Fully Funded Solar Packages

What to know first

Here are the most important points to understand before comparing fully funded solar offers or starting an application.

Could funded solar work for my home?

The indicators below can help you understand whether an enquiry may be worthwhile. They are not a suitability or eligibility test. Only a property-specific assessment can establish the design, likely performance, permissions and technical suitability of a proposed system. A scheme or lender must separately decide whether its current criteria are met.

Introduction

“Fully funded solar” is not a regulated product label or the name of one UK-wide scheme. It is a broad marketing phrase for arrangements where the household does not pay the full installation cost upfront. The underlying arrangement may be a grant, a social-landlord programme, third-party ownership or credit.

Those models can produce very different rights and costs. This guide gives a UK-wide overview, but funding, planning and public support differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Smart Export Guarantee applies in Great Britain, not Northern Ireland. The information is general and is not a property survey, system design, eligibility decision or personal financial recommendation.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for homeowners, private tenants, social tenants, landlords and leaseholders who want to understand a no-upfront-cost or subsidised solar offer. It is also useful if you have seen an advert for “free solar” and want to distinguish a public scheme from a commercial contract.

It focuses on domestic solar photovoltaic panels, which generate electricity. Solar thermal systems, large commercial arrays and off-grid engineering are outside the main scope. Battery storage is covered where it changes the contract, costs, safety or future options.

What this guide covers

The sections that follow explain the questions most likely to affect your decision:

• The main grant, landlord, third-party and finance models.

• What a package may include and which enabling works may be excluded.

• Roof, shading, electrical and access checks.

• Planning, building requirements and network connection.

• Current funding routes and how eligibility is assessed.

• How tenure and moving home can affect ownership and consent.

• The survey, design, installation and handover process.

• Savings assumptions, export payments and possible export limits.

• Contracts, cancellation, complaints and provider checks.

• Maintenance, warranties, insurance and future upgrades.

How solar usually creates value for households

Solar panels generate electricity during daylight. Electricity used in the home at the time it is generated can reduce the amount bought from the grid. This is usually called self-consumption. The benefit depends on the system, season and the household’s pattern of use.

Surplus electricity may be exported. In Great Britain, an eligible owner or generator can apply to a Smart Export Guarantee licensee for an export tariff. Rates and contract terms are set by the supplier, and payment normally depends on measured export. A roof lease, landlord arrangement or other contract may give the export entitlement to somebody else.

A battery can store some surplus for later use, but it adds equipment, cost, controls and warranty conditions. It does not remove the seasonal pattern of solar generation. UK output is generally lower in winter, while electricity use may be higher.

Claims that should trigger caution

Solar can provide a useful long-term reduction in grid imports, but a sales presentation should not turn a variable estimate into a certainty. Ask for the assumptions behind any figure and check that the calculation reflects ownership, export limits and your likely daytime use.

• “Your electricity bill will disappear in every season.”

• “You will save a fixed amount each month.”

• “Everyone qualifies for a government solar grant.”

• “Export income is guaranteed for the life of the panels.”

• “There is no need to check the roof, electrics or network.”

• “Funding ends today, so you must sign now.”

Why this topic can feel stressful (and how to stay in control)

High energy costs can make a no-upfront offer feel urgent. That makes it especially important to slow the process down. A genuine scheme or properly explained commercial arrangement should have written criteria, a survey process and clear terms. It should not depend on a same-day decision.

Try explaining the offer in one minute to somebody who has not heard the sales pitch. You should be able to say who pays, who owns the equipment, who receives export payments, what you must do, what happens if work is excluded and how the arrangement transfers when you move. If you cannot, ask for written clarification before proceeding.

No-upfront-cost models offered

No-upfront solar offers are not simply different brands of the same product. They allocate ownership, maintenance, export value and long-term risk in different ways. Two households with identical panels could have very different rights because their contracts are different.

Start with four questions: who funds the installation, who owns the equipment, who can claim export payments and what happens when the property is sold or the roof needs work. The headline price tells you very little without those answers.

Scheme- or grant-funded installs

A public or supplier-backed scheme may pay all or part of the approved cost for an eligible household. The scheme decides which measures are available, which delivery partners can be used and what evidence is required. Solar may be one part of a wider package rather than a measure you can select on its own.

A zero household contribution does not mean every related job is covered. Roof repairs, asbestos work, extensive rewiring or unusual access may sit outside the funded scope. Do not commission work or sign a private contract in anticipation of funding unless the scheme has confirmed the permitted process in writing.

Social landlord-led upgrades

A council or housing association may install solar through a planned retrofit programme. The resident usually pays nothing for the installation, while the landlord normally owns and maintains the system. Residents may benefit by using solar electricity in the home, but the landlord’s metering and export arrangement determines how value is shared.

Ask for a resident guide covering daytime use, monitoring, fault reporting, access for maintenance and what happens during a tenancy change. A landlord-led programme is not the same as an individual tenant owning a domestic system.

Third-party ownership: roof leases and PPAs

Under third-party ownership, another organisation pays for and owns the equipment. A roof lease may give it rights to use part of the roof for many years. A power purchase agreement, often shortened to PPA, may require the household to buy electricity generated by the panels at an agreed rate.

These arrangements can be legitimate, but the benefit is exchanged for long-term contractual rights. Check access, roof repairs, insurance, maintenance, export income, price changes, early termination and transfer on sale. A future buyer and mortgage lender may also need to accept the agreement.

Do not assume that a company’s ownership ends when equipment stops working. The contract should say when the term ends, who removes or replaces equipment and who pays for making the roof good.

“No upfront cost” finance

A £0 deposit loan is still borrowing. You own or acquire the system under the purchase terms, but repay the credit over time. Compare the cash price, annual percentage rate, total amount repayable, term, early-repayment provisions and whether the projected bill reduction is being used to make the repayments look smaller.

The government-supported Warm Homes Loan Scheme is lender-led and UK-wide. Its August 2026 rules envisage an initial consumer launch phase from September 2026, but actual products depend on participating lenders. Borrowers remain subject to lender affordability and credit assessments. This is finance, not a grant, and availability should be checked against current official information and lender terms.

A simple comparison of the main models

The clarifying question that prevents most problems

Before comparing panel brands, battery sizes or savings figures, ask for a written answer to one question:

“After installation, who owns each part of the system and who is entitled to any export payments?”

Then ask how that answer changes if you move, the roof needs repair, the installer stops trading or an export tariff is unavailable. Vague or changing answers are a reason to pause, not a reason to sign quickly.

What's  included

A solar package can be PV-only or part of a wider retrofit involving insulation, ventilation, heating controls and battery storage. The funded scope depends on the programme or contract. A brochure headline is not a substitute for a schedule of works.

Ask for the proposed equipment, enabling works, approvals, warranties and handover documents in writing. Where the final specification depends on survey, the document should make that clear and explain how changes will be agreed.

What is usually included (in plain terms)

A complete installation normally moves through screening, survey, design, approvals, safe access, installation, commissioning and handover. For an MCS-certified system, the certified installer should work to the relevant MCS standards and provide the information required by the MCS customer framework.

The precise package varies, but the written scope should address:

• Site survey and a design based on the surveyed property.

• Panels, mounting system, inverter and required electrical protection.

• Scaffolding or another safe access method where needed.

• Cable routes, isolators, labels, testing and commissioning.

• Planning, building-control and network steps allocated to a named party.

• Monitoring setup where it is part of the package.

• Manuals, warranties, certificates and fault contacts at handover.

What is often excluded (and why it matters)

Property repairs and unusual enabling work are common exclusions because they cannot be priced reliably before survey. Examples include replacing a failing roof, structural repairs, extensive rewiring, asbestos removal, relocation of equipment and complex scaffolding.

An exclusion is not automatically unfair. The important questions are who identifies it, whether you can obtain another quote, whether the solar offer can be cancelled without penalty and whether the proposed work must be completed before funding remains available.

Do not let an installer carry out structural, asbestos or major electrical work outside its competence. The responsible contractor and any separate price should be clear.

• Roof repairs or replacement before mounting can begin.

• Consumer-unit or earthing work beyond the agreed allowance.

• Asbestos surveys, removal or specialist access.

• Permissions for shared access, party walls or communal roofs.

• Tree work or design changes needed because of shading.

• Battery, EV charger or hot-water diverter unless expressly included.

What “included” should mean in writing

You do not need to approve an engineering drawing before an initial eligibility check. Before a contract or final acceptance, however, you should be able to identify what is being supplied and which points remain conditional.

At a minimum, look for:

• Proposed system size and equipment, subject to any stated survey change.

• Panel and inverter locations, cable route and meter work.

• Any battery, optimiser, diverter or monitoring equipment.

• Who handles planning, building requirements and the DNO.

• A list of included and excluded enabling works.

• Ownership, export entitlement, warranties and maintenance duties.

• The process if survey changes the price, scope or eligibility.

If a salesperson says an important point will be settled later, ask for the decision stage and your right to withdraw if the answer is unacceptable.

Why exclusions aren’t automatically a warning sign

Public schemes are designed around eligible measures and cost limits. They may decline a property rather than fund open-ended building repairs. A careful survey can therefore narrow the package or recommend a different measure first.

The warning sign is not the existence of exclusions. It is an offer that hides them, labels every possible cost as covered, or asks you to pay for unexpected work without a clear variation and cancellation process.

Home suitability checks

Solar design starts with the property, not with a standard panel count. A survey should consider the roof, shade, orientation, electrical installation, meter position, access and any likely future changes. A remote image can support early screening but cannot confirm all of those points.

A funded route may also assess whether another measure, such as insulation or heating improvement, should take priority. Household eligibility and technical suitability are separate decisions.

Roof suitability: condition and structure

The roof should be expected to remain serviceable for a sensible period after installation. Mounting panels on a roof that soon needs replacement can lead to removal and reinstatement costs, disruption and warranty questions.

A competent survey should identify visible deterioration, unusual construction, previous repairs and the proposed fixing method. Structural adequacy, wind loading, waterproofing and the condition of coverings must be considered for the actual building. A general statement that “most roofs are suitable” is not a structural assessment.

Chimneys, vents, rooflights, hips and valleys reduce usable space. The design should keep access to important roof features and avoid concentrating fixings or cable penetrations in vulnerable areas.

Shading and orientation: the performance reality check

Orientation, pitch and shade influence when and how much electricity is generated. South-facing roofs often produce a high annual total, while east-west layouts can spread generation across the morning and afternoon. Neither description predicts your result without a site-specific estimate.

Shade should be considered across the year. Trees, neighbouring buildings, dormers and chimneys can affect different panels at different times. The design may use layout changes or suitable electronic equipment to manage some effects, but those choices have costs and limitations.

Ask to see the estimated annual generation and the assumptions for orientation, inclination and shading. Treat the result as an estimate, not a guarantee.

Electrics: consumer unit, earthing, and safe isolation

Solar PV connects to the home’s electrical installation. The survey should consider the consumer unit, earthing and bonding, protective devices, meter arrangement, cable routes and safe isolation. Required work depends on the existing installation and proposed system.

The inverter and any battery need a suitable location. Access, ventilation, manufacturer instructions, fire considerations, noise, temperature and protection from damage may all matter. A battery location should be assessed for the specific product and building rather than chosen for convenience alone.

Electrical work should be carried out by competent people and certified or notified through the applicable route. Do not attempt to alter PV, inverter or battery wiring yourself.

Practical access: scaffolding and day‑to‑day realities

Terraces, rear extensions, conservatories, narrow passages and shared land can complicate safe access. The provider should establish who can authorise scaffolding, whether neighbours or a managing agent must be involved and how occupants will enter and leave safely during the work.

Tell the surveyor about mobility needs, medical equipment, pets, home working and any room that cannot be accessed. Those details help the contractor plan the work; they do not by themselves establish scheme eligibility.

A simple self-check before you start

You can collect useful information before an enquiry without trying to design the system yourself:

• When was the roof last inspected, repaired or replaced?

• Are there visible leaks, loose coverings or structural concerns?

• Which roof areas receive long periods of shade?

• Can the meter and consumer unit be reached safely?

• Who owns or controls the roof and access route?

• Are the property, street or building subject to heritage controls?

• Is there a practical indoor location for the proposed equipment?

A “no” or “not sure” does not automatically rule solar out. It identifies what the survey, landlord, freeholder, local planning authority or electrical contractor may need to resolve.

Permissions and rules

Solar may be straightforward to permit, but there is no single rule for every UK home. Planning systems are devolved, building requirements differ, and the owner of the roof may not be the person who occupies the property.

Separate four issues: planning permission, listed-building or other heritage consent, building requirements and electricity-network connection. An installation can be permitted for one purpose while still needing action under another.

Planning permission: common, but not universal, simplicity

Many domestic roof installations can use permitted-development rights when the relevant conditions are met. The conditions depend on the nation, property type, equipment and location. Flats, communal roofs, ground-mounted arrays, listed buildings and protected areas often need closer checking.

England changed its domestic solar permitted-development rules on 27 August 2026. The amendment separates some rules for houses and blocks of flats and introduces new limitations, including provisions for plug-in solar. Older summaries may therefore be out of date. Check the current legislation and local planning authority rather than relying on a generic online checker.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own planning rules. Even where an installation is usually permitted development, conditions about siting, projection, height, visibility or protected land can apply. Ask the installer to record the basis on which it considers permission unnecessary, or identify who will make an application.

Building regulations: often required even when planning isn’t

Planning controls how development may affect the place and its surroundings. Building requirements address matters such as structural safety and electrical work. Not needing a planning application does not remove the need to assess roof loading, fixings, weatherproofing and electrical compliance.

The notification and certification route depends on the nation and the work. Ask what structural evidence, electrical certificate and building-control record will be provided. Keep these documents with the property records.

Listed buildings and heritage homes: possible, but handled carefully

Listed-building consent may be needed where work affects the character of a listed building, even if planning permission would not otherwise be required. Conservation areas and other designated places can also change what is acceptable.

A heritage-sensitive proposal may use a less prominent roof slope, careful cable routing or a reversible fixing approach. Those choices should be agreed with the appropriate authority; they should not be improvised after installation has started.

Unauthorised work can create enforcement, repair and sale problems. Confirm the building’s status and seek the relevant official advice before committing to the final design.

Grid connection: the hidden source of delays

A grid-connected system must follow the process of the relevant electricity network operator. In Great Britain, small fully type-tested installations that meet all G98 conditions may be connected and notified within the required period. Other systems normally use a G99 application and need approval before connection.

The route can change when solar, battery storage or other generation is considered together. A network operator may require an export limit, sometimes implemented through equipment operating to G100 requirements. Northern Ireland has its own network procedures through NIE Networks.

An export restriction does not necessarily prevent self-consumption, but it can change export income and battery assumptions. The installer should explain the accepted connection arrangement and reflect it in the performance and financial information.

Questions worth asking early

You do not need to interpret technical standards yourself. Ask the person responsible for the project to answer these points in writing:

• Which nation’s planning rules apply to this property?

• Is the proposal permitted development, and what conditions are relevant?

• Is listed-building, conservation or landlord consent needed?

• How will structural and electrical compliance be evidenced?

• Does G98, G99 or another network process apply?

• Is export limited, and is that reflected in the estimate?

• Who pays if a required permission changes the design?

Where the position is uncertain, check with the local planning authority, building-control body, freeholder or network operator before work begins.

Funding and scheme routes

There is no open-to-everyone UK grant that simply provides free domestic solar panels. Current support is targeted by location, income, energy performance, tenure and programme priorities. Solar may be offered only where an assessment identifies it as an appropriate measure.

Scheme names are sometimes used loosely in advertising. Verify the programme on an official government, regulator, council, landlord or scheme-administrator page. Check its territory, application route, end date, eligible measures and whether the household or an authorised delivery partner must apply.

Do not pay an application fee or sign a private credit agreement because a salesperson says it is needed to “unlock” public funding. Follow the official route first.

England: Warm Homes: Local Grant and local authority delivery

Warm Homes: Local Grant is an England-only programme delivered through participating local authorities. Current guidance covers low-income households in privately owned homes, including owner-occupied and private rented properties, with an EPC rating from D to G. Approved packages are tailored to the home and may include solar panels, insulation or low-carbon heating.

Occupants do not contribute to the approved upgrade cost under the programme, but that does not create an entitlement to solar. The local authority and its delivery process determine eligibility, property suitability, measure choice, timing and available budget. Private landlords must take part in the required consent process.

Social tenants do not apply through Warm Homes: Local Grant. In England, social-housing upgrades may be delivered through landlord programmes such as Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3. Residents should ask their council or housing association about plans for their building and how any solar benefit will be allocated.

Great Britain: ECO4 in late 2026 (and GBIS ending earlier)

The Energy Company Obligation 4, known as ECO4, applies in England, Scotland and Wales. The government has extended its end date to 31 December 2026. The extension does not increase supplier targets and is intended to support an orderly close and remediation work.

The Great British Insulation Scheme ended on 31 March 2026. It should not be advertised as a live route for new solar applications. ECO4 remains focused on fuel-poverty and energy-efficiency outcomes; it is not a general solar grant, and the package offered for an eligible home depends on the scheme rules and assessment.

Some households enter ECO4 through supplier or local-authority-flex routes. Confirm the obligated supplier, delivery partner and scheme paperwork. Never assume that a council-branded referral means the council has guaranteed the installation.

Wales: Nest as a clear route that can include solar

The Welsh Government’s Nest scheme can provide a package of free home energy-efficiency improvements that may include solar panels. Current eligibility covers owner-occupiers and private tenants, not local-authority or housing-association tenants. Applicants must meet the scheme’s income or benefit rules and its EPC conditions.

The scheme currently uses different EPC thresholds where an eligible health condition is present, and some households may be placed on a reserve list. Check the live Nest eligibility page and supply evidence only through the official process. A household-level pass does not guarantee that solar will be selected for the property.

Scotland: Warmer Homes Scotland and related support

Home Energy Scotland is the main official starting point for household energy advice and Scottish Government funding routes. Warmer Homes Scotland supports eligible households with measures selected after assessment, with a strong focus on heating and insulation. Do not assume that a current Warmer Homes Scotland award will include solar PV.

The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan currently supports specified measures, but ordinary standalone solar PV is not listed as a standard grant or loan measure; hybrid solar PV and water-heating systems are listed for loan support. Local or area-based programmes may differ, so check the live funding finder before relying on an advert.

Northern Ireland: different scheme emphasis

Northern Ireland uses different schemes and electricity-market arrangements. The Housing Executive’s Affordable Warmth Scheme currently focuses on measures such as insulation, heating and windows for eligible households and does not list solar PV as a standard measure.

Solar can still be bought or offered through local, landlord or commercial routes, but an advert should name the exact programme and delivery body. Check with NI Energy Advice, the Housing Executive, your council or landlord where appropriate.

VAT context that can confuse “funded” messaging

Installing qualifying energy-saving materials in residential accommodation is currently zero-rated for VAT under the applicable UK relief. Solar panels and, in relevant installations, batteries are included. The current zero rate is scheduled to apply through 31 March 2027, with a 5% rate scheduled from 1 April 2027 unless policy changes.

VAT relief reduces the tax charged on a qualifying installation. It is not a grant, does not remove the underlying price and does not establish that an installer’s “free” offer is publicly funded.

Eligibility

Most genuine fully funded routes ration limited public or supplier funding. They therefore assess both the household and the home. Meeting an income rule does not establish that the roof is suitable, and a technically suitable roof does not establish that the household qualifies.

Eligibility can also depend on where the property is, who owns it, the current EPC, available budget and the measures that the programme is permitted to fund. Treat an online form as preliminary screening unless the official scheme says otherwise.

What eligibility tends to look like

Common routes use means-tested benefits, household-income thresholds, fuel-poverty indicators, health or vulnerability criteria, EPC bands and tenure. The exact combination varies. Some local-authority-flex pathways can include households that are not receiving a named benefit, but they still use documented criteria.

Scheme criteria can change. Use the live official page rather than a copied list in an advert. Where thresholds are detailed, ask the scheme how it treats household composition, deductions, disability-related payments and evidence dates.

Finance has a different test. A lender-led product may have no income-based grant threshold but will normally use affordability and credit checks. Approval for borrowing is not approval for a grant or confirmation that the installation suits the property.

Evidence you may be asked to provide

Only give personal information through a route you have verified. A legitimate scheme should explain why it needs the evidence, how it will be used and who will receive it. Do not send identity, bank or health documents to an unverified salesperson.

Common rejection reasons (and what they usually mean)

A decline is often about the scheme or property rather than the value of solar in general. Ask for the reason and, where possible, the relevant rule or survey finding.

• The household does not meet the current programme pathway.

• The property is outside the scheme area or EPC range.

• The budget or local delivery allocation is unavailable.

• The roof, shade, electrics or access make the proposal unsuitable.

• Required landlord, freeholder or planning consent is missing.

• Enabling work falls outside the programme’s cost or scope.

• A different measure has been prioritised for the home.

A capacity delay is not the same as a technical rejection. Ask whether the application is closed, waiting, reserved or eligible subject to funding. Do not pay a commercial provider to “move up the list”.

How to reduce late-stage disappointment

Prepare the address, tenure, EPC, known roof history and details of any shared ownership or management company. Tell the provider about access and electrical issues early. Accurate information is more useful than trying to give the answer you think a form wants.

Do not arrange roof repairs solely to meet a scheme until the delivery body confirms the requirement, who can perform the work and whether funding will remain available. Where a household is not eligible, independent advice can help compare self-funded or financed options without turning a decline into a sales opportunity.

Tenure scenarios

Tenure determines who can authorise roof work and who may own the resulting system. It can also affect insurance, export payments, maintenance and sale. The person paying the electricity bill does not automatically control the roof.

Resolve ownership and consent before a final design. Retrospective permission can be difficult, particularly for flats and long leases.

Homeowners (freehold): often the simplest route

A freeholder usually has the clearest authority to approve work, subject to mortgages, title restrictions, planning, building requirements and any shared rights. A funded scheme will still check that the applicant and property meet its rules.

Freehold does not guarantee that the homeowner owns the panels. A roof lease or PPA can give a third party long-term rights. Read the land, access, maintenance and transfer clauses rather than relying on the phrase “free installation”.

Private tenants: solar usually requires landlord consent

A private tenant should not authorise roof-mounted equipment without the landlord’s written agreement. The landlord may need to approve the design, contractor, warranties, insurance and future access. Some schemes also require a landlord contribution or separate undertaking; check current terms.

Where Warm Homes: Local Grant or Nest is relevant, the official process explains how landlord consent is obtained. A commercial provider should not ask a tenant to grant roof rights that the tenancy does not give them.

Useful questions for the landlord include:

• Who will own and maintain the system?

• Who receives export payments, if any?

• How will the roof and building insurance be protected?

• What access is required during and after installation?

• What happens at the end of the tenancy?

Social housing tenants: usually landlord-led

Councils and housing associations usually plan solar at portfolio or building level. The landlord selects the properties, procurement route and ownership model. Residents may be consulted or asked for access, but they normally do not contract for the roof installation themselves.

Ask how generated electricity is connected to the dwelling, whether monitoring is provided, how faults are reported and whether export value supports the resident, the landlord or the wider programme. Benefits can differ between individual homes and communal systems.

Verify any direct approach with the housing provider. A third party should not claim authority to work on social housing without the landlord’s involvement.

Leaseholders and flats: roof rights are the challenge

The freeholder or management company commonly controls the roof of a flat. The lease may restrict alterations, cables through common parts and access. Formal consent, consultation or a licence for alterations may be needed even where planning permission is not.

Solar for a block may serve communal electricity, selected dwellings or a shared arrangement. Metering and benefit allocation should be designed for that building. Do not assume that a panel physically above a flat is legally or electrically assigned to that flat.

Leaseholders should consider service charges, maintenance reserves, roof-repair access and what happens when the system reaches the end of its life. Independent conveyancing advice may be useful for a long-term roof agreement.

Moving home: the question to ask before you sign

A homeowner-owned system normally forms part of the property sale, supported by certificates, warranties and export records. Missing documents can delay enquiries even where the installation is sound.

A third-party agreement may need to be assigned, bought out or accepted by the buyer and lender. The contract should explain the process, fees, notice period and what happens if a buyer refuses. Ask your current mortgage lender about a proposed roof lease before entering it.

Landlords and tenants should also record what transfers at a tenancy change. Monitoring accounts, fault contacts and operating instructions should not disappear with the previous occupier.

The end-to-end process

A careful solar journey has several decision points. Screening, survey, design, permission, installation and handover are not interchangeable. You should know when the offer is still indicative and when a contract becomes binding.

Public schemes can add eligibility and retrofit-assessment stages. Commercial routes can add credit or land-agreement stages. The provider should identify which process you are entering.

Enquiry and initial screening

The first stage usually collects the address, property type, tenure and basic household information. It may check a public EPC record or ask about income and benefits. This can identify a possible route, but it cannot confirm final eligibility, roof condition or system performance.

Check the privacy notice and consent wording. Clearwise is an information publisher and introducer only. Where you choose to submit details, an independent provider decides whether it can contact, assess or assist you.

Desktop assessment

Mapping and aerial imagery can indicate roof area, orientation and obvious shade. They are useful for preparing a survey and rejecting clearly impractical layouts.

A desktop estimate should state what has not been verified. It should not be used to guarantee annual generation, final panel count, permissions, structural suitability or the cost of enabling work.

Home survey: the true decision point

The survey checks the roof and proposed fixings, electrical installation, equipment locations, cable route, access and metering. It should also identify shade and any planning, freeholder or network issue that affects the design.

For an MCS-certified installation, pre-sale information and the system performance estimate should follow the relevant MCS requirements. If a remote estimate was supplied earlier, the installer should explain material changes after the survey before you commit to the revised proposal.

A survey can result in a smaller system, additional work, a different measure or no installation. That outcome can be disappointing, but it is better than proceeding with an unsuitable design.

Design, permissions and grid steps

The final proposal should identify the equipment, layout, estimated generation, ownership, export assumptions and work required. It should also allocate responsibility for planning, listed-building consent, building requirements and the network application or notification.

Do not assume a G98 route until the installer has checked all generation and storage at the premises. Where G99 approval is needed, the design should not be presented as final until the network position is known.

If permission or network conditions change the expected benefit, ask for updated information and your options under the contract.

Installation and commissioning

Safe access is normally established first. Panels and mounting equipment are fitted, the inverter and protection are installed, cables are routed and the system is connected and tested. Battery work may add further commissioning and shutdown steps.

The contractor should protect occupants and the property, manage waste and leave labels and isolators accessible. You should not be asked to work at height or handle live electrical equipment.

Handover: what you should receive

Handover should leave you able to identify the equipment, use monitoring, isolate the system in an emergency and obtain support. The exact pack depends on the route, but it may include:

• The final specification, layout and basic system schematic.

• Electrical certificates and building-control records where applicable.

• DNO application, approval or notification evidence.

• An MCS certificate where the installation is MCS certified.

• Product, performance and workmanship warranty documents.

• Operating, monitoring and safe-shutdown instructions.

• Ownership and export documentation.

• Fault, maintenance and complaints contacts.

Check names, addresses, serial numbers and dates before filing the pack. Ask when any outstanding certificate will arrive and what escalation route applies if it does not.

A calm rule that protects you

Do not sign a final contract until the important unknowns have either been resolved or clearly listed as conditions. A blank or provisional field should not carry a permanent obligation.

Keep copies of adverts, estimates, messages, survey findings, contracts and certificates. They can help the installer, scheme body, consumer code, lender or adviser understand what was promised if a dispute arises.

Money matters

Solar value comes from avoided electricity purchases, possible export payments and, in some cases, a subsidised installation. Those are different benefits. A calculation should not add them together unless the household is genuinely entitled to each one.

This section explains how to interrogate an estimate. It does not predict personal savings or recommend a tariff, loan or investment.

The two main ways solar affects your finances

Self-consumed electricity can reduce grid imports at the household’s import tariff. The same unit exported is not available for use in the home, so it may receive a different value under an export contract.

In Great Britain, eligible generators can apply to a Smart Export Guarantee licensee. Suppliers set their own rates and contract lengths, but a SEG tariff must remain above zero and payments are based on actual meter readings under the scheme rules. Your export supplier does not have to be your import supplier.

SEG is not automatic. The installation, metering, documentation and applicant must meet the licensee’s criteria. Northern Ireland has different export arrangements. In every nation, a lease, PPA or landlord contract can allocate export value to somebody other than the occupant.

How to test a savings claim without becoming technical

Ask for annual generation in kilowatt-hours, the assumed share used in the home, import and export rates, degradation or maintenance assumptions and any export limit. Check whether prices are current and whether the calculation assumes a future tariff or behaviour change.

Compare the estimate with the contract. A calculation showing export income for you is misleading if the legal agreement gives that income to a third party.

Export limits and their effect on value

A network-approved export limit can cap the power sent to the grid at a particular time. The system may still generate for use in the home, and suitable controls or storage may reduce curtailment, but those outcomes depend on the design and household demand.

Ask whether the performance estimate assumes unrestricted export. If an export limit is imposed later, request a revised explanation before accepting a material contract change.

Behaviour change: useful, but should not become burdensome

Using flexible appliances during daylight can increase self-consumption. Timers, smart controls and an EV can help where they match normal routines and manufacturer safety guidance.

Do not treat every exported unit as wasted. Export may have value, and shifting demand can be inconvenient or unsafe for some appliances. A sound proposal should not depend on unrealistic daily micromanagement.

A clear standard you can hold providers to

Before relying on a financial illustration, ask the provider to confirm:

• The surveyed generation estimate and its main assumptions.

• The share expected to be used in the home and why.

• Who owns the system and who can claim export payments.

• The import and export prices used and their date.

• Any network export limit or proposed battery control.

• Maintenance, finance and replacement costs included or excluded.

• How actual performance can be compared with the estimate.

A provider cannot control future weather, prices or household behaviour. Its responsibility is to explain a reasonable estimate, not to present uncertainty as a guaranteed return.

Contracts and consumer rights

The contract turns the sales description into enforceable responsibilities. Read the equipment schedule, funding conditions, credit agreement and any roof or export agreement together. Important terms can be split across several documents.

General consumer law may require a trader to use reasonable care and skill and can make certain information given about the service binding. The exact remedy depends on the contract, facts and jurisdiction. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Ownership and long-term obligations

The agreement should identify the owner of the panels, inverter, battery and monitoring equipment. It should also say who maintains, insures, replaces and removes them, and who bears roof-reinstatement costs.

Third-party contracts may grant access rights, restrict roof alterations, require notice of sale and set transfer or buyout terms. Check the length of the agreement and what happens at expiry, insolvency or persistent equipment failure.

A grant condition can also continue after installation. For example, a landlord or scheme may require records or access. Ask which obligations bind the occupant, owner and future purchaser.

Mortgages and home sales: why lenders care

A roof lease or similar interest can affect the title, access and a lender’s security. Mortgage providers may apply their own criteria. A salesperson cannot promise that every future lender or buyer will accept the arrangement.

Show a proposed long-term agreement to the current mortgage lender and, where appropriate, an independent conveyancer before signing. Keep the MCS, electrical, building and warranty records for future enquiries.

Cooling-off and cancellation rights

Many consumer contracts agreed online, by phone or during a home visit carry a 14-day cancellation period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. The rules include exceptions, and the consequences can change if you expressly ask for services to begin during the cancellation period.

The trader should give the required pre-contract information and cancellation instructions. A separate credit agreement may have its own withdrawal rights and process. Cancelling one document may not automatically cancel every linked arrangement, so follow the written steps promptly.

Where a public scheme is involved, ask what happens if you withdraw after survey or enabling work. Do not rely on a verbal statement that “there is no contract because it is free”.

Complaints and dispute resolution

Start with the contracted provider’s written complaints process. Set out what happened, what was promised, the evidence and the outcome you want. Keep dates, photographs and copies of all documents.

The next route depends on the arrangement. It may involve a local authority or landlord, an MCS complaint about a certified installation, a consumer code or alternative dispute resolution body, Citizens Advice and Trading Standards, or the Financial Ombudsman Service for a complaint about a regulated finance firm.

Ofgem does not normally decide individual solar installation disputes. Report suspected fraud to the appropriate police or fraud-reporting route, and contact the network operator for an immediate electricity-network safety issue.

Contract points worth checking carefully

Concentrate on terms that change ownership, money or control of the property:

• The equipment and service included in the agreement.

• Ownership, export entitlement and meter responsibilities.

• Price, finance, fees and what “fully funded” excludes.

• Access rights and responsibility for roof damage.

• Warranties, maintenance, response times and replacement.

• Cancellation, variation, termination and complaints.

• Transfer, buyout or removal when the property is sold.

• Data collection and access to monitoring accounts.

Ask for unclear terms to be explained in plain English, but remember that a sales explanation does not replace the written contract. Independent legal or financial advice may be sensible where the agreement creates long-term land rights or borrowing.

Choosing a provider

A funded scheme may restrict your choice of contractor, but you can still verify who is responsible for the work. A commercial offer should disclose the legal business, installer, funder, credit broker, equipment owner and complaints body where those roles are split.

Certification and membership support due diligence; they are not guarantees of perfect workmanship, savings or redress in every case. Check the current official register and the exact scope of the listing.

Standards and certification that matter

For a domestic MCS-certified solar installation, check that the business is certified for solar PV and, if relevant, battery storage. Ask who will issue the MCS certificate and whether subcontractors are working under the certified business’s system.

TrustMark is required in relevant government-funded retrofit programmes and provides a framework and register for participating businesses. It is not a universal requirement for every privately purchased solar job. Check whether the specific scheme requires it.

A Renewable Energy Consumer Code or another recognised consumer-code membership can add rules on marketing, contracts, deposits and dispute resolution. Confirm that the business, not merely a related brand, is currently listed.

Where credit is arranged, use the Financial Conduct Authority’s Firm Checker to verify the lender or broker and its permissions. An FCA listing does not turn an unsuitable loan into a suitable one and does not guarantee that every complaint is covered.

What trustworthy behaviour looks like

A careful provider distinguishes screening from survey, estimates from guarantees and public funding from credit. It explains who owns the system, records exclusions and gives time to read the documents.

It should also be willing to identify the proposed installer, equipment, standards, network route and complaints process. A refusal to answer ordinary due-diligence questions is more informative than a collection of logos.

Red flags that deserve a pause

One issue may have an innocent explanation. A pattern of pressure, vagueness and unverifiable claims deserves a pause.

• A same-day deadline for unnamed “government funding”.

• A claim that everyone qualifies without evidence or survey.

• Guaranteed savings, export income or payback.

• No clear answer about ownership or roof rights.

• Requests for money in a supposedly fully funded route.

• Refusal to provide the contract before a signature.

• Certification logos that cannot be verified on a register.

• Advice to hide the agreement from a landlord or lender.

Ofgem warns that it does not sell energy, ask consumers for personal information in sales approaches or visit homes to offer products. Treat pressure using Ofgem’s name as a warning and verify through official channels.

A practical way to check credibility

1. Record the legal name, company number, trading address and website.

2. Check MCS, TrustMark, consumer-code and FCA status where relevant.

3. Confirm the named public scheme on its official page.

4. Ask for insurance, warranties and an example handover list.

5. Read independent complaints information, not only testimonials.

6. Call the scheme, landlord or register using contact details you found yourself.

Companies House confirms corporate information but does not approve technical quality or consumer conduct. Online reviews can identify questions to ask, but they are not a substitute for current official registration and written terms.

Take enough time to compare the paperwork with the sales description. A legitimate route should remain understandable after the salesperson has left.

Maintenance responsibilities

Solar PV has no fuel supply and relatively few moving parts, but it is not maintenance-free. Roof fixings, cables, isolators, inverter electronics, monitoring and any battery all need an identified owner and fault route.

The contract should allocate maintenance before installation. A resident should not discover after a fault that the installer, landlord and equipment owner each expect somebody else to act.

Safety: the areas that matter most

The main domestic risks involve working at height, roof integrity and electrical equipment. Occupants should not climb onto the roof, remove covers, disconnect wiring or attempt battery repairs. Use the shutdown information supplied at handover and contact the responsible contractor where safe to do so.

After a fire, flood, major storm, roof leak, impact or visible cable damage, keep away from affected equipment and seek appropriate emergency or professional help. Solar modules can produce electricity in daylight even when the main supply is switched off.

Any battery should be installed and operated to its manufacturer instructions and the assessed site design. Do not block required ventilation or store items against equipment. Changes to the room or surrounding construction may need review.

Warranties: what you usually get (and what you might assume incorrectly)

A package can contain several warranties with different providers and conditions. A long panel performance warranty does not automatically cover the inverter, battery, roof workmanship, labour or loss of income.

Create a simple record of:

• Product warranties for panels, inverter and battery.

• Any separate performance warranty and how it is measured.

• Workmanship warranty for mounting and electrical work.

• Insurance-backed protection, if provided, and its exclusions.

• Registration, servicing or monitoring conditions.

• Who pays labour, access and removal costs during a claim.

Warranty periods vary by product and contract. Check the current document for the exact model rather than relying on a salesperson’s general statement such as “everything is covered for 25 years”.

Insurance: tell your insurer

Tell the buildings insurer about the proposed system and ownership arrangement before installation where the policy requires it. Ask about storm damage, theft, fire, roof leaks, batteries and the cost of temporary removal for roof repairs.

If another party owns the equipment, its insurance does not necessarily cover damage to your building or loss under your household policy. The contract should explain how claims are coordinated and which party pays any excess.

Maintenance: low effort, not zero effort

Use monitoring or periodic meter information to notice a sustained change in generation. Compare like seasons rather than expecting every day or month to match. Report fault codes through the documented route.

Panels often rely on rainfall for routine cleaning, but local dirt, birds or trees can change needs. Do not use pressure washers, abrasive products or roof access. Follow the manufacturer and installer guidance and use a competent contractor where physical inspection is needed.

Responsibility depends on the model

An owner-occupier who owns the system normally arranges maintenance and claims. A social landlord may manage them for residents. A third-party owner may retain maintenance duties and rights of access. The written agreement controls the position.

Clarify what happens if the responsible business stops trading. MCS, a consumer code, an insurance-backed warranty or a scheme body may offer a route in some circumstances, but coverage depends on the rules and documents.

Every occupant should know the safe-shutdown instructions, fault contact and emergency position. Those practical details matter more than a promise that the system is “fit and forget”.

Optimisation and future upgrades

After installation, optimisation means using the system information sensibly, not watching an app all day. Start by checking that the monitoring and export arrangements work as described. Then consider whether small changes fit the household.

Future equipment can alter electrical load, network requirements, warranties and controls. Plan for compatibility, but do not buy an add-on solely because it is presented as essential.

Monitoring: what to expect and how to use it

Where monitoring is included, it may show instantaneous power, daily generation, battery state and fault messages. Some systems need additional metering to distinguish generation, household use, import and export.

Learn which figure is which. Inverter generation is not the same as measured export or bill saving. Check the system after prolonged outages or communications changes, and maintain access when broadband or phone accounts change.

Optimisation: small changes that can help

Flexible loads such as washing, dishwashing or water heating may be shifted into daylight where appliance instructions and household needs allow. Avoid running unsafe or unattended equipment merely to use solar.

The useful change is one that becomes routine. If an estimate depends on a level of daytime use that the household cannot maintain, ask for a more realistic scenario.

Batteries: useful in the right circumstances

A battery can store electricity for later and may support a time-of-use tariff. Its value depends on usable capacity, power limits, efficiency, controls, warranty, replacement expectations, tariffs and the household’s import and export pattern.

Check whether the battery is owned under the same arrangement as the panels. A programme may fund one technology but not another, and a later battery can affect MCS documentation, network notifications and warranty conditions.

Ask how the battery behaves during a power cut. Backup supply is not automatic; it requires equipment and design intended for that purpose.

EV chargers and heat pumps: thinking in systems

An electric vehicle can increase daytime self-consumption when it is at home and controlled safely. Evening-only charging may have less direct overlap with solar, although a suitable tariff or battery can change the pattern.

A heat pump usually raises winter electricity demand when solar generation is lower. Solar can still contribute, but it does not remove the need for heat-loss assessment, suitable heating design and an appropriate tariff.

Adding an EV charger, heat pump, battery or further panels can change the site’s aggregate electrical demand and generation. Ask a competent installer to review the supply, consumer unit, network position and controls.

Future-proofing questions to ask now

You can reduce avoidable rework by asking:

• Can the inverter support the intended future battery arrangement?

• Is there a surveyed, compliant location for future storage?

• Will extra generation need a new network application?

• Can monitoring integrate import, export and future loads?

• Could an add-on affect existing product or workmanship warranties?

• Who owns the data and can the account transfer to a new occupier?

Future-proofing is not a promise that every later product will be compatible. Record the current equipment and design assumptions so a future installer can assess changes properly.

Conclusion

Fully funded solar can describe a valuable public or landlord-supported improvement, but it can also describe a long-term commercial agreement or borrowing. The phrase alone does not tell you whether the arrangement is free, suitable or good value.

The safest comparison begins with the model and the property. Identify the funder, owner, export beneficiary and continuing obligations. Then check the roof, electrics, access, permissions and network route. A performance estimate only becomes useful when its assumptions match those facts.

Current support is fragmented across the UK. England’s local-authority programmes, ECO4 in Great Britain, Nest in Wales and Scottish or Northern Irish routes have different purposes and measure choices. An advert should name the exact scheme and link to an official application route.

Clear documents matter as much as equipment. Keep the survey, final design, contract, certificates, network evidence, warranties and complaints contacts. They support maintenance, export applications, insurance and a future sale.

What happens next

Start by deciding which route you are actually considering: public funding, a landlord programme, third-party ownership or finance. Verify it independently and collect basic information about the property and tenure. Use the named scheme’s official page or a relevant free public advice route before responding to an advert.

• Check the named scheme on an official website.

• Confirm who owns the roof and can authorise work.

• Ask who owns the equipment and receives export value.

• Arrange a property-specific survey before final design.

• Check planning, building and network responsibilities.

• Read the contract, finance and cancellation documents.

• Keep copies and do not proceed under same-day pressure.

Scheme rules, evidence requirements, prices, guidance and availability can change. This guide provides general information and does not determine the funding, finance, permissions, design or property suitability that applies to your circumstances.

Where a referral is useful, Clearwise can use the questionnaire to collect preliminary details and, only with your consent, introduce you to an independent MCS-certified solar installer. The installer remains independent and decides whether it can assess or assist. An introduction does not guarantee acceptance, property suitability, funding, availability or any outcome, and there is no obligation to proceed.

You can use the FAQs, glossary, useful organisations and references to check terms and official routes before deciding what to do next. A clear route should remain clear when you slow it down: make the decision on the written model, verified rules and assessed property—not on the size of the headline promise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility and funding routes

Costs, bills and savings

Ownership, contracts and moving home

Home suitability and permissions

Installation and handover

Export, metering and payments

Batteries and future upgrades

Safety, warranties and maintenance

Scams, pressure selling and complaints

Useful organisations

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice provides independent consumer information and can help with contracts, cancellation and complaints in England and Wales. Consumer-support arrangements differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so use the national route shown on the relevant official government page. The consumer service can also pass appropriate cases to Trading Standards.

• 0808 223 1133
• www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Ofgem

Ofgem is the energy regulator for Great Britain. Its official pages explain the Smart Export Guarantee, ECO4 and energy-scam warnings. Ofgem does not sell solar or normally resolve individual installation disputes, so use the complaints route that applies to the installer, scheme, code or finance provider.

• 020 7901 7295
• www.ofgem.gov.uk

TrustMark

TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme for work in and around the home. It is relevant to specified government-funded retrofit programmes. Use the official register to check the current business and scope, and read the applicable complaints information rather than treating the badge as a guarantee.

• 0333 555 1234
• www.trustmark.org.uk

MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme)

MCS certifies qualifying small-scale renewable products, installers and installations. Its register, standards, Customer Commitment and complaints policy can help you understand an MCS-certified solar route. Check the exact technology scope and remember that certification does not guarantee personal savings.

• 0333 103 8130
• mcscertified.com

References

Still have questions?

If you still feel uncertain after reading this guide, that’s completely normal. Fully funded solar sits at the intersection of energy policy, property permissions, electrical safety, and long-term contracts. General guidance can take you far, but some homes and circumstances need personalised interpretation—especially where leasehold, listed status, complex roof access, or third‑party ownership models are involved.

Speaking with an expert is particularly useful if you are facing any of these situations: you are unsure which programme route applies in your area; you live in a flat or leasehold property; your home is listed or in a conservation area; you have been offered “free solar” but the ownership or export terms are unclear; you plan to move within a few years; or you have been declined and want to understand alternatives.

To make an expert conversation efficient and reassuring, it helps to gather a few basics. You do not need perfect paperwork, but a small amount of context can unlock much clearer advice:

• Your postcode and property type (For example, terrace, semi-detached, detached, flat).

• Your tenure (For example, homeowner, private tenant, social tenant, leaseholder).

• Any known roof constraints (For example, repairs needed, heavy shading, complex roof shape).

• Your EPC rating if you know it (Or permission for an assessor to obtain it).

• A summary of any offer you have received (Especially who owns the system and who gets export value).

A good expert should be able to translate the offer into plain English, identify plausible routes, highlight red flags, and give you a calm next step. Your first step should never be signing something you don’t fully understand.