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

How does the wiring in the picture work? Presumably most properties won’t have outdoor electric power points, so the solar panel connection will be going through an open window or door.

Tenants (and anyone) can already access solar power via portable solar panels and a suitable power bank, so no necessity to link into the mains – campers and caravanners often have such equipment. With LLs having responsibility for the electrical supply, I wouldn’t be comfortable giving consent for a direct link into the mains until there was certainty around the technology and specification of the equipment.

Wonder IF landlord supplied the panel and tenant benefitted from the electric, would that be taken into consideration for EPC ? Just a thought…..it maybe enough to just reach the C rating especially on older buildings.

My understanding is that a special socket needs to be installed. This would need to be installed by and electrician (at the tenants expense) and, I presume the EICR updated

These plug-in panels are too small to make a meaningful difference to most energy bills.

In the UK climate, the savings are likely to be minimal, so whoever pays for them is unlikely to see a sensible return. They won’t materially reduce costs and are not a substitute for proper solar.

In most cases, this is money spent for very little real impact.

You can just plug this in, but you’ll need an outside socket otherwise you’ll need an open window. With a south facing panel, in theory the pay back is around 4 years so, a decent return. However you need certified equipment so it’s not live when unplugged, and you’ll need to keep it under 800w so your consumer units RCD is still working, because if you start pushing to much power back it to the grid it causes issues.

The other problem is planning permission. The photo is probably AI generated. Panels on the front/side of the house need planning permission, and involvement from highways if it’s near a road. This is because panels can’t be more than a few CM away from the existing building, or distract drivers, so that’s why they go on the roof, plus the angle makes them gather solar energy more effectively.

Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Willis at 29/04/2026 – 18:41
This is political theatre.

These panels are far too small to materially reduce energy bills in the UK. At best they shave a little off daytime background use.

Whoever pays for them is unlikely to see a meaningful return. This isn’t a solution, it’s a distraction.

At best these panels power a fridge, not a household, so presenting them as a serious answer to energy bills is misleading.

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander – Founder of Property118 at 29/04/2026 – 19:04
They aren’t designed to power a house, even a full array with battery storage doesn’t easily take you off the grid. It’s too reduce the “ghost” consumption. Exactly as you say, fridge, TV, router, standby devices. It’s not running your air con, kettle, microwave, toaster.

With a full solar installation, you can run your heat pump and full house up-to a point. But there are plenty of times in the winter those systems cost more than the gas boiler to run due to energy demand and lack of British sun.

If a £400 panel can save £100 a year, compared to cash in the bank, it’s a fair return. You do need to position them out the shade and hope for good weather. They are not permanent installations but as a tenant you probably don’t want to be moving then from house to house due to suitability.

Reply to the comment left by Kate Gould at 28/04/2026 – 10:19
Presumably, something like this cable will work, meaning the window call be shut with a cable passing through it.

https://amzn.eu/d/0fhVA6cT

Reply to the comment left by Alex at 03/05/2026 – 06:53
*can be shut