Should landlords install plug-in solar? This guide covers the legal position, tenant rights, installation options, insurance, G98 notification, and financial returns.

Plug-in Solar for Landlords UK: Full Guide to Legality, Installation and Returns

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 transformed the landscape for landlords considering renewable energy. Plug-in solar is now legal, and in many cases, it's a compelling investment.

But there are rules. This guide covers what you need to know: the legal position, who pays for installation, insurance implications, G98 notification requirements, managing multiple properties, and the financial case.

The Legal Position Under Renters' Rights Act 2025

The headline: You can legally install plug-in solar on a rental property without tenant permission, provided you meet specific conditions.

What You Can Do

Install on your behalf: As the property owner, you can install 800W plug-in solar systems (up to the UK regulatory cap) without requiring tenant consent, because:
- The system is non-invasive (no permanent wiring changes)
- It's your equipment (you own the panels, not the tenant)
- It doesn't materially alter the property or tenancy
Maintain it: You remain responsible for maintenance and replacement
Claim the export revenue: Solar export payments go to the account holder (normally the property owner)
Improve the EPC: The energy improvement is registered on the Energy Performance Certificate, boosting the property's rating (good for lettability and valuation)

What You Cannot Do

Bill the tenant for installation costs – Renters' Rights Act 2025 explicitly prohibits "green rent" surcharges. You cannot add a charge to rent to recoup solar installation costs.
Require the tenant to maintain it – Maintenance is your responsibility as the property owner
Profit from the tenant's usage – If the tenant's consumption offsets your generation, you cannot charge them for that offset. Any export value belongs to the property owner (you).
Install without reasonable notice – You must give 24 hours' notice (except for emergencies) before entering to install. Respect the tenant's quiet enjoyment of the property.

The Tension: Who Benefits from Self-Consumption?

This is the subtle question. If your plug-in solar generates 3 kWh on a sunny day and the tenant's daytime consumption uses 2 kWh, the tenant has effectively saved £0.60 (at 30p/kWh). You've lost that saving.

The law's position: If you've installed the system for your own benefit (as the property owner), you cannot charge the tenant for the solar benefit they've incidentally received through living in the property. The benefit is part of the property's improved condition.

In practice: Most landlords accept this trade-off because:

The EPC improvement makes the property more lettable
The export revenue (unmetered solar is typically 50% export) goes to the landlord
The tenant's lower energy costs make the property attractive, reducing void periods
The financial return is still positive (see below)

Installation Responsibility

Owner-Funded Installation (Most Common)

Who pays: You (the landlord)
Who owns: You (the landlord)
Who benefits from export: You (the landlord)
Tenant's role: None

You hire a qualified installer, the panels go on the roof or wall, and the system is registered in your name with the DNO (see G98 section, below).

Cost: £1,250–1,650 for an 800W system (all-in)
Payback: 5–8 years (see below)

Tenant Request (Rare)

Occasionally, a tenant asks to install solar themselves. The legal position:

They can install a plug-in solar system themselves (as equipment they own)
It must comply with BS 7671 and be notified to the DNO under G98
When the tenant leaves, they typically remove it (it's their equipment)
You're not liable for installation costs or maintenance

In practice, this is uncommon because tenants are transient and plug-in solar is a multi-year investment.

Insurance Implications

Buildings Insurance

Your buildings insurer needs to know about the system. This is not typically an additional cost (the system is low-value compared to the property), but failure to disclose could invalidate a claim.

Action: Contact your buildings insurer and notify them of the installation. Say: "I've installed an 800W plug-in solar system on the south-facing roof. It's a portable/removable system (even if roof-mounted, most are not permanently fixed). Do you need any documentation?"

Most will add it as a note on your policy at no extra cost.

Tenant Liability

Your tenant is not liable for damage to the solar system under normal circumstances, because:

They didn't install it
They have no maintenance duty
They didn't assume the risk

If the tenant causes damage (e.g., smashes a panel deliberately), that's vandalism, and you'd pursue the costs through the small claims process or deposit recovery. But accidental damage is your risk as the owner.

Landlord's Liability Insurance

Not specific to solar, but relevant: if a panel falls off and hits someone, you (the property owner) are liable. Ensure your public liability is adequate. Most standard landlord policies cover this, but check.

G98 DNO Notification: The Critical Step

Before your system generates power, you must notify the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) under G98 Small-scale Embedded Generation rules.

What Is G98?

G98 = Guidance for the parallel connection of generating equipment to the distribution network
It's the formal notification process for small generators (up to 16 A per phase, which covers 3.68 kW in single-phase UK homes)
Plug-in solar (max 800W) is well within this limit

Why It Matters

Legal requirement: Operating an unnotified system is a breach of the Distribution Agreement
Export payment: DNOs won't process export payments without a G98 notification
Safety: The DNO needs to know you have a generator to manage faults and avoid electrocuting engineers

The G98 Process

Contact your DNO – Find them via the postcode at energynetworks.com/go/dnos
Provide installation details:
- System capacity (800W plug-in solar)
- Installer name and qualifications
- Equipment specs (panel model, inverter model)
- Installation location (roof, wall, ground)
Pay the fee – Usually £0 (depends on DNO; some charge £50–100)
Wait for approval – Typically 10–28 days
Installer submits: MCS certificate or BS 7671 compliance – Proof that the system meets electrical standards

As of April 2026, BS 7671 Amendment 4 (published April 2026) now explicitly covers plug-in solar, so approval timelines are improving.

Timeline

You should notify within 28 days of commissioning. Many landlords do this before the panels are even installed (no harm in that). The DNO typically approves within 2 weeks, and export credits start accruing once approved.

Action: Do this before installation. Hand the installer the DNO name and contact them directly—most professional installers handle this.

Managing Multiple Rental Properties

If you own 2, 5, or 10 rental properties, plug-in solar scales reasonably well.

Key Considerations

Per-property G98 notification: Each property needs its own G98 notification (one per address).

Aggregated financial return:

5 × 800W systems = 4 kW total
Assume £900/year benefit per property (see below)
Total annual return: £4,500
Total upfront investment: £6,250–8,250
Payback: 1.4–1.8 years across the portfolio

Management: Once installed, systems are low-maintenance (typically one clean per year, and occasional inverter firmware updates). Many landlords manage 5–10 properties' worth of solar without issue.

Tenant turnover risk: If tenants are transient (1–2 year tenancies), you'll have more system downtime during voids. But plug-in solar requires no access during operation (unlike a gas boiler), so this is a minor concern.

Portfolio optimization: If some properties have south-facing roofs and others don't, prioritise the south-facing ones. A north-facing property might only justify 400W (£750–1,000) rather than 800W.

The Financial Case

Annual Benefit Per Property (Single 800W System)

Assumptions:

800W system, south-facing orientation
UK average annual yield: 2,400–2,800 kWh
Tenant daytime consumption: 4–5 kWh/day
Grid electricity rate: 30p/kWh
Export rate: 15p/kWh (typical export-only tariff)

Scenario 1: Tenant at Home Most of Day (High Self-Consumption)

Annual generation: 2,600 kWh
Self-consumed (60%): 1,560 kWh at 30p = £468
Exported (40%): 1,040 kWh at 15p = £156
Total benefit: £624/year

Scenario 2: Tenant Away at Work (Lower Self-Consumption)

Annual generation: 2,600 kWh
Self-consumed (40%): 1,040 kWh at 30p = £312
Exported (60%): 1,560 kWh at 15p = £234
Total benefit: £546/year

Scenario 3: Mid-Range (Mixed Occupancy)

Annual benefit: £580–620/year (realistic average)

With EPC Improvement

Installing solar boosts the property's EPC rating, which:

Increases lettability (tenants prefer lower-EPC properties)
Reduces void periods (saves ~£20–40/month per void avoided)
May justify a modest rent increase in competitive markets (~£10–20/month)

Conservative estimate of EPC benefit: £200–300/year (through reduced voids or marginal rent uplift)

Total Annual Return Per Property

Solar generation saving/export: £550–650
EPC/lettability benefit: £200–300
Total: £750–950/year

Assuming £1,450 all-in cost: Payback period: 1.5–1.9 years

If you factor in the property value uplift (lower-EPC properties command a 2–3% premium), payback is even faster.

Sensitivity: What If Export Rates Rise?

Current export-only tariffs pay 15p/kWh. If future smart export tariffs pay 25p/kWh (as some do for battery systems), the benefit per property jumps:

Scenario 2 (away at work): 1,560 kWh at 25p = £390 export, vs £234 today
New total benefit: £690/year (vs £546 today)

In this case, payback improves to 2.1 years, and the 20-year NPV becomes even more compelling.

Should You Install on Rental Properties?

Yes, If:

The property has south/southwest-facing roof space – Output is the primary driver
You plan to own the property for 5+ years – Payback is 1.5–2 years; beyond that, it's mostly profit
Tenant turnover is moderate (2–3 year tenancies) – Short voids don't disrupt much
You have 2+ rental properties – Amortises the learning curve and admin overhead
Your buildings insurer approves – (They almost always do, at no cost)

No, If:

The property faces north or is heavily shaded – Output is too low to justify cost
You plan to sell within 2 years – May not recover the cost
The tenant is high-risk (history of damage) – You may lose the system to neglect or malice
Local planning restrictions prevent roof modification – Check with your local authority first

A Practical Example: 5-Property Portfolio

Portfolio: 5 rental homes, all with south-facing roofs, 2–3 year tenancies

Investment:

5 × 800W systems at £1,450/each = £7,250
G98 notification fees: ~£250 (some DNOs charge per property, some don't)
Total capex: ~£7,500

Annual return (conservative):

5 properties × £850/year = £4,250/year

Payback period: 1.8 years

20-year NPV (at 3% discount rate):

Total generation revenue: £85,000
Less capex: £7,500
Less maintenance (£50/property/year = £50,000 over 20 years)
Net benefit: ~£27,500 across the portfolio

Per property, that's a £5,500 net benefit over 20 years, on a £1,450 investment—a 3.8× multiple.

Installation Recommendations

DIY vs Professional Install

Professional install recommended:

Costs £300–400, but handles G98 notification and BS 7671 compliance
Reduces your liability (installer holds indemnity insurance)
Faster: 1 day vs a weekend of your time
Most installers offer a 5-10 year warranty on workmanship

DIY install possible, but:

You must ensure BS 7671 Amendment 4 compliance (as of April 2026, this is clearer for plug-in solar)
You must notify the DNO under G98
You assume liability if something goes wrong

For a landlord, professional install is worth the £300–400; it's 0.8% of the system cost and eliminates risk.

Recommended Equipment for Landlords

System: EcoFlow STREAM Kit (£699) – Includes inverter, mounting, wiring; everything a landlord needs to be hands-off

Monitoring: TP-Link Tapo P110 (£15) – Plug into the circuit and monitor grid import; optional but useful for remote landlords

Spare parts: Keep a spare inverter on hand (~£150) and a set of extension cables. These are the most-likely failure points.

Key Takeaways

Legal: You can install plug-in solar on a rental property without tenant consent, under Renters' Rights Act 2025, provided you don't charge the tenant or claim unreasonable maintenance duties.
Who pays: As the landlord, you fund installation. You cannot charge the tenant, but you benefit from both export revenue and improved EPC rating.
G98 notification: You must notify the DNO within 28 days of commissioning. This is not optional and is the gateway to export payments.
Insurance: Notify your buildings insurer (typically no additional cost) and ensure your public liability is adequate.
Financial returns: Expect £750–950/year per property (combining generation saving, export, and EPC benefit). Payback is 1.5–2 years, with strong long-term returns.
Multiple properties: Portfolio returns are compelling. 5 properties at £850/year each generate £4,250/year on a £7,500 investment—payback in 1.8 years.
Best practice: Use a professional installer (£300–400 extra), use the EcoFlow STREAM Kit for simplicity, monitor export with a Tapo P110, and notify the DNO before commissioning.

Next steps:

Understand G98 notification and DNO requirements in detail
Explore insurance and compliance for solar-equipped rental properties
Review tax and accounting implications for rental income and capital allowances