Solar panels - Optama

[HonestJohn]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.

Where’s the catch?

What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

 

[VSS]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.

Where’s the catch?

What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

There are lots of schemes like that. Have been for years. Government has targets to reach with regard to renewables and energy efficiency, and this is one way they're doing it.
I know several people who have taken advantage of the free system, without any drama.

 

[Mountain Bug]

This is quite common in the states and the companies make their profit from the subsidies offered by government programs. The problem that surfaces over and over is follow-up servicing. These companies are rarely local, well established or well grounded. They blow through an area like roofers after a hail storm and have usually closed their doors by the time folks start having troubles with the equipment. Not trying to rain on anybody's parade but please be aware of this.


Scott

 

[MarinePMI]

"Free"= Tax payers money.

Nothing is "free", somebody pays for it.

 

[udderlyoffroad]

My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.

"Free"= Tax payers money.

Nothing is "free", somebody pays for it.

Google ‘Eco4’ schemes. Paid for out of the green levies on your electricity bill. Following the energy crisis, that pot got particularly full, so the criteria for entry dropped!

Am in receipt of the 'full works', that is Insulation, Solar and a heat pump. Disruptive, but the price (£0) was right and I am doing a full refurb on my house anyway. Biggest issue apart from disruption was some of the quality of the plastering work, however this was picked up by their own internal inspectors and rectified. Also the PV installation was limited to 12 panels, my roof is large enough to take more, and it didn't (at the time) include the possibility to have a battery, though that may have changed.

Let me know if you'd like more info.

What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

She'd need to have the roof repaired regardless of how the PV installation was paid for, surely? And yes, they'd have to whip the panels off. The pre-installation survey should pickup whether the roof is in good enough condition to receive solar.

 

[Apthorpe]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions.

I.e. Vulnerable and a prime target for exploitative outfits. If this was genuine, then she could get any builder to do it at zero cost to her. This is no better than a passing pikey doorknocking with a view to ripping her off.

They claim all government funded via grants.

Where’s the catch?

You know the old saying.

What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

 

[Apthorpe]

There is a currently unfolding scandal in the UK with similar outfits who did grant-funded insulation schemes which damaged houses, were incompetently performed etc etc

 

[NoIDeer]

This advice is worth what you paid for it.

Make sure she has full ownership of anything that get attached to her property.

 

[HonestJohn]

Thank you all for your input

 

[udderlyoffroad]

I.e. Vulnerable and a prime target for exploitative outfits. If this was genuine, then she could get any builder to do it at zero cost to her. This is no better than a passing pikey doorknocking with a view to ripping her off.

Any builder that is, who had the appropriate registration to install PV (MCS) not to mention SQEP plumbers & heating engineers.

Honestly, dial it down a bit; of course government backed schemes attract cowboys, and my experience was…mixed. But to tarr everyone with the ‘scammer’ brush is wildly unhelpful.

 

[Mountain Bug]

I wouldn't outright call this a scam, but a case could be made that these companies have an incentive to be unscrupulous. Your local heating contractor profits from a combination of sales, installation and service, and their reputation can make or break their business. Most government subsidised programs pay only per unit installed and the checks have been cashed long before the customer has determined whether they are truly satisfied.
What I'm saying is cover your arse, do your own research, and be sure that a local company can not only find like parts but can service your system as well. That, and watch out for chinese spyware in the inverters.


Scott

 

[John Galt]

If its a "rent a roof scheme" it makes it very hard to sell the property in the future as they have a huge buy out clause in the small print.
Very tricky for prospective owners to get a mortgage on a property where the roof has been leased out.

The reason they install "Free" solar for OAPs is they know its not long until their situation changes and then the buy out clause comes into play. (£20K plus !!)

A 4kw solar system fully installed with MCS paperwork, certificates, warranties costs a maximum of £6000 and is VAT free.

If you want solar just buy it ....nothing is free.

 

[udderlyoffroad]

If its a "rent a roof scheme" it makes it very hard to sell the property in the future as they have a huge buy out clause in the small print.

Assuming the OP is indeed talking about an Eco4 scheme, it isn’t.

It’s a grant, funded out of a pot paid for by the taxpayer - the green energy levy on electricity bills.

You own the PV. Not the installer.

If you want solar just buy it ....nothing is free.

But some things are free at the point of use, eg this. Why should she pay £6k when she could also pay £0 for the same thing? Owned outright.

Perhaps we would be better off spreading FUD on steel shot rather than government grants.

 

[potshotpat]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.
Where’s the catch?
What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

 

[potshotpat]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.
Where’s the catch?
What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

 

[Apthorpe]

Any builder that is, who had the appropriate registration to install PV (MCS) not to mention SQEP plumbers & heating engineers.

Yes. What's your point?

Honestly, dial it down a bit; of course government backed schemes attract cowboys, and my experience was…mixed. But to tarr everyone with the ‘scammer’ brush is wildly unhelpful.

You could dial it down too. I didn't tar everyone as a scammer. Quite the opposite. Concisely, my point was that a cild-call approach to a singke elderly person making a "too good to be true" tyoe offer is more likely than not to be dodgy, when if the offer was genuinely available, she would be able to get any other suitable practitioner to provide it.

 

[VSS]

If its a "rent a roof scheme" it makes it very hard to sell the property in the future as they have a huge buy out clause in the small print.
Very tricky for prospective owners to get a mortgage on a property where the roof has been leased out.

The reason they install "Free" solar for OAPs is they know its not long until their situation changes and then the buy out clause comes into play. (£20K plus !!)

A 4kw solar system fully installed with MCS paperwork, certificates, warranties costs a maximum of £6000 and is VAT free.

If you want solar just buy it ....nothing is free.

That is not the case with the schemes that I am aware of.

 

[Flash G 74]

Hello, There were a lot of problems with some isulation types to loft and walls where it was not done properly and houses were not saleable, my sons neighbour had a heat pump and it costs to much to use

 

[muddy42]

Anyone heard of these guys in Glasgow? My mother claims they have offered her free solar panels for her roof, free fitting, and free radiators in every room - zero cost because she is single, retired and on repeat prescriptions. They claim all government funded via grants.

Where’s the catch?

What happens when her slate roof tiles start falling off under the panels?

Treat with extreme caution.

You are right to highlight the risks to slate roofs. When people say solar panels have been tested to not damage slate roofs, they mean modern slate roofs with battens, underfelt and stainless steel nails. Not slates that are held on by torching, 100 year old rusty nails and a prayer. These roofs might loose a slate every winter, but that's fixable. If you cover the roof with solar you cannot see problems like slipped slates before they get serious. The problem is these companies won't guarantee that the roof will not leak in the future.

I don't know what the garden layout is like, but with eco4, if you kick up enough fuss they will place the panels on the ground.

 

[HonestJohn]

Treat with extreme caution.

You are right to highlight the risks to slate roofs. When people say solar panels have been tested to not damage slate roofs, they mean modern slate roofs with battens, underfelt and stainless steel nails. Not slates that are held on by torching, 100 year old rusty nails and a prayer. These roofs might loose a slate every winter, but that's fixable. If you cover the roof with solar you cannot see problems like slipped slates before they get serious. The problem is these companies won't guarantee that the roof will not leak in the future.

I don't know what the garden layout is like, but with eco4, if you kick up enough fuss they will place the panels on the ground.

No space on the ground - the roof is one of my concerns as it’s an old slate roof and tiles slip all the time. Local roofer has recommended re laying it, but it’s cost prohibitive. My big concern is water damage in a year or two under the panels, gone unnoticed, and repairs suddenly require removal of panels by a roofer at great expense

They’ve done the whole street basically, but I’m a bit sceptical compared to the locals who just say yes.

They’ve dangled the carrot by saying they will install electric radiators in every room (apart from bathrooms of course), which is attractive to her as the house doesn’t have any heating or insulation - that’s right, welcome to old Scottish homes, zero insulation and just one fireplace! As she’s getting old, heating would be a nice to have of course