Although homeowners do not charge rent for the roof space, they benefit from using the solar-generated electricity, which can reduce their dependence on grid-supplied power.
Rent-a-roof solar panel schemes required homeowners to give a solar company the rights to their rooftop or the airspace above it for up to 25 years. That company would then install rooftop solar panels for free, in return for receiving the household's Feed-in Tariff payments.
Technically, they're not paying rent for your roof, because you'll get the benefit of powering your home using solar power instead of grid electricity. They'll make money from the electricity you don't use. All excess electricity generated is sold back to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme.
Thanks to rising energy prices, more and more people are looking to invest in solar energy as a way of saving money and reducing their energy bills, making the prospect of free solar all the more tempting. Known as the “rent-a-roof” scheme, a growing number of companies are offering to fit and maintain solar panels on your roof for free.
How much does it cost to install solar panels on a roof?
1. A range of companies (HomeSun, A Shade Greener) will install free solar panels onto your roof at no cost to yourself. Typically an installation can cost something in the region of £15,000. 2. The panels, installation, maintenance and insurance all come free as part of the package. You don't have to pay for a thing. 3.
Can you buy a house with rent-a-roof solar panels?
Buying a house with Rent-a-Roof solar panels could lead to mortgage complications. For example, if the lease includes maintenance cost obligations, or if there are certain access rights granted to the installer, a mortgage provider could be unwilling to lend.
How many homes have a rent-a-roof solar panel scheme?
While the Feed-in Tariff was in effect, more than 900,000 homes in the UK had solar panels installed – so we can estimate that around 27,000 households signed up for a rent-a-roof scheme. What were the problems with rent-a-roof solar panel schemes?