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series530

Firstly, I would like to offer sincere best wishes to all of the people on this forum who have helped me. I have learned so much and now, with this latest news, I feel so saddened for the PV companies who have invested heavily on a promise and have been so severely kicked in the teeth. A correction was always inevitable but I feel that the cut is too deep, too quick, and with the added issue of energy rating for properties following the reduction, it is also a severe dilution of a diminished customer pool.

My installer convinced me to have my panels installed ahead of the Enecsys inverter delivery. As many of you know, Enecsys have been playing silly games with the PV industry while they assess their products. I am promised inverters today and have an installation and commissioning date for early next week. Unless Enecsys screw up, I should be OK. Thank goodness I agreed to have the panels installed ahead of time. I fear that, had I not done so, I could have missed the boat as a result of the inevitable rush.

Now, I have until December 12th (realistically, December 9th) to get my system in and to get the top rate FIT. I want to be 100% sure of achieving that by mitigating any conceivable risk. Given the danger of a stampede in the coming months there is every opportunity for errors and I don't want to be a casualty of this. I should be fine - but let's not tempt fate.

So, I am a little confused as to the steps that take place between the system first being switched on and tested and me getting an approval from SSE for my FIT. I wonder if somebody could summarise what has to happen in between and who should do what. Things like the
  • Commissioning (who does what, does it have to be independently checked... that sort of thing)
  • The checking of the installation (who does what, does it have to be independently checked... that sort of thing).
  • What paper work I need to submit with my FIT application. What shortfalls in paper work could throw up an issue and kill off my application?
  • If I pay the invoice early, can I submit early just to be sure of getting the application in?
  • Any other things that I can do so as to mitigate risk.
Belt and braces, I know... I just cannot afford to take any chances.

Many thanks
 
Commissioning, checking etc. will be done by the installation company. They will also provide you with an MCS certificate. There is no reason why they can't do this the same day. We normally do this on site after we have commissioned the system.

Different energy suppliers ask for different documentation. Eon (whom I would strongly recommend) will ask for just the MCS certificate and the completed FIT form. Your installer should be able to help you out with filling the form out. It is a good idea to send the documentation by recorded delivery straight away.

Paying the invoice early will make no difference. You will still need the MCS certificate which can only be awarded after completion.

If you do all this, you should be fine.
 
Scottish Power didn't ask for an invoice, just the completed forms with all the meter numbers etc, MCS cert and Vat declaration.
 
Sorry to high-jack the thread, but it is connected.

How quickly would you expect your chosen energy provider (E-ON in my case...) to acknowledge receipt/ send the 'approval' back? And does the FIT payment begin from the PV system commission date, or when they receive the FIT application, or when they approve the application?!

Thanks.
 
Thanks everyone - I doubt I could take a FIT with EON as they probably don't want SSE customers.
 
Thanks, Ted.

How long do they tend to take to acknowledge/confirm an application? Mine was sent recorded delivery one month ago...
 
Sounds like a long time, Scoob. It might be worth giving them a call to make sure they have it on record.

I hope E-on haven't 'dropped the ball'. I have been recommending them to all our customers for months.
 
Cheers, Biggs. Yeah, I sent them an email last week and they claim to reply within 5 days. I'll get on the phone...!
 
3 weeks so far for EON with me. To be fair though when I rang after a week to confirm receipt I got through quickly to someone who clearly knew what they were doing, checked my address and confirmed they had received the form - and advised what I'd need to send back when paper work does eventually arrive - which they said would 4-6 weeks. But that could be the play it safe response, or it could be they've been snowed under with applications...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Series530. I am sure you know this already but the Enecsys inverters are fitted under the panels so they will have to be removed again.
 
If you have trouble with EON get on to them via Twitter. They keep a high profile there and seem to respond to complaints very quickly.
 
I cant find the thread at the moment, but I'm sure someone on here mentioned sending FiT applications by special delivery to prove receipt by the energy company could help, I always send in the FiT application, MCS cert and final invoice just to be sure.
 
Series530. I am sure you know this already but the Enecsys inverters are fitted under the panels so they will have to be removed again.

Mine are, indeed going to be fitted under the panel. The only thing to be aware of is the fact that there will be a roof in between. Mine are actually going to be installed inside the roof ... so no need to remove the panels (or the roof) so as to fit them ;=)
 
Thanks, all. Hopefully the reply to my email to E-ON will be 'affirmative', and then I'll have that as written proof rather than a word over the phone.

For my in-law's install - hopefully to be carried out in a week's time by the same peeps on here who did mine :icon6: - I shall be recommending to her special delivery as Page and others suggest.

Cheers.
 
Update: At their max time limit of 5 days, I finally had an email reply from E-ON. It said 'Sorry you haven't heard from us - please phone this number: 0845 301 4928'

I phoned, had a message warning of high call volumes and a suggestion that I email them...

Just as a deep sigh was leaving my mouth, it was then quickly answered by a very pleasant and efficient lady who promptly confirmed that they'd received my application on the 3rd Oct, which was the Monday following the Friday it was posted - so all good.

This is apparently the 'first' stage of the process and I should soon be receiving a letter asking for proof of purchase and proof of ID. Fair enough.

A point about 'Recorded Delivery' form the Royal Mail; a month after I'd sent the letter, I logged onto their tracking service and entered the code. Answer? "We've got your package!" Not what I wanted to hear - either it wasn't signed for, or its delivery wasn't recorded at all. Not helpful.

I'd strongly urge guaranteed next day special delivery as mentioned above - don't allow anything to muck up the application process.
 
Update: At their max time limit of 5 days, I finally had an email reply from E-ON. It said 'Sorry you haven't heard from us - please phone this number: 0845 301 4928'

I phoned, had a message warning of high call volumes and a suggestion that I email them...

Just as a deep sigh was leaving my mouth, it was then quickly answered by a very pleasant and efficient lady who promptly confirmed that they'd received my application on the 3rd Oct, which was the Monday following the Friday it was posted - so all good.

This is apparently the 'first' stage of the process and I should soon be receiving a letter asking for proof of purchase and proof of ID. Fair enough.

A point about 'Recorded Delivery' form the Royal Mail; a month after I'd sent the letter, I logged onto their tracking service and entered the code. Answer? "We've got your package!" Not what I wanted to hear - either it wasn't signed for, or its delivery wasn't recorded at all. Not helpful.

I'd strongly urge guaranteed next day special delivery as mentioned above - don't allow anything to muck up the application process.

Hi Scooby,

well, after a long haul and quite a few bitten finger nails, our micro inverters were delivered and installed yesterday and we went live.

This morning I scanned all of the documents and sent them to Atlantic (SSE in another name). I also sent the same documents (including MCS certificate, proof of payment, account ownership {proof of id} and the covering form) by Royal Mail special delivery. £5.95 is a lot of money for sending a few sheets of currently worthless paper. It's amazing, especially given the December 12th issue, how much those bits of paper are worth in the long run!

I will give it until Tuesday and will the phone Atlantic just to be sure that the paperwork is migrating through their system.
 

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