Landlords could be made to let tenants install plug-in solar panels which are due to go on sale this summer at Lidl, Amazon and other supermarkets.

Climate Minister Katie White (pictured) said renters should be allowed to install the £400 panels and told The i that she didn’t anticipate many landlords refusing to give tenants permission but would “consider” changes to the law if it becomes a “friction” point.

The same could apply to building freeholders who refuse to let leaseholders install solar on their roofs and balconies. White didn’t rule out the UK following Germany, which has changed the law to make it difficult for landlords and building owners to refuse permission for solar; they must have a specific reason set out in writing, such as safety concerns.

It is expected that UK renters will still need to seek permission to install plug-in solar panels, “as you do with having a cat or putting up your picture on the wall”, White said. She added: “Plug-in solar is great for renters because they can take it out the plug and take it with them when they end their rental agreements or if they move house.”

Intends

However, the government intends that landlords will not stand in their way and is working on guidance around this, The i report explains.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to figure out what the potential barriers are as it reforms regulations to allow plug-in solar to be widely available by the summer.

The government has said it expects households to be able to save up to £110 per year on their electricity bills by using the technology.

Bills

White told the paper: “We see this as an opportunity for renters and I think most landlords will be wanting to support their occupants in terms of any opportunity to bring down bills.”

Most tenancy agreements explicitly require written consent for any additions or fixtures.

A spokesman for the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership said the legal right to install solar panels on flat balconies will depend on a number of factors and everyone will need to check their lease. “Many leases would require the building landlord’s permission for which there could be a fee.”

NRLA

A spokesperson for the NRLA tells LandlordZONE: "As we all focus more intensely on the cost of utilities and the energy efficiency of homes, it is inevitable that many options and new technologies will be discussed. Innovation in this sense is welcome, but the devil will always be in the detail. Detail which we simply do not have to inform the current debate."

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