Terms & Conditions for Solar Installations

Terms Used

“AC” shall refer to Alternating Current, as typically used in building electrical supplies and by the electrical grid.
“Client” shall refer to the individual, company, school or other organisation that instructs the Contractor to install a Solar PV system.
“Commissioning” shall refer to the activation of the Solar PV system, where the electricity generates begins to feed into the Client’s supply and/or building, as shown by activity at the Generation Meter.
“Contractor” shall refer to Hayo Energy Ltd.
“DC” shall refer to Direct Current electricity, as typically produced by Solar PV modules.
“DNO” shall refer to the Distributed Network Operator, or the company which operates the local electrical grid supplying the Client up to and including their electricity meter.
“Generation Meter” shall refer to a meter installed as per MCS requirements that indicates the quantity of solar electricity generated by the Solar PV equipment.
“Inverter” shall refer to the technology which makes the electricity produced by Solar PV modules compatible with the client’s electrical supply, normally converting DC power to AC at the applicable voltage for the building supply.
“Isolators” shall refer to switches which allow components within the Solar PV Installation to be disconnected manually from various other components, or from the Installation as a whole, or allow the Installation to be entirely disconnected from the Client’s electrical supply.
“Installation” shall refer to the Solar PV equipment installed by the Contractor, or the process of installing it.
“MCS” shall refer to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, an industry scheme for renewable technology installations (including Solar PV) ultimately governed by OFGEM.
“Module” shall refer to Solar PV Panels.
“Normal Working Hours” shall refer to the times between 08:00 and 18:00 Mondays to Fridays inclusive.
“OFGEM” shall refer to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (or its successor), the statutory regulator of renewable technologies in the UK, including Solar PV.
“PV” shall refer to PhotoVoltaics, a Solar technology which converts sunlight into electricity.
“RAMS” shall refer to Risk Assessments and Method Statements for Health & Safety purposes.
“Wifi” shall refer to wireless internet connectivity.

Payments

At the point of order, the Client shall pay a Survey Fee of £250, which is deductible from the total contract value. The Contractor will contact the Client within 7 days of the payment to schedule a Survey Date, and a Survey appointment will be offered within 14 calendar days of the payment. The Client may, at their own convenience, select a later date for Survey. All subsequent payments by the Client shall be by Bank transfer only.

The Contractor requires a further 25% of the contract value after the survey is completed (payable by bank transfer) within 7 days after survey, or at least 7 days prior to the scheduled installation date (whichever date is later).

The final balance is due within 24 hours of the installation being commissioned, and is payable by bank transfer. Ownership of the installation and all equipment remains with the Contractor until the final balance is paid by the Client in full.

Scope of Works

Pre-Installation

The Contractor shall apply their best endeavours to install a Solar PV system as close as possible to the proposal agreed by the Client, or to the Client’s specifications if these are revised thereafter.

The Contractor shall liaise as required with the DNO prior to the installation to ensure the local electrical grid has adequate capacity to accept the power generated by the Solar PV system, and obtain any permissions required by the DNO. The Client agrees to provide any information requested by the Contractor for this purpose.

Survey

The Contractor shall undertake a pre-installation site visit or survey in order to:

a. undertake RAMS including assessment of any health and safety risks found on site.

b. confirm that the building structure will carry the weight of the Solar PV system. Unless otherwise stated, the Contractor believes that the building structure can support the Solar PV modules and other equipment. In the event of any doubt the Contractor will seek the opinion of an independent structural engineer.

c. confirm that the roof surface (if applicable) is secure enough for the its installers to work upon.

d. confirm that the Client’s electrical supply is safe to connect a Solar PV system into.

e. confirm the modules can be installed in accordance with the agreed proposal and any previous design made prior to site visit, making adjustments to that design as required.

f. plan the location for inverters, batteries, generation meters and any other required equipment with the Client.

g. confirm the route of the cables connecting the equipment into the Client’s existing electrical supply.

The contractor shall notify the Client as soon as practicable of any changes which may be required to the original design and agreed proposal arising from issues found at survey, or from from unexpected product unavailability. Any changes in specification or price which become necessary as a result shall be agreed in writing before installation is scheduled between the Client and the Contractor.

The contractor shall notify the Client of proposed dates for the Installation, and for the erection or removal of any access equipment, such as scaffolding, as soon as is practicable.

The Client understands that all Solar PV proposals and orders are subject to survey, and some features of the Installation can change following survey, and in very rare cases on the day of installation. Unless otherwise specified, the Installation shall include all fixings, cables and electrical connections necessary for the completion of a secure and functioning Solar PV installation.

Timescales for Work

The Client and the Contractor are jointly responsible for agreeing a mutually convenient installation date. This is normally 4-6 weeks from the point of order. However the Client will not hold the Contractor liable for delays in installation caused by product unavailability, Contractor workload, delays in approval by DNOs or delays introduced by the Client.

Installation

The Client shall:

It is highly recommended that the Client adds the Solar equipment to their buildings insurance policy after installation. In some cases this may require the payment of an additional insurance premium.

The Contractor shall:

Supply only Solar PV Modules, Inverters, Isolators, Generation Meters, batteries and other equipment that complies with both current UK Building Regulations (in particular Part P) and also with the standards laid down by the MCS as updated from time to time.
Use appropriate PPE and protective coverings whilst working within the Client’s property.
Adhere to MCS approved installation and fixing methods at all times. In particular flat roofs will not be penetrated by any fixings, and fixing methods for pitched roofs will leave the roof watertight .
Link together the Solar modules via their manufacturer-supplied electrical connectors and route the electrical supply cable into the inverter, fixing cables to timber beams, walls etc as appropriate.
Fit DC and AC isolators as per MCS requirements in order to facilitate manual disconnection of the system whenever required.
Test and Commission the Solar PV Installation, connecting it to the Client’s electrical supply.
Remove waste packaging upon completion of the installation.

The Contractor is responsible for making good any damage its workers cause to the Client’s premises and property, or to third party property, during the supply or installation of its Solar PV system.

The Client understands that full and final payment for the Installation is due within 24 hours of the Solar PV system being Commissioned which means solar energy generation is being recorded by the Generation Meter. Any additional reporting equipment (e.g. Smartphone Applications) may not be fully functioning during the first 48 hours after installation and are normally subject to the Client having compatible Wifi connectivity at the site of the Inverter. Difficulties in transmitting data from the Inverter to the Smartphone Application may occur from time to time, and are not the responsibility of the Contractor. Technical support helplines for such issues are provided by the Inverter Manufacturer. The Client understands that any issues or errors in the Smartphone Application in monitoring the system do not render the Installation faulty or incomplete, and are no basis for the delaying or withholding of the final balance for a Solar PV system which has been installed and commissioned.

Documentation and Certification

Following full and final payment of invoices due to the Contractor, the Contractor shall remove any scaffolding and/or other access equipment used, provide the Client with a schematic diagram of the Installation and copies of the warranties applicable to the installation, and apply for the Installation to be certified by the DNO. The Contractor shall, upon receipt of these documents, send them promptly to the Client.

Warranties

The equipment supplied by the Contractor is warrantied by the equipment Manufacturers, for batteries and inverters to a minimum of 5 years, and for modules to a minimum of 25 years. Specific Manufacturer warranty details are available via the Contractor upon request. In addition, the Contractor provides a comprehensive warranty of 10 years, and is responsible for rectifying any defective workmanship undertaken during the Solar PV Installation during this time. As a precaution the Contractor maintains Public Liability Insurance policy at all times of at least £1 Million to cover any potential losses and damages arising from its activities in supplying and installing Solar PV systems.

Cancellations

Notice of the Right to Cancel

The Client has the right to cancel this contract during the Cancellation Period, which is 14 days from the confirmation of the order, without giving any reason, and without penalty. For any cancellations made within the Cancellation Period, the Contractor will return all payments made by the Client in full, including any Survey Fee. The Client can also cancel the contract without penalty prior to the delivery of any goods or equipment, on the same basis, except in the case of a special product order. Reimbursement by the Contractor will in all cases be prompt and without undue delay, and in all circumstances within 14 days of the cancellation.

To exercise the right to cancel, the Client must inform the Contractor in writing or by email of the decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post requiring a proof of delivery or email).

Reimbursement by the Contractor will be via the the same means of payment as used by the Client for payment, unless the Client expressly agrees otherwise.

A special product order occurs when the Client specifies a product which is not normally stocked by the Contractor and is not returnable to the Contractor’s suppliers or wholesalers in the event of the Client cancelling. In such cases the Contractor will advise the Client in writing of any limitations on the right to cancel.

Cancellations after the delivery of equipment

For any cancellation after the delivery of goods or equipment, the Contractor has the right to charge the Client based on the actual costs incurred up to the point of cancellation, specifically:

The Contractor will not charge for standard delivery of the goods or equipment to the Client, but where the Client has specifically requested an enhanced delivery service for goods or equipment, and those goods are returned to the Contractor, the Contractor will only reimburse the standard delivery charge.

Reimbursement by the Contractor will in all cases be prompt and without undue delay, and in all circumstances within 14 days of the receipt of returned goods or equipment by the Contractor.

Reimbursement by the Contractor will be via the the same means of payment as used by the Client for payment, unless both the Contractor and the Client expressly agrees otherwise.