Just had a quote for a solar array on our house and I wanted to ask what happens to the feed in tariff payments if we move house in the next 20 years? Are they automatically allocated to the new owners?

Its a sizeable investment to us with a payback of approx. 7 years, generally speaking, are we likely to recover the cost of the investment if we sell and move within the 7 years?

If the proposed cuts to soar subsidies go ahead, would this make the system more valuable when we sell?

Also, there was once a website I saw on here which you could use to view other solar systems performance. Anyone know the address?

Sold with the house – up to the buyers whether you’ll get the investment back – how do you value any house accuratley?

Can I take my solar panels with me if I sell up and move?
According to energy regulator Ofgem, FiT payments are made to the home owner or operator of a solar PV system and as a general rule if you as a home owner were to move house the payments would normally transfer to the new property owners. So no. The fact is ownership of the system is linked to the property; it’s not possible to move an installation to another property as this would then have to be treated as a new installation. Given that the equipment had previously been registered under the FiT scheme once would mean that if you were to remove the solar panels the system would be seen as essentially ‘second-hand’ and therefore couldn’t be registered as a ‘new’ system for FiTs. But not only that, the solar panels will have been tailored specifically to fit the dimensions of your roof and the direction in which your roof faces.

So the solar panels have to stay put on the roof?
Yes. When a property with a solar installation is sold the equipment and the associated FiT payments are sold along with the home. Solar panels will most likely be classified as ‘fixtures’ and in normal circumstances would be included in the house sale. After all, if you have an new central heating boiler fitted you wouldn’t think of ripping it out and taking it with you when you move, would you?

From Solar guide

You would only be able to keep getting the FIT if you had access to the feed in tariff meter as you need to supply the readings to your selected energy purchaser. I’m guessing the new owner of your property wouldn’t be too keen on you going in to read that meter every few months.