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Original poster

If you have solar panels...

14 replies

TheGrinchyOne · 09/12/2019 10:35

How long does it take you to get the FIT payment?

I got them about a year ago and my current provider is making payment into my standard energy account after about three months during which time I have to chase them a few times for acknowledgement of the readings sent. They then pay it into my energy account and I have to battle with the call centre who don't understand FIT and won't reimburse it without meter readings and re-calculating my gas and electricity payments. I have asked for it to be refunded directly to me and this request has been ignored.

Is this the usual process or would I be better off changing FIT supplier? Any recommendations of companies that work better?

OP posts:
FloraMacDonald · 09/12/2019 10:39

My FiT is with British Gas. I just give them a generation reading a couple of times a year and they post a cheque 2 weeks later. It has nothing to do with my usage account.

Bottledate · 09/12/2019 12:01

We get our payments from British Gas (but they don't supply our electric or gas now; you can use different companies). They email a reminder each quarter, I submit reading online and a cheque comes a week or two later. Once had a problem with a missing cheque and they replaced it so no complaints as far as FiT payments are concerned.

InMySpareTime · 09/12/2019 12:50

I submit a reading every 3 months online (I'm with Scottish power for FiT but not as a fuel customer), payment by bank transfer about a week later then I get a letter with the calculation on.

whatsthecomingoverthehill · 09/12/2019 15:42

We get a cheque from British Gas too. Would be nice if it was a BACS payment but never had any issues.

Original poster
TheGrinchyOne · 09/12/2019 19:26

Thank you all for the feedback. Seems like it's just my provider that is useless. They've spun me some crap about the payment needing to be validated by Ofgem but clearly they're just not processing it on time. I will change to Scottish Power then to get bank transfers direct!

OP posts:
catndogslife · 09/12/2019 21:05

Our FIT payment is sent direct to our bank account and is with a different provider from the one we purchase our electricity from.
Perhaps there are different schemes for smaller providers and the bigger ones. We have had a letter saying that payments are late this year due to OFGEM as well.
Wondering how easy it is to change provider ourselves to be honest.

FloraMacDonald · 09/12/2019 21:35

I wonder if it also has something to do with which scheme you are on? My panels are about 15 years old, so we're on the more generous scheme. Maybe Ofgem tightened up the rules for later schemes.

Original poster
TheGrinchyOne · 09/12/2019 22:10

I don't know about the schemes TBH, I am pushing my provider to at least pay it directly in the first instance. Changing providers is always a lot more difficult than it seems!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 09/12/2019 22:16

My scheme is with EDF. They pay it into my bank account, typically around the 10th of the month following the quarterly reading. The date varies. A few times it was as early as the 3rd. I used to put my readings in after sundown on the last day of the month, but for unexplained reasons they now insist it must be the reading for the 1st of the month following.

They have always paid it into my bank account.

I used to buy energy from them but I have changed (several times) to other suppliers and leave my FITS contreact with them. I did not buy the panels from them. I understand you can change to another FITS energy company but I have never done it and don't know how.

There has never been any suggestion of them paying it to my energy supply account.

PigletJohn · 09/12/2019 22:19

BTW, Grinchy

Having worked in the Utilities industries, I recommend that if you have a query that is not on the Call Centre script, you write a short letter and put it in the post. The letter will be logged and tracked, until it reaches somebody who knows what to do.

scheissefuergehirn · 09/12/2019 22:20

I get my FIT payments from EDF and they put the money in my bank account a couple of days after I give them my reading. (every three months) I believe it is simple to change companies and if yours is being difficult I would recommend EDF.

hilbil21 · 09/12/2019 22:22

I'm with EON. Give reading online and the payment for it is in the bank about 5 days after Smile

InMySpareTime · 10/12/2019 06:19

TBF the main reason we haven't changed FiT provider is that to switch we'd have to get an EPC for the house (something brought in after we signed up for FiT) which would cost half a year's Tariffs.

Clutterbugsmum · 10/12/2019 06:44

With BG, give reading 1st every month and get a cheque every quarter.

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