What changed in 2026
Two things happened in rapid succession. First, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force, giving tenants the right to request consent for improvements, including energy-related ones, and requiring landlords to provide written reasons if they refuse. An unreasonable refusal can be contested.
Second, the law changed. DESNZ confirmed the legalisation of plug-in solar in a written ministerial statement on 15 March 2026. BS 7671:2018 + Amendment 4:2026, the IET Wiring Regulations published 15 April 2026, is the current wiring standard, though it does not itself authorise a plug-in connection: that came from SI 2026 No. 848. The DESNZ Interim Product Specification v2.0 was published on 16 July 2026. Ofgem approved the amended G98, which introduced consumer self-notification, on 11 August 2026. And SI 2026 No. 848 came into force on 27 August 2026, which is the date plug-in solar became legal. There was never a BSI plug-in solar standard, so if you read anywhere that one is still awaited, that is out of date.
What that means in practice is simple. If the exact kit you want shows as Compliant on the ENA G98 Type Test Register, you plug it into an ordinary 13A socket and notify your network operator afterwards, with no electrician and no cost beyond the kit. There are one hundred and twenty-three kits from twenty-seven manufacturers on the register, 20 of them on sale, and the cheapest is £336. If the kit is not on the register, and many imported and well-known kits are not, you still need a CPS-registered electrician and a hardwired connection, typically £250 to £450 on top of the kit price.
What counts as "portable"
A portable system, for the purposes of both the Renters' Rights Act and plug-in solar installation, is one that:
- Can be removed without leaving permanent marks or structural damage
- Does not require penetrating the building fabric (drilling through walls, fixing into masonry)
- Uses existing electrical infrastructure (the standard socket you already have)
- Can be taken with you when you move
Most balcony kits qualify on the portability test. The panels mount on a freestanding ground stand or balcony rail brackets, clamp-style and no drilling, and the microinverter connects to the panels. With a register-listed kit the last step is simply plugging it into a socket, and when you leave you unplug it, unclamp the brackets and take the lot with you. With a kit that is not on the register, a CPS-registered electrician hardwires it into the consumer unit and disconnects it when you leave, which is still portable but costs more and needs booking at both ends.
Approaching your landlord
You are not legally required to ask your landlord before installing a genuinely portable system that leaves no marks. In practice, however, a brief conversation prevents disputes and builds goodwill, especially if the system will be visible from outside the property or from shared spaces.
A reasonable approach:
Write a short request email
Describe the system, confirm it requires no drilling or permanent fixings, note that you'll remove it when you leave. Keep it factual and include the product name so they can look it up.
Reference the Renters' Rights Act
You don't need to be confrontational. A brief mention that you're making a formal improvement request under the 2025 Act, and that it qualifies as a portable energy improvement, establishes the legal context.
Give them 28 days
Under the Act, landlords have 28 days to respond. If they refuse, they must provide written reasons. An unreasonable refusal (no structural impact, no damage, no cost to them) is contestable.
Proceed with installation
Once you have consent, or after a reasonable period with no response to a portable-system request, order your kit. Check the model on the ENA G98 Type Test Register first. If it shows as Compliant, mount it, plug it in and notify your network operator within 28 days. If it is not listed, book a CPS-registered electrician for a hardwired connection instead.
Mounting without drilling
The practical challenge for renters is often physical: where do the panels go? Several no-drill solutions work well in UK rental properties.
Balcony rail clamps are the simplest. EcoFlow's mounting brackets wrap around standard balcony railings (round, square, or flat profile) with tightening bolts. No holes, no marks, and they work on most metal and concrete balconies. The panels sit slightly above horizontal, which reduces output by around 10 to 15% compared to an optimally tilted installation. Still genuinely worth it.
Freestanding ground frames sit on a patio or garden surface with a weighted base. They can hold one or two panels at the correct tilt angle. If you have outdoor access, this gives near-optimal performance, and the frame picks up and moves when you do.
Roof terrace or flat roof. Some renters have access to roof terraces. Weighted frames work well here. Wind is a consideration: check that the frame manufacturer's weight specification is suitable for exposed positions.
Window sill installations (rare, and limited in output). For ground-floor or basement flats, some renters use small panels (200 to 400W) angled on external window sills. Output is significantly reduced, but the principle works for east or west aspects with morning or afternoon sun.
What you'll actually save
Savings depend on three things: how much sun your panels receive, when you're home to use the electricity, and your current electricity rate. At the April 2026 Ofgem price cap rate of approximately 26p/kWh:
| City | Annual generation (800W, south-facing) | Estimated annual saving | Approx payback (£749 all-in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | ~653 kWh | ~£170 | 4.4 years |
| Bristol | ~694 kWh | ~£180 | 4.2 years |
| Birmingham | ~619 kWh | ~£161 | 4.7 years |
| Manchester | ~572 kWh | ~£149 | 5.0 years |
| Leeds | ~581 kWh | ~£151 | 5.0 years |
| Edinburgh | ~530 kWh | ~£138 | 5.4 years |
These figures assume a south-facing installation at 35° tilt using PVGIS irradiance data. East or west-facing installations produce approximately 20% less; north-facing approximately 40% less. The self-consumption rate (how much generated power you actually use directly, rather than export) is assumed at 85% for a home-worker. The £749 all-in figure in the payback column includes an electrician for a hardwired install. If you buy a register-listed kit and plug it in yourself there is no installation cost, so the payback is shorter. The cheapest Compliant kit on the register is £336, which pays back in roughly two and a half years on the London figures above.
When you move
The system comes with you. Disconnect the plug cable, remove the microinverter, unmount the panels from their brackets (or lift the ground frame), and pack everything. Most kits fit back into their original packaging and can be reinstalled in a new property within an afternoon.
You will need to re-notify your new DNO region within 28 days of reconnecting. It is a short online form. See our G98 / DNO notification guide for step-by-step instructions.
Frequently asked questions
- No, but they must provide written reasons for refusal under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and those reasons must be reasonable. A refusal on the grounds of 'it might damage the property' is harder to sustain for a system with no permanent fixings. If refused unreasonably, you can challenge through the First-tier Tribunal.
- Yes, if the kit is on the register. SI 2026 No. 848 came into force on 27 August 2026 and the amended G98, approved by Ofgem on 11 August 2026, introduced consumer self-notification. There are one hundred and twenty-three kits from twenty-seven manufacturers listed as Compliant on the ENA G98 Type Test Register, 20 of them on sale, with the cheapest at £336. Check your exact model code on the register, mount the panels, plug the kit into an ordinary 13A socket, and notify your network operator within 28 days. If the kit is not listed, you still need a CPS-registered electrician and a hardwired connection.
- Potentially. A plug-in solar system improves the property's energy profile, which could marginally improve the EPC rating, something landlords are under increasing regulatory pressure to do. This is a reasonable point to mention in your request.
- Not if the installation leaves no marks or damage. Document the property with photos before and after installation. When you leave, take the system with you and ensure the socket and any surface areas are in the same condition as before.
- A north-facing 800W system will generate roughly 60% of what a south-facing system produces, around £100–£110/year rather than £170. It is still positive, just with a longer payback period of around 7 years. East or west-facing is better, at around 80% of south-facing output.
Ready to start?
Browse the kits available now, or read the complete UK guide if you want the full regulatory picture first.