- Solar panels are one of the first steps towards net zero homeowners take
- Solar panel installations have cost around £8,900 on average in 2024
- Sixty-nine per cent are likely or very likely to buy or rent a property with solar panels
- Solar panels save the average home around 1 tonne of CO2 per year
Buying a house is a huge milestone and if you haven’t thought about renewable energy and how it can benefit you, now is the time.
Buying and installing solar panels, for example, are one of the first steps a new homeowner can take towards net-zero emissions. They not only increase your property’s value thanks to their impressive money-saving and eco-friendly capabilities, you’re also set to make a sizable profit on them once you break even.
They can also cut your energy bills. Shirley Paterson, a homeowner in Fife, Scotland, for example, installed solar panels over a decade ago and powers her home and electric vehicle home chargers using 95% of her solar energy. Just 5% is sold back to the National Grid.
Check out our solar panel grants page to see if you can help mitigate some costs.
In the meantime, here are the best tips for buying and selling a property with solar panels, and how to deal with any problems you encounter along the way.
And if you find yourself wanting to buy solar panels at any point, you can find the best deal for your home by using our free comparison tool.
Should I buy a house with solar panels?
Absolutely. In almost all cases, it makes total financial and environmental sense, especially as the cost of solar panels continues to decline.
In fact, according to the latest data from the MCS, solar panel installations have cost around £8,900 on average in 2024. This is quite the decline from 2023’s peak of more than £10,000.
If you’re worried about how solar panels will look on your home, remember that 65% are likely or very likely to buy or rent a property with solar panels, according to our 2024 National Home Energy Survey.
There’s also the environmental benefits to consider. Solar panels save the average home around 1 tonne of CO2 per year, 15% of your annual carbon footprint.
If this isn’t enough, there’s also the financial benefits to consider, which we’ll go into more detail below.
National Home Energy Survey 2024
Read the full findings from this year’s report by downloading the PDF here.
Download the reportWill you save and make money?
Solar panels have the following financial benefits:
- Solar panels provide free energy year round, saving the average three-bedroom household £4,335 after 25 years
- Usually, it takes an average of 15.66 years to break even on solar panels – but if they’re already installed, you’ll have saved the installation and upfront costs
- You’ll only use about half the electricity you’d otherwise use from the National Grid and you’ll receive money from the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). This means each year, you’ll have up to £200 extra in your bank account.
- If your new home had its solar panels installed while the government’s Feed-in Tariff was active, you’ll need to consider if you should continue these payments or switch to the SEG.
Solar panels also need very little maintenance, meaning you won’t need to shell out too much once you’ve moved in. All you need to do is make sure nearby trees aren’t covering them and get a list of maintenance checks from the installer.
These tasks will need carrying out every so often, but the main task is to check the inverter is working and not indicating a fault. Inverters will fail eventually and will need replacing.
Is it better to buy a house with fully owned solar panels?
This is the best scenario for all concerned.
In almost all cases, any feed-in tariff agreements should transfer to the new owner, and likewise, it should be simple to take on a Smart Export Guarantee contract signed by the previous owner.
Once the process is completed, the maintenance costs will transfer to you or the new owner – but that’s the same with any part of your new home.
What if I buy a house with leased solar panels?
Buying a house in this situation can be trickier as some mortgage lenders will reject your application if part of the property is owned by a company – and you can’t buy the house without the panels.
You shouldn’t have any problems if:
- The installation company is accredited by the MCS
- The installation itself was approved and is insured
- You can remove the panels without incurring penalties for missed Feed-in Tariff payments
Your solicitor will go through the lease details and contact the installation company to see whether they’ve signed the panels over to an agent.
If they have, the agent may charge a fee when the property is sold. Who pays that fee is up to you to decide with the seller.
Your solicitor will also check whether the house’s owner needs permission from the installation company to extend the property, or even sell it. There’s no reason why the installation company wouldn’t agree to a request to sell the house – but if the company has ceased to exist, it can be difficult to find the current owner.
In all cases, listen to your solicitor’s legal advice.
You won’t have to worry if the solar panels have been purchased through the Solar Together initiative, which is a group-buying scheme and the house will fully own the solar panel system.
What questions should I ask before buying a house with solar panels installed?
Get some answers to the following questions before you commit to your new home’s solar array. You should have all the information about any potential inconveniences before you start using the panels.
To be clear, though, there are no disadvantages of acquiring a house with properly fitted solar panels. The list of questions are:
- Are the solar panels securely fitted and effectively connected? – If you pay someone to ensure your panels are safe, it’ll eat into your solar profits. Also, if the panels aren’t connected properly, you won’t receive as much as you should and neither will the company you’re selling extra power to for SEG payments.
- What are the installation details? – Ask when the panels were installed to get an idea of how effective they’ll be at providing you with clean, free energy and their remaining lifespan. Remember to ask which company installed the panels and ask for the contract, too.
- When does the warranty expire? – Generally, a solar panel warranty is 25 years and you’ll continue to receive energy until then, but keep its expiration date in mind. The European Union guidelines are still in place, too, if they need removing and manufacturers and importers are legally required to dispose of them.
- Does the house come with a solar battery? – Solar batteries can store the energy your panels produce, meaning zero waste. Solar batteries cost £2,000-£8,000, so it’s quite the saving if the house already has one.
Summary
- Solar panels provide free energy year round, saving the average three-bedroom household £4,335 after 25 years
- Solar panels also need very little maintenance
- In almost all cases, any feed-in tariff agreements should transfer to the new owner, and likewise, it should be simple to take on a Smart Export Guarantee contract
- Buying a house in this situation can be trickier as some mortgage lenders will reject your application if part of the property is owned by a company
- You should have all the information about any potential inconveniences before you start using the panels
