Solar PV and Home Battery Octopus Energy User Guide

Solar PV and Home Battery Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy – Terms & Conditions for installation of Solar PV & Home Battery systems 

Introduction

1. These terms and your Fast Quote and (if applicable) any Additional Works Quote shall form the contract between you and Octopus Energy Services Limited (company number 10434397) (“we”, “us”, “our” and “Octopus”) for the installation of your solar photovoltaic (PV) system.
2. For the purposes of these terms, “solar PV” and “solar PV system” mean the solar photovoltaic panels, inverter, storage battery, controls, electrical hardware, wiring, fittings, ancillary components, any external modifications to the home including the roof, any internal modification to the home, earthworks, and other materials installed as part of the agreed solar PV system design.
3. These terms are based on the information you have provided to us in your online application form. If any of this information changes you must let us know immediately as it may impact your Fast Quote and/or our ability to complete your installation. By completing an application form you confirm that you agree to be bound by these terms.

Eligibility

1. To be eligible for us to install a solar PV system at your property you must complete our application form accurately and in full, have the legal right to have the solar PV system installed (both internal and external to your home) and obtain any required planning or building approvals required for your installation (collectively referred to as the “Eligibility Criteria”).
2. If any of the Eligibility Criteria have not been satisfied, we will not complete the installation until they are (assuming the solar PV system and/or associated components have not already been installed). Where your solar PV system has already been installed either in part of in full:
   (a) you shall be liable for all costs of the installed solar PV system parts and their installation; and
   (b) you shall be liable for all costs of materials deemed unfit for future use regardless of whether they have been installed at your property yet; and
   (c) you shall indemnify us for all claims, liabilities, costs, losses and expenses (including third party claims and legal fees that we may incur arising from or in connection with the installation of the solar PV system and/or associated components)
   (d) you shall be liable for all costs of labour and materials for the modification or removal of your solar PV system that may be required due to not meeting the eligibility criteria.

Our Charges

1. f we consider your property is likely to be suitable for a solar PV system, we will provide you with a price for this work (the “Fast Quote”). The Fast Quote is an estimated price based on the information you provided, and entitles you to the following standard installation components and materials:
   (a) Solar photovoltaic panels of the size, quantity, capacity, and model deemed appropriate for your home by our rooftop solar PV technical experts;
   (b) inverter of a size, as determined by us;
   (c) compatible controls and connections
   (d) all electrical and hardware materials required to fit a properly functioning solar PV system at your home.

2. Your Fast Quote price includes the labour costs to complete your “Standard Installation”. A Standard Installation is an installation requiring only minor modifications to your home’s interior and exterior finished surfaces and adjacent grounds. Standard Installation labour does not include major modifications to your home’s roof, walls, or any structural members, any underground works, or other works deemed abnormal by our solar PC installation experts.

3. Any Fast Quote that we provide is based on your answers about the relevant technical details of your home, which you provided to us as part of your application. Where we determine the technical details of your home differ from the answers you provided, we reserve the right to void your Fast Quote and issue a new quote or quotes based on those details in line with clause 4.2 below.

4. The Fast Quote does not include changes to your home’s electrical service that your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) may require, such as unlooping, or a three-phase (3- phase) power connection. If your home requires a main fuse (service cut-out) upgrade, we may be able to undertake these works for you, but where we are not allowed to do these additional works, your DNO may levy a separate charge for doing them.

5. Any Fast Quote we provide constitutes a fixed price for a Standard Installation that meets or exceeds Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) standards and is not subject to reduction or discount from any customer-requested modifications of the system design.

6. Any Fast Quote that we provide will be valid for thirty (30) days. After such time, we may, at our discretion, elect to issue a new Fast Quote.

7. In the event that we issue a Fast Quote with incorrect details (including price), we may at our discretion, issue a corrected Fast Quote based on the information you provided.

8. To accept the Fast Quote and proceed with the installation of a solar PV system, you must make a £500 advance payment via a payment system provided to you via webpage or email. This advance payment is fully refundable as set out in clause 4 below.

Site Survey and Suitability

1. Even where you meet the Eligibility Criteria, there may be other factors which would prevent us from completing the installation or which would require additional works to be carried out first. We may, at our discretion, elect to conduct an on-site survey following the payment of your advance payment in line with clause 3.6 to assess whether your property is suitable for our solar PV Standard Installation service. We will advise you if we are unable to proceed with a Standard Installation.
2. Where we identify that your home is not eligible for our Standard Installation service, but that an installation is possible provided additional works are completed (“Additional Works”), we shall contact you and provide you with a quote for the additional cost. This quote shall either be a separate “Additional Works Quote” or an amended final sale price in your final sale contract, which we will issue to you following completion of your home survey and solar system design (the “Contract Pack”).
3. You may elect to accept the Additional Works Quote or Contract Pack via a link provided to you by web or email. Payment will due upon completion of the solar PV system installation. Should you not wish to accept the Additional Works Quote or the Contract Pack, we will refund your advance payment in full.
4. Where we identify factors that prevent us from completing an installation even with additional works, we will refund your advance payment in full.
5. Where we deem your home to be suitable for a solar PV installation in accordance with our Standard Installation service criteria and any required Additional Works, we will perform the installation with reasonable skill and care, in a good and workmanlike manner and in accordance the standards set by the MCS. We shall comply with all applicable laws.
6. The exact make and specification of all components and materials shall be at our sole discretion and any changes to the specified schedule of materials and components, including any requested third-party components or materials, will be at our discretion.
7. We will not make use of components or materials that cause, or are likely to cause, the installed solar PV system to fail to meet MCS performance standards.

System performance

1. We will provide you with an estimated output factor for your system.
2. Where we determine environmental shading will affect your solar system, we will estimate your output factor based on a methodology that is functionally equivalent to the MCS methodology, but that allows for use of an extended performance scale to deliver accurate calculations for larger solar PV arrays.
3. We guarantee your system will deliver at least 90% of the energy output (in kWh) figure given in your performance estimate based on the environmental shading and other known factors that we are reasonably able to incorporate into your performance estimate.
4. Where we are unable to ascertain some system characteristics directly, your system performance calculation may be undertaken using estimated values for array orientation, roof & panel inclination, and environmental shading. Actual performance may be significantly lower or higher if the characteristics of the installed system vary from the estimated values.
5. If we have had to estimate or take remotely any of the factors that affect this estimate, we will carry out a full site survey before installation commences. If this survey results in a lower performance estimate than in this quote, you may choose to continue with the installation under the new performance estimate or exercise your cancellation rights per section 6.

Cooling off period and Rescheduling Your Installation Date

1. Our contract with you for the installation of a solar PV system as set out in your Fast Quote/Additional Works Quote and/or Contract Pack (together the “Installation Contract”) shall be formed upon you signing and returning the Contract Pack described in clause 4.2.
2. You have a 14-day “cooling off period” that runs from the day you accept the Installation Contract. During that time you can cancel the Installation Contract and we will refund any money you have paid, provided that our engineers have not already started working on your installation (see clause 6.3).
3. You agree that we can, at your request, start work before the end of the cooling off period. Where you ask us to do this, you agree that we can charge you for any goods delivered or services carried out by us up to the point you notify us that you wish to terminate the Installation Contract, as detailed in clause 2.2.
4. After your 14-day cooling off period has expired, you have a further “risk-free” cancellation period that runs until the earlier of 24 hours prior to your agreed installation date, or 17:00 UK time on the last business day prior to your scheduled installation. During this time you can cancel the Installation Contract for any reason and request a full refund of your advance payment.
5. After the expiration of the “risk-free” cancellation period in clause 5.4, you may still cancel the Installation Contract and request a refund of any monies paid to us, but we will deduct any applicable charges for any goods delivered and services carried out by us up to the point you notify us that you wish to terminate the Installation Contract, as detailed in clause 2.2.
6. You may reschedule your installation date, but you must give us at least 24 hours’ notice working days’ notice if you want to do this, or we may, at our discretion, charge you a fee of up to £150. To reschedule your appointment or cancel your Installation Contract please call us on 0808 196 6842.
7. We may reschedule your installation date at our discretion, which will affect your wait time. Where we change your date, the periods and right of cancellation in clauses above remain in force.

Your Obligations

1. You agree to:
2. promptly provide us with any information we request and comply with our reasonable requirements;
3. make all necessary preparations to your home for your installation as set forth in your Contract Pack;
4. comply with all applicable laws, planning authority instructions, and obtain all necessary consents which we require to install the PVs
5. provide us with safe, free, and unobstructed access to your property to carry out the installation.
6. If you fail to cooperate with us or meet these obligations, we may cancel or delay your installation and charge you a cancellation fee of up to £150.
7. You are responsible for paying us for your Fast Quote and/or Additional Works Quote in accordance with the payment terms provided by us. You are responsible for paying the full and final price set forth in your Contract Pack within five (5) business days of us completing your installation. If you do not make any payments on time, we may:
8. pause or cancel any export tariff linked to your unpaid solar PV system
9. take such steps as are necessary to recover the sums due to us, which may include employing a debt collection agency;
10. provide information about your non-payment to credit reference agencies, which may impact your ability to get credit in the future;
11. recover from you all costs incurred by us in pursuing your non-payment, including bank charges due to cancelled or failed payments, the cost of visiting you, including through any debt collection agency; and/or
12. charge interest at the rate of 4% above the Bank of England Bank base rate at the relevant time on all outstanding charges from the date the charges first became overdue until the date you make payment of such charges.

Warranty

1. Your solar PV panels and inverter sold by us include a twelve (12) year product warranty from their respective manufacturers against component failure. We will assign the benefits of these warranty to you upon completion of your installation and will provide you with details on how you can claim.
2. We provide a two (2) year warranty from the date your system is commissioned for any new to-home electrical components installed as part of your solar PV system.
3. We guarantee our workmanship for a period of two (2) years from the date your system is commissioned.
4. After we have completed the installation of your solar PV system, you will be responsible for maintaining it to ensure that it continues to operate in good working order.
5. Warranties and guarantees do not cover accidental damage, misuse, or failures due to lack of recommended maintenance. We reserve the right to limit our workmanship guarantee where any other company or individual has conducted subsequent work on the system.

Complaints

1. We hope you don’t have any need to complain, but if you do wish to make a complaint, please email solar@octoes.com and/or contact the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC) or NAPIT and we will do our best to resolve the issue with you. Further details can be found at https://octopus.energy/unhappy-home-tech/

Data Protection

1. You agree that we may use any personal data that you provide to us in accordance with our Privacy Policy which is available on our website at https://octopus.energy/policies/privacypolicy/, and as set out in these terms.
2. As members of RECC/NAPIT, we may provide relevant customer contract data to them in support of their quality monitoring procedures.

Liability

1. We will not be liable to you for:
2. Any loss due to circumstances beyond our control (Force Majeure event);
3. Any loss which is indirect, consequential, economic or financial including loss of profit, revenue, goodwill, business, contractor wasted expenses;
4. Any loss which was not or could not have been reasonably foreseen even if we, our employees, subcontractors or agents did not follow these terms; or
5. Any loss suffered as a result of the act or omission of a third party; and
6. Any losses that arise due to your act, omission negligence or default.
7. If you suffer any loss or damage, our responsibility to you will be limited to the cost of the goods and services provided to you under this agreement, up to a maximum of £7,500.
8. We do not limit or exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligent acts or omissions.

General

1. We can change these terms and conditions at any time, which may include situations where it is necessary for us to comply with any laws, or other rules that we are obliged to follow.
2. We will inform you of any changes and the latest copy of our terms and conditions will be available on our website.
3. We may transfer, subcontract, assign or novate any or all of our rights (including the right to recover the charges) or obligations under this contract without your consent. This will not affect your rights under this contract.
4. You may not transfer the contract or any of your rights under it without first obtaining our written consent.
5. If we do nothing, or delay taking action, if you breach this contract, we will still be entitled to take action later if we wish.
6. Notices to you under this contract will be sent by post or hand to the billing address, or in the case of email to the last known email address that you have provided. Notices to us under this contract must be sent by post to Octopus Energy Services Limited, UK House, 5th Floor, 164-182 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1NN, with a copy emailed to solar@octopus.energy.
7. If any part of this contract is invalid or is void or unenforceable, it shall not affect the rest of the contract.
8. The laws of England and Wales apply to this contract and any disputes arising shall be dealt with exclusively by the English courts.

References

• Something not right with your installation | Octopus Energy

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