Renters may gain the right to install plug-in solar panels

Landlords could soon be dealing with tenant requests to install plug-in solar panels, The i Paper reports.

It says that ministers are considering changes that may limit refusals as the technology reaches UK shelves this summer.

The proposals would give renters greater scope to fit the £400 systems.

Climate Minister Katie White has signalled legal changes could follow if permission from a landlord is routinely denied.

Install plug-in solar panels

The minister said tenants should be able to install the panels, which plug straight into a mains socket and do not require an electrician.

Landlords would still be asked, but she said intervention remains an option if refusals become a ‘friction’ point.

That question extends beyond private landlords and includes freeholders in blocks.

They could also face limits on their ability to block installations on balconies or roofs.

Seek consent for plug-in solar

Tenants would still be expected to seek consent, and officials are drafting guidance intended to reduce the scope for objections.

Work is underway within the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to identify regulatory barriers.

Ms White told The i Paper: “We see this as an opportunity for renters, and I think most landlords will be wanting to support their occupants in terms of any opportunity to bring down bills.”

She said portability is part of the appeal and said: “Plug-in solar is great for renters because they can take it out the plug and take it with them when they end their rental agreements or if they move house.”

Government estimates suggest households could save up to £110 a year on electricity, with a £400 panel recouping its cost within four years.

Leaseholder issues

Germany’s experience has seen one million households registering plug-in systems since 2019, with installations often mounted on balconies in flats.

In the UK, however, lease structures could complicate matters.

A spokesperson for Leasehold Knowledge Partnership told the newspaper that “the legal right to install solar panels on flat balconies will depend on a number of factors and everyone will need to check their lease”.

They added that many leases would require the building landlord’s permission, and this would come with a fee.

For renters in blocks, the chain of consent may be longer with a ‘more complex’ issue.

Insurance and safety rules remain in question, particularly for buildings above 18 metres, they added.