FAQs
Free Solar Panels
What Identification Documents are required?
For identification purposes, for each person named on the title deeds, we will need you to send us:
- Both items from List A, or
- One item from List A and One from List B
List A
- Current valid full passport
- Current photo card driving licence for UK, EU, Isle of Man or Channel Islands (not a provisional licence)
List B
- Bank statement not more than three months old
- Utility bill not more than three months old
- Council tax bill for the current year
- Mortgage statement for the mortgage accounting year just ended
- Firearms or shotgun certificate
The statements or bills must be paper versions and not those obtained online.
We only need you to send us photocopies.
The names and addresses on the identification documents must match those on your deeds.
Why do you need to contact my mortgage provider?
Many mortgage providers' terms and conditions prevent a property owner from granting certain rights in respect of their property without obtaining the mortgage provider's approval. The mortgage provider may have had a restriction entered onto your title register to prevent any dealing with the property without obtaining this approval.
We will contact your mortgage provider to request their consent to the lease. Some mortgage providers may charge you an administration fee for considering the request. Please note, a mortgage provider is not obliged to provide its consent to the lease.
We will need you to sign the Form of Authority and insert your mortgage account number. Your lender will not respond to us without this.
What checks will you make with my title deeds?
We will carry out a check of the title register held by Land Registry on Norton Energy SLS Limited's behalf. We are not carrying out a full investigation of the title. Our client has taken out a policy of indemnity insurance for itself in the event the deeds contain provisions preventing the lease or the fitting of the solar panels. The lease provides that you warrant you are entitled to grant the lease and that the fitting of the panels does not breach any requirements, please refer to clause 13.2 of the lease.
The Declaration form asks you to highlight to us any issue relating to the property that you are aware of. We will also carry out searches with Land Registry. One of the searches we will carry out is a bankruptcy search. Sometimes entries are revealed that do not relate to you but to another person with a similar name. In these situations we will ask you to confirm that the entry does not relate to you. Should a bankruptcy entry relate to you, we will not be able to continue with the lease.
Who is responsible for building regulations approval?
The lease provides for our client to obtain the necessary building regulation approval (See clause 7 of the lease).
Where the property is in a conservation area, or is a listed building or where planning permission is required to have panels fitted, Norton Energy SLS Limited is unable to proceed with the scheme.
What happens if I sell my property?
When you sell your property your buyer's solicitors will check the title deeds and will ask for a copy of the lease. Your buyer will buy the property with the solar panels fitted to the roof and the lease will continue with them. Their mortgage company will also want to see a copy of the lease and check they are happy with it.
What happens if I want to change my mortgage?
If you change your mortgage company, the new mortgage company will want to see a copy of the lease and check they are happy with it before they agree to the mortgage.
Do I need to do anything with my buildings insurance?
Norton Energy SLS Limited will insure the PV system (including public liability cover) throughout the term of the lease at their cost (see clause 6.1 of the lease). You should, however, contact your buildings insurance company to advise them that you are having the panels fitted to your roof.
What is the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 Notice?
Before the panels can be fitted, you must grant Norton Energy SLS Limited a lease of the airspace above the roof of your property.
You are the Landlord in the lease and our client is the Tenant. The 1954 Act Notice is a notice that you are giving to our client about the lease you are giving them. More details are in the next section.
Will I receive the Export and Generation Tariffs?
The home owner benefits by using the electricity generated by the solar PV system to help offset the amount of electricity imported and purchased from the national grid. This benefit can be maximised by ensuring energy usage is aligned with energy generation, for example by using timer switches to run washing machines during the day. All generation and export tariff payments will be retained by the provider of the free solar system (Norton Energy SLS Ltd or its successor) for the duration of the lease.
Will I receive the Generation Tariff once the capital cost of the system has been repaid?
No, all generation and export tariff payments will be retained by the provider of the free solar system (Norton Energy SLS Ltd or its successor) for the duration of the lease.
Who is the legal owner of the solar system?
The system will be owned by Norton Energy SLS Ltd or its successor for the duration of the lease.
What components will be used on my installation?
The system will contain Sch¸co solar photovoltaic panels, and SMA or Power One inverter, a Sch¸co roof mounting system and an EDMI generation meter.
How long is the lease for?
The lease is for 25 years and 3 months.
Clause 13 of the lease provides that the lease cannot be extended longer than this. To make this clause effective, you will serve notice on our client by dating and sending the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 Notice to us with the signed leases. Norton Energy SLS Limited has asked us to accept the Notice on its behalf.
Can I end the lease before the end of the 25 years and 3 months?
The lease sets out when and how you may end the lease in clauses 2.7.1 and 14. Please read this carefully.
You will be required to make a payment if you end the lease before the end of the 25 years and 3 months. Please read the details of what the payment is and how this is calculated carefully.
Can Norton Energy SLS Limited end the lease before the end of the 25 years and 3 months?
Yes, the lease may be ended by Norton Energy SLS Limited in certain circumstances (see clauses 2.5, 2.6, 2.8 and 2.11 of the lease).
You may be required to make a payment in the event the lease is ended early. This will depend on the reason why the lease is being ended. Please read through the details of this carefully.
Can changes be made to the lease?
If the name(s), address or plan appear incorrect, please contact us before signing the leases. We may need to send new copies to you.
No other amendments may be made to the lease terms.
Do I have to pay anything for the lease?
You do not make any payment when we date the lease.
Are there any other payments I needto make during the lease?
If you wish to end the lease early then you will be required to make Norton Energy SLS Limited certain payments (see clause 2.7.1 of the lease).
In certain other circumstances you may be required to make payments, for example, if you breach the terms of the lease (see clauses 12.1, 12.3, 14), if you repair or alter the property causing interruption to the panels or the Feed in Tariffs (See clause 4.2 of the lease), or if the lease comes to an end as described in clause 2.7.1 of the lease.
Please read through these carefully to ensure you understand the payments that would be required.
What other rights does Norton Energy SLS Limited have?
Norton Energy SLS Limited have several rights in respect of the property. In particular please see Clause 4.
What happens if I want to carry out repairs to the property?
Clauses 2.4 and 4.2 of the lease sets out what you must ensure if you wish to carry out alterations or repairs to the property. What other obligations am I as property owner under?
Clauses 3.3, 4 and 12 set out additional things that you agree to do. Please read these carefully.
What if I need to change my installation appointment time?
Clause 15 of the lease sets out what will happen if you need to re-arrange your appointment or if the installer cannot gain access to the property. Please read this carefully.
Who needs to sign the lease?
The lease must be in the names of every person named as owner in the title deeds. We have taken these details from the Land Registry which is the government agency responsible for maintaining data on land and properties in England & Wales.
If you believe the names are wrong, please let us know before signing the documents. Each owner of the property must sign the lease and the other documents.
Who can witness the signing of the lease?
Any adult who is not an owner of the property or a family member can be a witness. The same person can act as a witness for each property owner.
The lease should be signed by each property owner before the witness. The witness should add their signature and then print their name and address.
What part of the property does the lease cover?
The lease is for the area above the roof of the property only. This is referred to as ìthe airspace above the roofî or ìthe Premisesî in the lease.
What is a peppercorn rent?
A "peppercorn rent" in legal terms is an exceedingly small amount.
What is the plan attached to the lease?
The lease has a copy of the plan of the property attached to it. The boundaries of the land are shown edged red and the building shaded blue. If the plan doesn't appear to be correct please contact us before signing the lease.