Problem with Solar Panels heating water keep going wrong.

[just_jue]

Hi,

 

Don't know if this the right section but we are having real problems with our Solar panels.

 

We live in local Housing Association house and are not connected to Gas so the Solar Panels are meant to be our main source or hot water apart from using the expensive immersion heater.

 

Last year the Solar panel liquid completely leaked out and the repairers need to get a part from Germany and because of Covid they couldn't get the part until I started complaining and finally fixed the system in April this year.

 

It has now gone wrong again and the engineer could not fix it so has sent the job back to be re-booked again.

 

We are in a small estate (9 houses) and nearly every one else here the solar panels do not work or have the same problem as we are having.

Can we complain the HA to get them to replace the panels are they are clearly not up to standard.

 

Thanks

 

JJ

[BankFodder]

I suppose that you could complain to the housing association – but I can imagine that the amount of time and trouble it will take to get them to move themselves will be a terrible torture.

It suddenly occurs to me that you could proceed directly against the installers if you know who they are. I think you could probably assert third party rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

This will be quite amusing because they would be shocked and of course they would try to say that their contract is with the housing association and they wouldn't expect to be attacked under the 1999 Act.

What you would have to do would be to get an independent inspection and a quotation for the remedial work. If other people in your estate are having the same problem then you could group together to deal with the inspection – but after that only one of you would litigate. However, I would have thought that it would take one piece of litigation to get the housing association and the installer to move their arses.

 

[just_jue]

Thank you BF,

 

They are shocking to get anything done when it needs repairing.

 

The only other thing that would help is if we could have a timer fitted to the immersion switch so it could heat the water during the economy seven that would help

[BankFodder]

As I said, getting inspection, a quotation – preferably two – and then come back here and we will help you. Included in the quotation you could get a separate quotation for fitting the timer.

It certainly seems crazy not to have a timer that benefits from lower rates. I would have thought that that was – a given.

[just_jue]

Thank you will do