Renting, leasehold and flats: 7 questions answered
Can tenants and leaseholders use solar panels or plug-in solar? Permission, lease clauses, fire safety and what to ask your landlord.
Reviewed · fast-moving answers are re-checked against the official pages listed every week
Rules are changing quickly. Every answer lists its official sources and when it was last reviewed. General information, not legal, electrical or financial advice. See how we check and what has changed recently.
Can tenants use plug-in solar?
Possibly, but you need permission first. The Energy Saving Trust advises tenants, leaseholders and residents of managed buildings to get permission from whoever is responsible for the building, such as the landlord, freeholder or building manager, before buying. It says to get explicit permission if you plan to drill into walls or need an external mains socket.
Check your lease. The Energy Saving Trust suggests looking for clauses on fixing equipment to a balcony, external walls, roof, railings or communal areas, on alterations to the outside of the building, and on anything that could affect fire safety or insurance. In England, permitted development does not remove the need for the landlord's or freeholder's consent.
Do tenants have a legal right to install plug-in solar in the UK?
We have not found any law in Great Britain that gives tenants a right to install plug-in solar, and official guidance says to get permission from your landlord first. Germany is different: since October 2024 tenants there can generally require their landlord's consent. Ask in writing and describe exactly what you plan to fix and where.
Ask in writing and describe the device, where and how it will be fixed, how it will be connected and removed, and who will pay for any damage. The government specification makes users responsible for agreeing with the owner, landlord, freeholder or managing agent how any installation costs are shared. Keep the reply, and give your insurer the details.
The specification requires fixings to be reversible and non-permanent, so kits are designed to be removed. You must notify your network operator when the device is disconnected, and you would register it again at your new address, and get permission there, before plugging it in. Check the model is still listed on the compliance register before you relocate it.
I own a flat in Scotland and there is no freeholder. Who do I ask?
The Energy Saving Trust says to approach your property factor first if you have one. If you do not have a factor, the local authority may be able to help with statutory compliance. Check your title deeds for any conditions on changes to external walls and balconies.
Yes. The Energy Saving Trust says flats and higher-risk buildings may have extra rules and may need to consider the building's fire risk assessment, and you should speak to your building manager if the building has combustible cladding, timber balconies or remediation work. The specification bars installation on certain cladding types and on buildings undergoing external wall remediation.
