{"id":755213,"date":"2026-08-31T04:02:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T04:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/755213\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T04:02:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T04:02:22","slug":"renters-blocked-from-installing-600-plug-in-solar-panels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/755213\/","title":{"rendered":"Renters blocked from installing \u00a3600 plug-in solar panels"},"content":{"rendered":"

Landlords could block tenants from using plug-in solar panel kits<\/a> because of \u201cmessy minefield\u201d around planning rules, The i Paper has been told.<\/p>\n

Labour ministers have been urged to create a clear legal framework for both landlords and renters so tenants can cut their energy bills by up to \u00a3110 a year.<\/p>\n

The first self-install solar kits went on sale last week for \u00a3699, after the Government created new product compliance rules.<\/p>\n

Prices are expected to drop to under \u00a3600<\/a> as more retailers start stocking the home renewables devices. One kit should be available for \u00a3599 in October.<\/p>\n

The first compliant plug-in solar kits by British firm UKsol are designed to be set up in gardens<\/a>, rather than clipped onto balconies.<\/p>\n

Balcony products are expected to go on sale soon, aimed at flat-dwelling renters who have struggled to benefit from traditional rooftop solar. However, one leading housing association has already blocked tenants from installing them.<\/p>\n

Ministers want landlords to approve requests<\/p>\n

The Government has made it clear that decisions on whether to approve tenants\u2019 requests to use plug-in solar are still ultimately a matter for landlords.<\/p>\n

Ministers have written to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) making it clear that they expect the new solar kits to be looked on \u201cfavourably\u201d.<\/p>\n

Climate minister Katie White said earlier this year that the Government could \u201cconsider\u201d changes to the law if plug-in becomes a \u201cfriction\u201d point between tenants and landlords.<\/p>\n

But having changed regulations to allow the products to be sold, energy minister Martin McCluskey suggested last week that he didn\u2019t think further legislation would be necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see a reason why a landlord should needlessly withdraw consent or not provide consent,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n

\"ClimateClimate minister Katie White visiting UKsol factory to see new plug-in solar kit parts. Prices are expected to drop to under \u00a3600 as more retailers start stocking the home renewables devices (Photo: DESNZ)<\/p>\n

However, the NRLA told The i Paper that there was no clear guidance for landlords on the regulatory issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no clear guidance for landlords who have a duty to ensure their properties remain safe and free from hazards,\u201d said the NRLA\u2019s Meera Chindooroy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government should publish this as soon as possible to support conversations between tenants and landlords,\u201d the deputy director of campaigns added.<\/p>\n

Landlords will cite insurance fears to say \u2018no\u2019<\/p>\n

Rule changes which came into force on 27 August mean plug-in solar kits are \u201cpermitted development\u201d which do not generally require planning consent.<\/p>\n

But there are a series of exceptions<\/a>. Plug-in panels will need planning permission if they\u2019re installed \u201con a wooden wall, balcony or enclosure or on any part of the exterior of a block of flats which is clad in timber\u201d.<\/p>\n

There are also a series of detailed \u201cprotrusion\u201d limits \u2013 including rules that stop panels \u201cprotruding more than 0.4 metres beyond the plane of the wall\u201d \u2013 if tenants and landlords want to avoid the need for planning permission.<\/p>\n

Justin Dring, an expert at Independent Solar Consultants, who advises property owners, thinks many landlords could still say \u201cno\u201d to plug-in solar panels.<\/p>\n

Landlords will \u201ccite insurance concerns\u201d, he said. Their fears are based on uncertainty over whether tenants will install the devices safely, or will install them a way that doesn\u2019t meet planning rules.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could see landlords saying, \u2018You\u2019re not plugging that in in my property,’\u201d Dring told The i Paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to insurance, the liability question if a panel is dislodged in a storm, or damages a neighbour\u2019s property, or causes an electrical fault, is genuinely unresolved territory.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really cloudy, messy situation \u2013 it\u2019s a minefield,\u201d said Dring. \u201cFor tenants and landlords, if things go wrong there may be fingers pointed in every direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dring added: \u201cIt would be better [for the Government] to set out the regulations and what requires planning permission much more clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ERFURT,Plug-in solar panels are widely use on balconies in Germany and other parts of Europe (Photo: Sean Gallup\/Getty)<\/p>\n

Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, said the Government should set out planning guidance \u201cmore much clearly\u201d using \u201cpractical layman\u2019s language\u201d.<\/p>\n

Most landlords \u201cwill want to help their tenants save money, so hopefully there\u2019s no issue in most cases, if tenants can explain clearly how it\u2019s safe\u201d, said Shamplina.<\/p>\n

However, he warned that some landlords may well refuse tenants\u2019 request. They might not want \u201cthe headache and hassle of working out if they need planning permission\u201d, he said. \u201cThey might have insurance concerns, because they have enough risk on their plate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s legal change to boost tenants\u2019 rights<\/p>\n

The German government changed the law<\/a> to make it difficult for landlords to refuse tenants\u2019 permission for plug-in solar.<\/p>\n

But Shamplina urged Labour not to bring in more renters\u2019 rights legislation in the UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the guidance is made clear, there\u2019s no need to legislate. Legislation would only cause more strain on an industry that is suffocating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wider uptake of plug-in solar among tenants in flats may depend on whether social housing providers allow the technology.<\/p>\n

One leading housing association, Sovereign Network Group \u2013 which manages 86,000 homes in England \u2013 has already banned its tenants from installing plug-in panels.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not permitting customers to install plug-in or plug-and-play solar panels in the homes we manage,\u201d said Alexia Evans, SNG\u2019s chief people and transformation officer. She said plug-in systems \u201cpresent electrical safety risks and may not be appropriate for every home\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Government has said an independent electrical safety study had already concluded that plug-in solar panels were safe, provided products were compliant.<\/p>\n

Wickes said it will start selling plug-in solar kits \u201cin the coming weeks\u201d. Currys, Lidl, Asda, B&Q, Screwfix and Amazon are also expected to make products available.<\/p>\n

Labour\u2019s Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said plug-in solar was \u201ca simple, affordable way for households to take control of their energy bills\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Landlords could block tenants from using plug-in solar panel kits because of \u201cmessy minefield\u201d around planning rules, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":755214,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,8718,5363,59,178140,112457,60659,12634,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-755213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-cost-of-living-crisis","tag-energy-bills","tag-gb","tag-landlords","tag-renters","tag-solar-panel","tag-solar-power","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/755214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}