[ellied]

Having ignored tons of automated messages on my phone about government schemes, I got a real person called yesterday and just happened to catch me in picking up the phone mood, a rare thing!

One of those "surveyors in your area" type thigns I was about to get shot of, but he said his company GoGreen is doing this on behalf of the Scottish Govt to get panels on rooves of those that couldn't afford to buy their panels outright under previous incentives.  I had to turn down a local initiative about 18 months ago for exactly that reason, they needed £15k up front I think, and no way..

Anyway, this story is that the panels go in free from the company, pay for themselves from the feedback into the grid over 6-8 years, and meantime you get reduced elec costs from your normal supplier on the basis you're using mostly what you produce yourself, supplemented when necessary from the grid.

I agreed to the surveyor coming (free) on Tuesday and obviously won't sign up to anything before I look deeper but I wondered if anyone knows of Go Green as a company, can verify the scheme the government is offering really is free to the "roof owner" and any downsides or alternative providers that run the same scheme that I should be checking T&Cs against?

Something for nothing sounds a wee bit too good to be true.  I usually loathe and ignore or refuse anyone that coldcalls me.  But lower lecky bills and going a bit greener would both be nice if it isn't a con of some kind or just a sales pitch that could be matched/exceeded by other means that might cost me something up front but be worthwhile longer term than a free system.  Not that I ahve anything to pay an upfront, but this second class citizen's approach is bugging me a little..

Experiences, advice, considerations, options, dire warnings?

[Dreich Pete]

Basically, you get your electricity for free during the day, but they take ALL of the Feed In Tarrif payments. Check the Ebergy Saving Trust web site, and possibly the Money Saving Expert site, to check on the details about these free solar panel schemes.

I seriously doubt they are doing this on behalf of the Scottish government.

[Factotum]

Second that - check the Energy Saving Trust Scotland website here:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/Generating-energy/Choosing-a-renewable-technology/Solar-panels-PV/Free-solar-PV-offers

We have solar panels (not free ones) - and we've found that the amount we buy from our electricity supplier has decreased. But, we are here all day - so I run the washing machine, do the ironing etc. during the day when we're making electricity.

A basic system should cost around 5.5-6K these days - prices have come down a lot.

Sue

[cloddopper]

Ellied,
Not going political just a straight forward consideration you'll need to try and find out about  .

Should Scotland vote yes will that have a positive or negative effect on you buying and installing before the vote??
Have you heard any noises about whether the 20 year payments would be valid should the vote go yes and in a few year time Scotland become independent .

 I'm not sure where you'll find the right answers ..  just steer clear of ones from the politicians

[lilfeeb]

clodhopper is right you should probably check the implications in the event of a yes vote. The energy saving trust are probably the best people to ask. They might not have the answer but might be able to outline any likely risks.

[ellied]

Well they didn't phone back to confirm and give me the name of the surveyor on the voicemail as agreed, and I don't answer phones with restricted caller id, so I decided that was sufficient doubt as to the company's likelihood of any satisfactory customer management but as they didn't give me a number to call them, and there are 6 Go Green companies doing related products in the UK, 3 or 4 of which do business in Scotland but none of which have a Scottish base (Wiltshire and Devon or Dorset from memory), I think that answers that.  They didn't find me at the appointed time in any case, but then I didn't offer them my mobile number and our postcode covers the village plus a mile or so either side, and I wasn't in the house on a day like yesterday..

Thanks for all the reasons why I am right to say no.  I don't use a lot of electric, have got my monthly payment down to £26 by being very stingy eg heating max 2 hours a night, no hot water except for visitors staying or off the back boiler of the open fire (washer/shower heat their own), and all standby/lights/sockets off if not in use.  So in order to save I'd have to use more, probably, and I was wondering about the risks of spending more and finding it wasn't sunny enough that day and I'd been charged, then the company sold more than my daily use back to the tarriff next day when I was out..  All a bit too scary a prospect for my anxiety, so I'm steering clear until/unless I can actually invest in my own kit, at which point I'll be back.

Thanks again

[doganjo]

Ellied,
Not going political just a straight forward consideration you'll need to try and find out about  .

Should Scotland vote yes will that have a positive or negative effect on you buying and installing before the vote??
Have you heard any noises about whether the 20 year payments would be valid should the vote go yes and in a few year time Scotland become independent .

 I'm not sure where you'll find the right answers ..  just steer clear of ones from the politicians

A signed contract is a signed contract enforceable in the Law courts of either England, Ireland, Wales or Scotland.  Independence would make no difference to a contract already in place.

That said I am doubtful as others are that this company is working on behalf of the Government.  I've had these calls too and just get rid of them.

[Dreich Pete]

I'm not sure the contract is as cast iron as you'd expect from a contract. The money doesn't come from the energy company, it comes from the government coffers (so our taxes) and if the scheme was scrapped, the energy companies would have to pay out of their own pocket. Given that that isn't going to happen, the government would simply nullify any arrangement. The reality is that a government can change the law to make the contracts void. That's one of my concerns about the FIT, apart from it basically being a reshuffle of tax money. If the scheme was really all about renewable energy, they would've set it up so that you got more for surplus electricity as opposed to the current tariffs which pay you for USING more electricity. Madness.