .but the pigeon guards once promised for free would now be a chargeable service……£450+vat+scaffolding, +-£1.500 . Disgusting company, They have since told me that the trade associations that they are members of do not require ASG to warn homeowners of the threat of pigeon infestation. These trade associations or ombudsman schemes won’t help us either. So the only other route would be to take ASG to court. Which will be my next step, my advice is don’t go anywhere near this company. !
Hello, I would be happy to join you in any action you wish to take. I am also with A shade greener and whilst I don’t have the pigeon problem they are trying to get me to pay £1000 refundable deposit to remove the panels so I can have my rooof replaced. This was not mentioned in the original agreement. This plus reading about the issue people are having in selling their houses makes me just want to get rid.
I am also having problems with this company over Pigeons, to which they want to charge me over £1000 to net round them. I had a Hedgehog brush system put round them that worked for awhile , but somehow they have got back in. I phoned Citizens advice and they reckon Shade Greener are liable. But i must get my contract out and read all the small print, as they may have put a clause in there. I have found other paperwork from them and the Land Refgistry, but can’t find any contract. Does anyone out there have one to check for me what it says regarding what they are liable for? I can’t afford this money as I’m disabled and on Universal Credit awaiting my pension. This is causing m alot of anxiety at a time I could do without it as I’m due my second Cancer op after one in August. Would appreciate any info as I’ve requested a copy , but as you all know their after sales is rubbish.
Same here the pigeons are messing all over I can’t even put washing out I’m suffering from mental health they want to charge us £1150 plus vat
Hi yes I am having exactly the same problem, , A Shade Greener want £450+vat + scaffolding , +- £1.500 to retro fit pigeon guards, it’s costing me more money to have the the panels than the pittance of a saving I’m supposedly making . the trade associations and ombudsman services won’t help . My next step is to take ASG to court!
MY Advice is don’t install ashadegreener panels, we have an nightmare with pigeons and damaged roof, and the company is not interested. in sorting the problem. You could call a thousand times and they will not reply. they have the worst customer service I’ve ever encountered. They tricked my elderly father who has dementia in installing them, and now just completely ignore my attempts to contact them. or they lie saying they got no reply to their calls. I am now in the process of taking legal action. against them.
Have you had any joy with your legal action ?
Can you tell me how the legal action is going. I have this same issue with pigeons and refuse to pay as in my view the only reason the pigeons are there is because of ASG panels! I am looking to take legal action myself but not sure where to start ?
Free electricity for how long to pay for “550.0 for pidgin proof never mind the damage – pure scam
Hi I am in the same boat can you tell me if you had any luck because I am am stuck and I feel we can all raise a voice
Anyone thinking about getting the free solar panel offer from Ashadegreener, my advice is DON’T , but if you do,make sure you have in print in the contract that pigeon guards be fitted when the panels are installed unless you want the nightmare to begin! I had mine fitted weeks after my neighbors . In 2014 They had pigeons nesting under the panels filling and blocking the gutters with bird poo. Ashadegreener came out to them to fit a pigeon guard free of charge, part of their service right? Wrong.! When I requested them s(ortly after the infestation started, ( to date I have upward of 30 pigeons nesting) I was told that there was a six month waiting list, no one got back to me, I tried to chase it up with phone calls , emails , letters until two and a half years later they came back to me saying they are not responsible or legally obligated to remove the pigeons and fit the guards free of charge! They do however now have a chargeable service to fit the guards £450+vat + scaffolding +- £1,500! I wonder what they never warned me beforehand that it would be highly likely that I would have a pigeon problem? After all, my neighbors two and three doors down had the problem weeks before plus, there is a lot of online documentation that says pigeons do nest under the panels! Review centres are full of complaints.! ASG have a solicitor at the helm so be sure they have covered their backs , you won’t have a leg to stand on. Plus they give you the choice to find an independent company to fit the guards at a better price . BUT , they warn you , if there is any damage done to the panels during installation, we as the landlord will be responsible! On principle I refuse to pay for the guards and in no way am I or anyone else going to touch the panels or the system ( we are warned at the beginning that we must never touch or otherwise interfere with the panels) as they are the sole property of ASG) I in turn want to cover my back! This is a very long contract, 25 years ! In hindsight I wouldn’t have bothered as now I am spending more money on cleaning conservatory roof and gutters (£100 a time )than I am supposedly saving!
A lot of people on my road have had free solar panels from free solar 4 u but i believe this company no longer is in operation where do we find out and how do we stand
I would never recommend lease solar panels. We have had then 7 years with no issues until we now want some equity release. Because of the terms of the lease and the unwavering stance of the solar company we are unable to get the loan. Our only option now is to buy out of the contract at a cost of £21,000 Some saving of money. The government shout act.
I have solar panels with I paid for I have to have them on the roof for 25 years to make any money out of them can I have them removed after 25 years
my parents are looking to equity release but now are unable to do so because of these so called free solar panels , if this was explained by the sales person at the time and not hidden in the small print they would never have signed up for it , does anybody know how we can overcome this issue
Same problem it is in the hand’s of my Solicitor this outfit is not a member of the Council of Mortgage Lenders should betaken of the market
please let me know how you get on. My parents cant sell their home, are ill and need to downsize.
Hi are you referring to a shade greener, and can I ask what your solicitor has said. We too have pigeon problems!!
I would never recommend free solar panels , ours have been nothing but trouble from the start , 6 years down the line and still not got anything settled as the company that installed them went bust with the director being band ,
The company that own the panels is based in Hong Kong , and they keep changing the company that represents them in this country ,
They have never been checked or maintained
I believed that the Company who provided my “free” solar panel deal were govt approved and associated with a Govt body. When I looked in the envelope that I was given that was meant to contain my contract, all I found was a manual. I assumed that they would contact me in due course, provide statements etc, at least yearly, I have not had any contact from the solar panel company in 6 years and have no idea who they are and don’t know how to find out. How do I find out who owns the solar panels on my house? I don’t know where to turn? We should be protected by the Government as these companies SAY that they are recommended by the Government. I wondered why my house is worth £20k less than everyone else’s!
Switch the system off, the company no doubt then contact you.
I am currently trying to sell my Mothers bungalow, with leased solar panels, after she passed away in March last year. I did have a buyer who was initially very keen however, it would seem after her surveyor had surveyed the bungalow, she wanted me to reduce the agreed price of the bungalow by the cost of buying out of the the lease and arrange for the removal of the panels, I refused to do either and she has now withdrawn her offer to buy. Having looked further into this matter and I becoming increasingly suspicious of how the panels were initially sold to my parents, who were both aged 78 at the time. I am sure had they been fully aware of how binding the leasing of their roof space would be in relation to selling the property they would not have entered into such a scheme.
my father was sold the panels after coming out of hospital after a stroke. He has now got parkinsons and needs to downsize. They have lost three sales and cant sell their home. It should be illegal to sell to older people who wont outlive the panels. Let me know if you take legal action and who you will use.
i have the same issue we had solar fitted by freetricity in 2011 but now want to sell our house, i have tried to get on freetricity website but no luck, has anyone challenged these companies yet to win removal ?
Yours is the first one ive seen that has used freetricity too.
Im have pigeon problems.
Been trying 6 months to sort problems, they dont anser, well they have twice in that time but was very short with me.
Are they still in business do you know?
Provider of my Solar Panels A Shade Greener did not warn me of the problem’s I will face with Equity Release or selling my house due to the Council of Mortgage lender’s rule’s the firm should be taken to account even sued
I have been refused Equity Release as this company a Shade Greener did not warn me of problem’s selling and Re-Mortgage, because this outfit is not a member of the Council of mortgage lender’s,the matter is in the hand’s of my Solicitor the company should be shot down and fined
We are struggling with a shade greener got a buyer for the house but a shade greener wont contact the buyers solicitor so the sale is going to fall through we are going to have to just leave the property empty as we have moved into sheltered property that house was for our retirement
I’m hoping you can help me. I took over my parents house after my mum passed away last year. On checking it seems solar panels my parents had fitted 8 yrs ago was never wired up correctly. So all the electric generated have gone to the owners. I have tried to ask for compensation, or the panels to be removed – however the 3rd party owners will not answer my emails. They just want to install the correct installation switch. I have since paid a private electrician to disconnect the panels so that the owners are not benefitting from the electric they are generating. I was expecting a call or letter – but I haven’t. So I’m not sure the Electrician has done what I asked for correctly.
Can I ask is it possible to “turn off” the energy that the panels are producing so that the owners of the panels will not benefit. I know I am in breach of the contract – however I believe they are as well. Unfortunately I am not in the financial position to pay for legal advice to fight the owners and I cannot afford to buy out of the contract. Thank you in advance.
I was lied to about the free solar panels. The man even forged my wife signature. He said with in a year my bills would reduce, almost 5 years later my bills are still sky high. WORST THING I HAVE EVER DONE WAS GET THESE.
Please contact me on Shehbaz_akbar@hotmail we are experiencing much of the same issues as described above. How can the government allow these companies to operate.
help
I feel like I was only told what I needed t0 know ie free solar panels so I get most of my electric free wrong,we can say we ave never felt know difference on the electric bill,hence we ave actually asked them if they are working ??? To get know reply they ave now been on since 2011,and there was no mention of probs when ya try an sell your house,it does get messy as we ave found out,I wish I ad waited and brought my own and got sum benefit of solar panels,can I get out of this mess,
My rent the roof solar panels have just blown off the roof. At the moment can t see whether roof tiles are broken. Are the compant responsible for the tiles and how quickly should the brgin repairs
my 92 year old father was pressured into having these panels fitted on his roof. He signed for a 25 year lease, when he died 5 years later I had to reduce the house price by £20,000 to be able to sell it.
Hi. I had Lease Solar Panels fitted in 2011. I havent noticed any reduction in my Electriciry Bill’s. Indeed, they seem to be extremely high.
I’ve asked the company if they can demonstrate that I have recieved any free electricity but they have not been able to do so.
Furthermore, an electrician told be my system isn’t set up for me to draw from them but the panels WILl draw from my supply to power them when they are failing to draw enough sunlight.
I dont know who to contact to draw a report on this.
Can anyone help?
So we have a problem with pigeons camping underneath the panels causing havoc to the roof
So I have no idea who has now taken over the solar panels
The fact they are using my roof space and I have this problem surely they are required to put netting over the panels ??
So what I’m going to do is raise this issue and switch the connection off in my loft and wait for them to contact me !!
it is just a rip off
I have never had benefit from the solar panels fitted approx 10 years ago to my property. no reduction of electricity bills and no contact from the firm..they have been dissolved can I get the panels removed as I want to sell y house?
Would never have agreed to free solar panels if i had been properly informed. Pigeons a real nightmare and blatantly lied to about the company basically owning part of my proprty.
we had panels fitted about 2008 have seen no benefit whatsoever no difference to bills at all asked company to come and check as to why sent someone out was her about ten minutes said everything was fine think we have been duped now I need a new roof and have to pay £2000 to have them removed and reinstalled
We have rent a roof scheme panels on our roof, we have been searching for years to find out who owns them, ofgem have confirmed that there is no FiT coming from our property, also the liquidators of the company that installed them had no records referring to our property. So now looking for a solicitor to help us claim them as our own, impossible trying to find one though as they only seem to help if claiming for mis-sold system. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Got a buyer for my house wth solar panels fitted with a shade greener but the sale on hold because they won’t correspond with us or buyers solicitor
I have a leak in my roof under the solar panels, the company who fitted them (A Shade Greener) has gone bust, but some kind of roofing company (ASG) seems to be still up and running. They said it would be a year before they could come to remove the panels for us to make the repair, and that no-one but them were allowed to move them!!! Where exactly does that leave me? Water coming through the ceiling for a year! Absolutely scandalous!
Have you got any further with this.
We are currently in the process of buying a bungalow with solar panels installed under the rent a roof scheme. The panels were installed by the current owner in 2012 with a 25year agreement my question is can can we get out of this lease and how?
Or do we pull out of the purchase. We are not getting a good deal on the price of the property either.
I had solar panels fitted free 5 years ago by A Shade Greener and have had no problems at all.I am saving £250 to £300 per year on my electricity.
I would say they are a assett when purchasing a house.
I would not recommend free solar panels to anyone because I have them and have never noticed a difference
I need a new roof and the company want me to pay £700 to remove the panels ,they would not be able to go on new roof as it is a light,titanium tile.
I have free solar panels on this house left to me by my uncle. We have never found the company that installed them. My uncle claims he was never given documents. He was a secretary to Harold Wilson I’m his day but water infections voided his thinking process now and then. Result ?????
A waste of space we have had them for 10 years and have never seen any benefit we have just had to have our extension roof replaced as the snow falling off the panels damaged the room and caused it to leak badly
I do think you should get all your facts straight before you write these kind of articles. In fact, the agreement we signed with our Solar Panel tenants was very clear – not only is it their full responsibility to maintain and insure the panels, and put right any damage arising from them, should that happen, but they are also responsible for removing the panels and replacing them should the homeowner wish to do any roof repairs or install something like a dormer window. Furthermore, there is no liability for the homeowner to pay any compensation for lost FiT during the period of repair. I know some people have had problems from their company, but not all companies are the same and inaccurate reporting hasn’t helped anyone.
I have just learnt that my mother in law signed a lease with freetricity in 2012 when she was suffering with dementia she has now passed away and I have also learnt that we now have a charge with these con merchants registered with land reg
I have tried to call them and email no answer
Any suggestions who else we can contact to raise this with
This sort of treatment of our elderly is disgusting and something needs to be done to stop it happening again!!
Any advice will be much appreciated
We bought a property in 2019 which had the free panels from a ceased company which had been bought out by what is now Solar Sun 6. The original contract had to be amended and signed by the son of the deceased owner (house was in probate). Long story short our mortgage company accepted the contract however we don’t get any benefit from the Solar panel company “renting” our roof space, they wont even come and clean them, and so now want to get them removed… Is there anywhere that can guide us on this process?
No not at all. My childrens father passed away with these panels on his roof and now they are unable to sell their inheritance. The company will not respond and it isnt connected to the grid so little more than useless. Be warned its a nightmare with no get out.
My wife dad few years back he signed up to a free solar panel scheme we have no idea who runs it or who maintains them so i just turned everything off that powers the panels 3 days later someone was knocking the door saying they have come to repair the system as its not communicating
now have name addresss and phone numbers
I had some soler panel put for free now when I want to extend my house at the the back the company refuse to remove them if identification put them in the same place and if I want them removed of they stay in the same place I will have to pay for the time the are off , There must be many people in my postition who regret having them put on and was not advised about the panel being on the roof for 25 year and that I dont have the right to remove them with out permission I would like get every one togather and take this further but need support and get are selfs out of this problem.
Anyone having problems finding out who the new company for your solar panels. Do what i did and turn them off so they do not generate. It doesn’t take long for them to contact you and let you know they there is a problem.
The actions I have taken so far is sending a recorded delivery letter to the company
Stations that the free panels scheme was miss sold and we were miss led
The lease is preventing us from re mortgaging or selling at full market value
And untill the lease is removed the panels will remain switched off
I am happy to continue with having the panels but no lease of my roof space
They have not replied yet other than phone calls about the panels not reporting in when I told them they didn’t know what to say
I also think more can be done with media like watchdog
I’ve got ashadegreener panels mine must of been up about 10 or 15 years I’m so shocked to see everything I’ve read on here.
First I had no clue about pigeon problems, I’m almost too scared to look under mine now..
Also didn’t know ashadegreener had been dissolved.
Also don’t have my original contract, worried sick reading that so many people are having problems selling there homes because of this, I did remember asking ashadegreener what id do if I wanted to sell my home, and clearly remember being told it would be no problem whatsoever and a benefit for the new owner.
I was also told there was free maintenance on the panels ie free cleaning, ive never had a visit to have them cleaned now I see why.
Surely there is going to be a class action lawsuit against Ashadegreener now ??
I’d be happy to share my details for email and any potential future developments that may help us all my email is mrshawnlwilliams@gmail.com
Hi ll we are the same boat as everyone else miss sold a solar roof lease scheme
The bills never seemed to change with our free electricity ???
We can’t sell at full market value
and found it impossible to remortgage
My panels are now turned off and AS is going to take legal action for breach of lease
Bring it on I say
It will be interesting while the panels are off to see if bills go up
i will hopefully start a website in the next few weeks and psot all the info, letters, etc
In the meantime if anyone has any tips or has indeed been down the legal route
I would love to here from you
email
hepsolarcase@btinternet.com
Thanks Simon
Hi Mark did you manage to sell ok? I’m having problems with asg do you know where I would stand if I just cut the solar power. Thanks Tom
Had ‘free’ solar panels installed but not saved a single penny on electricity! Utility companies charge extortionate rates & ignore the presence of 15 solar panels!
Hi looking to find out who has taken over the lease of my solar panels who was installed by homesun
I was quoted 2years ago to buy my solar panels which I have had for 10 years 17,000 to own them outright. Its daylight robbery and I got a quote from another solar panel company who would of put it up for 6,000 and the tariff would of been all mine. What I’m upset with is this was government backed and approved so I wonder if there is anyway to fight this saying they were in the wrong to mislead people who respected the opinion of the government. Can I fight eco vision who want 17,000 to release me from the contract do you know? Thank you for listening
Can you help we have solar panels but now need a new roof on our bungalow. Are there any roofers who will remove the panels and replace them after the roof has been replaced. We are in West Yorkshire and having a dickens of a job getting any information
I have free solar panels on my roof,they were fitted in march 2012.i am having problems taking equity from the property, but my problem with this is i have never had any financial benefit from this scheme and cannot find who is supposed to own said panels to have them removed plus i cannot remember receiving a contract,any suggestions??????
Fight to regain your rights and house back from these fraudsters.
If you want to fight back there is only one way to do it. That is to get together and employ a solicitor to represent us. I am in the same situation or even worse as the system I have is defective and has been for the last just over four years. I have been everywhere and followed up all possible lines of inquiries to get this system repaired. No one want’s to know. So it is down to everyone to band together and see what we can do collectively. I am prepared to put an email address on this site for contact. All emails will be answered. If any one of you are interested then reply to this letter and I will start the ball rolling.
I will be happy to join any action you are planning to take.
I have ASG panels and as per contract can have them removed/replaced twice during the contract tenure, however they are asking for £1000 ( fully refundable) ‘deposit’ whilst this is done but won’t reveal why this charge is levied?
Hi Les I am in the same position. They have told me that the £1000 was intrdoduced because others had refused to allow reinstalation after the panels had been removed. Understandable given all of the reports about their customer service and the issues around selling the property whislt the agreement is in place.
Had my Solar Panels installed by A Shade Greener 6 or 7 years ago, an engineer came out from that company last June to tell me that they were’nt working properly & that they needed looking at, I have heard nothing since, pointess having them on my roof. Are they still trading???
Had free solar panels by a shade greener in 2015 never made one 1p of difference to our bills and now cannot get equity release because they never lodged them on the land register . Will cost us in excess if £3000 to get this done absolutely fuming
i have been trying to get solar storage fitted but they just do not ring me back with a answer other firms could fit them to my system but not agreen.
I would have nothing to do with A Shade Greener they have completely made a mess of my roof Attempting to fit solar panels i am trying to have a new roof due to there mess up no roofer will touch the job after seeing what job they have done something should be done about this Firm they are completely incapable of installing without ruining your tiled roof trust me i want them removed as wouldn’t trust them to go back on my new roof the worst company ever will be seeking Legal advice to have them removed SJ
I would never advise under any circumstances anyone, to consider or have lease solar panel the scheme it is a total nightmare my mums property is virtually unsellable, and I cannot believe the companies that supply the lease are untouchable and that the government backed such a scheme, just another way in which the government waste money, it causes
major distress, misery, and heartache for those like me who also grieving from the loss of my mum/parent. Please do not ever consider leasing your roof if you love your home and want your loved ones to inherit something of value, sadly now my inheritance is worthless,
To all these people on this forum with this lease scheme we need to petition can I join you please Keith.
I’ve had solar panels for 13 to 14 years now I haven’t seen a penny I’ve tried to find out why who’s in charge I keep getting blanked off I just want the panels off my roof but I don’t know how to do that is either as they were put on their free and I’m under a contract with 25 years do you know anybody can help me if you’re out there please let me know or let this page know thank you just need the sound off
“Free electricity” has turned out to have a problem. It has cost us £550.0 to enclose the panels to stop pidgins who have been damaging roof and clogging drains with their excrement and feathers. The space they nest on is under the panels that are leased to “free electricity”. can I get them to pay the £550.0 that it has cost me due to their leased panels?
Please look at a group called A Shade Greener Issues and Complaints.
In order to get ASG greener lease stopped, A way may be, You to install A/C solar batteries, Better still your own separate panels.
You notify ASG by recorded del, you have fitted A/C solar batteries, that you have been told by OFGEM, that ASG are in breach of their FIT contract with OFGEM, ASG must notify if their is any change of house circumstances, or batteries installed, meter contamination,
or any change of circumstances at the property, OFGEM RULES STATE, ASG 50% of generation via FIT, is instantly stopped,
& ASG can now only claim by claiming for its export. WHICH MUST BE METERED ON ITS OWN NEW MAINS METER BY ENERGY SUPPLIER..
The ASG generation will charge your batteries, so ASG will not get much or nil, export money, & may find it better that they cancel the lease on you. If you installed your own separate panels, & you exported your excess electricity, not only would change things instantly, but as ASG would charge your batteries, & when charged, you could then claim your export, which would include ASG generation,
OFGEM would be paying out twice. OFGEM WILL NOT ALLOW THIS, ASG IS FORCED THAT IN ORDER TO CLAIM EXPORT, it has to provide at its own expense a new separate mains meter for itself, & ASG has to pay the standing charge for that new meter it has had to install.,
ASG may fins this to much out lay, & no returns at all, & ASG may give you the installation, & scrap the lease.
Look at the OFGEM website, Terms & conditions of claiming FIT 50% generation tariff, apparently, it would be fraud for ASG to still claim..
It has to go onto metered export. If it will not, or it stops giving you free electric, they have broke the lease, & you can sue.
I have a sightly different problem. I’m halfway through my contract and have no plans to sell or re-mortgage my home, however my panels have become extremely dirty and are much less efficient. I have found impossible to find out who now owns them, they have changed hands four times since installation. The last company will not or cannot give me any further information, Does anyone know how to trace the current owners.
I have solar panels from A Shade Greener. Have had them for about 10 years with no problems. Now we have a leak around a window which we can’t locate in the loft or outside the window. One of the brackets supporting the panels looks like it’s leaning to one side. I had a roofer go up and look and he thinks he can see two cracked tiles either side of the bracket. ASG are finally coming next week for a leak inspection £240. To see if it’s their responsibility…if so we get that fee back,if not then we lose it. Equally they may not be able to locate where the leak is so again would lose the £240…
We have a lease with AShade Greener F7 LLP. From 2013, we have noticed one persons name typed in as a witnessed signature how? She died in 2007, we applied to land registry for full lease to find her name scored through and initials of husband above each score, which are clearly not his writing, I have repeatedly asked who authorised this and who put the initials. They won’t answer. Apart from sending a cheque for £500 to seek legal after we contacted RECC which has been returned to them. We have also noted a structural engineer report stating our roof is safe for the panels, this was carried out in april2013 via a picture of our roof yet we had first contact in May 2013 one month after the supposed survey. Pigeon galore under them. Cable hanging from under and they won’t sort a thing. It’s Dec 2023 now and that just 8gnor or tell you it’s not their problem. Well A SHADE GREENER LTD we know you stamped and verified your land registry documents as true and we know your the FIT GENERATOR so your the owner. Sort this out and get your lease gone and your panels removed. I’m not paying my electricity to run your investor any longer.,
Just a load of ASG #ullsh#t, they change the Lease contract as they deem fit, don’t get caught in their Mafia style agreement,
NOT A CHANCE IN HELL, A shade greener stated in their “lease contract” (supposedly a LEGAL document) roof system will be removed “FREE OF ANY CHARGE) as contract of 2013 stated, now they they want £1000 deposit, and me to pay for all costing as to scaffolding, their just a legal rip-off firm