“It’s all been really good”

Laura Crossley shares her home in rural Yorkshire with her partner Angus, their two children, Maya and Dylan, and the family dog. The family had not long moved in when their home was identified for an upgrade under Broadacres Housing Association’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) Wave 3 programme — a retrofit scheme RPS is delivering across Yorkshire. For Laura, a set of solar panels has changed not just her energy bills, but the way the whole household thinks about power.

A faster, smoother install than expected

When the assessment team first visited to check whether the property was suitable for solar, Laura assumed any work would be “months down the line.” Instead, the panels were fitted far sooner than she expected. The only follow-up was a short return visit to reconnect the panels; beyond that, the installation was straightforward from start to finish.

Communication that worked around family life

Laura was contacted the week before installation to arrange a fit date — a call that happened to land during a week she was away with the children. Even so, the  scheduling was handled smoothly. “Everyone that’s been around has been really  good,” she said. Respect on site mattered to the family. Laura’s son has autism and  “just wants to chat to everybody.” The engineers took it in their stride — “they  were really good, and chatted along with him.”

A new way of running the home

Since the panels went in, Laura has changed how the household uses electricity. She has moved to a “heat pump tariff” and now schedules hot water and heating on a timer, making the most of a half-price window between midnight and 7am. The solar array has made a bigger change possible, too: the family has since bought an electric vehicle, charged for free during daylight hours. “We need a car because it’s so rural — and I can charge it for free through the day.”

The family’s previous home was draughty and harder to keep warm. Laura hasn’t been in this house long, but the combination of solar generation and smarter scheduling has taken the worry out of heating. Asked whether the system had eased her concerns about costs, she didn’t hesitate: “Definitely.”

And would she recommend solar to a friend or neighbour weighing it up? “Definitely. Yeah.”

What’s changed for Laura

• Solar PV generating electricity on-site, at no running cost

• Moved to a time-of-use tariff, with heating and hot water

  scheduled around cheaper overnight rates

• Free daytime charging for the family’s new electric vehicle

• Less worry about heating costs than in her previous, draughtier home

• A fast, respectful installation she would recommend to others

After they came to check the property, I thought it would be months down the line — I was surprised how quick they were. It’s all been really good…I’ve changed my tariff… I know I can schedule it, and there are times where it’s cheaper.
Laura Crossley, Broadacres Resident