In Part I under armour scorpio for sale , I considered the Feed In Tariff (FIT)Scheme what it is and the benefits to be derived from this kind of scheme. In the following paragraphs I will be looking at the common issues and to take into consideration when considering signing up for this kind of scheme. In Part III, I will go through the Legal Pitfalls of signing up to a FIT scheme.
If you own your own home and get solar panels fitted to your roof of your home as part of FIT scheme this is able to give you access to free electricity and you would also receive feed-in tariffs (FITs); but what are the common Pitfalls?
The Benefit from Free Electricity
The electricity produced from the solar power panels will probably be produced during the hours of sunlight. This energy can’t be stored. If you’re not in the home in daytime or can not set your home appliances to use the electricity through the day there’ll be a substantial amount of surplus electricity. Under the FIT scheme the installing service provider sells the surplus electricity to the National Grid. This can mean that since you don’t use the electricity generated from the solar panel systems, only the installing service provider will benefit in financial terms from the scheme.
The Effect on the Value of the House
The installation of the solar energy panels may effect the value or saleability of the house. The FIT Lease is likely to be for a term of at least 25 years. Your house will therefore effectively contain a sitting tenant, this being the solar panels.
Whether or not the residential solar panels effect the saleability of your home is determined by:
* The type of house * The location where the panels are placed and whether they are visible from the road. * Whether these kinds of solar panels are typical in the neighborhood market, particularly on that kind of house. * The financial benefits that are offered to the owner of the house within the FIT Lease . * The attitude of likely mortgage lenders.
The Effect on the Structure of the House You have to talk with a Surveyor, whether or not the roof structure is capable of bearing the load of the Solar Energy Panels and that the method of attachment to be used is not going to lead to further problems for instance water ingress. Even though the installing contractor is going to do a survey, you have to remember that this is for their needs and will focus on factors such as whether the panels will receive direct sunlight and whether they can hook up to the National Grid easily. It really is not likely that the installing service provider is going to take responsibility should the residential solar panels cause damage to the structure of the property.
If there are any planning issues
Most installations may very well be exempt from the requirements of acquiring formal planning permission because it is a permitted development right but this depends upon the circumstances and planning history of the house. This may be a particular problem when the property is a listed building or located in a Conservation Area.
Freehold or Leasehold?
If you do not own the Freehold of the Property and therefore are a Leaseholder, you’ll need the permission of the landlord or the owner of the Freehold (if different). As a Leaseholder, you’ll have to check your lease as to whether or not you have the legal right to grant a lease and if you do have the legal right, there’s every chance that the landlord will have to consent.
A typical FIT lease for a house includes a warranty by you that you’ve got the required rights to give the lease and that all third party consents needed have been obtained. Further you’ll need to warrant there are no restrictions within the title that will prevent the installation or operation of the solar energy panels.
If you sign the Lease without checking this completely and it transpires that you don’t possess the necessary legal rights and consents to give the Lease, and consequently the Lease has to be ended early, you may find yourself owing the installing contractor a considerable amount of money for the cost of the installation and removal of the solar power panels along with the loss of income that may have been generated.
Does you need lender’s consent?
More often than not , residential mortgages do not allow lettings without the authorization of the mortgage provider and this usually takes a while to get.
The mortgage company may well be concerned with the effect the residential solar panels particularly the fact of the FIT Lease, could have on the property’s value.
Whilst some purchasers may see the panels as being an advantage due to free electricity some others will see the panels as being undesirable and the FIT Lease an unacceptable burden on the title.
mortgage provider may well be reassured if the FITs lease includes a clause whereby the Lease can be brought to an end early ( a break clause), so that, should it have to repossess and sell, it can do so free of the FITs lease. This sort of break right needs to be evaluated in the light of any financial charges that could come with the early termination and whether the installing contract could be required to take off the solar panel systems as soon as the lease comes to an end.
Is the Free Electricity Dependable?
You’ll be aware of the fact that the amount of electricity made will can vary and can’t be guaranteed due to the weather conditions. Nevertheless, an additional factor that may effect the reliability of the electricity produced is incorporated in the terms of the FIT Lease. Quite a few standard FIT Leases contain a break clause that allows the installing service provider to bring the FIT Lease to an end early even where the Solar