Sunsave frequently asked questions
How solar works
A solar photovoltaic (PV) panel is made from many cells made from layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly silicon. When light shines on this material, it creates a flow of electricity as ‘direct current’ (DC).
A device called an inverter turns that DC into ‘alternating current’ (AC), which can then flow into your home to power your lights and appliances.
The solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to work, and they’ll even work on cloudy days. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity generated, but solar panels still work in winter!
Most sloped roofs in good condition in the UK are suitable for solar panels. Your roof needs to be strong enough to support the weight of solar panels, but this is rarely an issue. We’ll inspect your roof thoroughly before going ahead with any installation. If we have any doubts, we’ll let you know.
The optimum roof for solar panels is south-facing with no shading from trees or other buildings, and angled at around 40 degrees (which most sloped residential roofs are!).
But this doesn’t mean other roofs can’t have an effective solar system. East-facing and west-facing solar panels can be very productive.
Your roof might not be suitable for solar if:
- It’s north facing – since it won’t get much sunlight to generate electricity
- It’s flat – we currently don’t offer flat roof installations because of the complexity and extra costs involved
- It’s very small, or obstructed – you need enough space to lay around six panels at minimum
Yes! Solar panels work best on long, sunny days, but they don’t need direct sunlight to generate power. On a cloudy day, there’s still light which your panels can convert into energy. In fact, solar panels tend to operate more efficiently in lower temperatures.
In summer you’ll generate more power: likely more power than you actually need, so you can sell the excess back to the grid. But even in the depths of winter when the temperature is below zero, your panels will work. Snow and rain aren’t usually an issue either – unless there’s really heavy snowfall.
Modern solar panel and battery systems are very reliable. They have no moving parts, and all their components are in a sturdy aluminium frame. They don’t need much cleaning or maintenance, and all the panels we supply come with 25-year product and performance warranties.
Solar batteries are also built to last, but don’t last as long as panels. Typically, a battery will last around 10-12 years, after which time it’ll need replacing to keep operating at a good level. With Sunsave Plus, we’ll give you a free battery upgrade when yours stops performing.
Yes, definitely. We don’t generally offer solar panels without a battery, because we believe this is by far the best way to get the most value from your system.
Adding a battery means you can:
- access the best flexible energy tariffs
- store any excess energy your panels generate which you don’t need, and sell it back to the grid to make even bigger savings
- charge up with cheap overnight electricity, which you then use during the day when buying energy from the grid would otherwise be more expensive
Typically, solar batteries need replacing after 10-12 years. That’s when they tend to start operating at below 70% of their original capacity.
With Sunsave Plus, we’ll give you a free battery upgrade when yours stops performing.
Modern, monocrystalline solar panels (like the ones we install) tend to last around 30-40 years. They’re durable bits of kit that are built to withstand very harsh environments, so you can expect them to stick it out for the long haul in the UK.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean your panels are just going to give up the ghost after a few decades – it’s more that their efficiency gradually declines, so eventually they won’t be producing enough electricity to have a meaningful impact on your bills.
Solar panels are designed to switch off during a power cut as a safety measure. If your solar panels are exporting energy and there are engineers working on the grid nearby, they risk being electrocuted.
It’s possible to use the energy stored in your battery during a power outage, but you’ll need to have a battery with Emergency Power Supply (EPS) functionality, which an electrician will need to set up for you.
It’s possible to get solar panels and disconnect your home from the grid, but we don’t recommend it. You’d have to install a massive system to make sure you have enough energy in the winter months, and then in the summer months you wouldn’t get paid for all your excess power.
If you switch to solar and stay connected to the grid, you’ll still be significantly less dependent on buying energy from your supplier.
Getting the right size battery for your solar panels is very important, as it’s the key to maximising your savings.
The key factor to consider is your annual electricity usage, but there are lots of other things to think about too. At Sunsave, our solar specialists will analyse your needs closely before suggesting a specific battery size, so you don’t need to worry about working it out yourself.
Broadly speaking, a five kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery is a good starting point for the typical UK household, but you may need to go for something larger than this – especially if you expect your electricity usage to increase in the future.
Solar panels need very little maintenance, as they have no moving parts and are designed to endure harsh conditions. Issues are likely to arise if birds nest under your panels, but you can avoid this by making sure your installer adds spikes or mesh around the edges of your system whilst it’s being installed (we offer bird protection as an optional extra with all our installs).
You also don’t need to clean your solar panels very often in the UK, as the rain will do a pretty good job for you. Giving them a wash every two or three years is good practice, and you can either do this yourself (without climbing onto your roof) or pay a professional to do it.
Solar panels only need daylight to produce electricity, not sunlight, so they work all year round in the UK. Of course, their output is lower on a cloudy day compared to a clear sunny day, but that doesn’t mean they won’t provide excellent savings.
In fact, you could save 86% on your electricity bills with a solar and battery system in the UK, on average. This figure is based on a sample of over 150 systems installed by Sunsave in 2024.
Heat pumps work extremely well with solar and battery system.
Solar panels produce electricity whenever there’s daylight, which goes straight to powering all your electrical appliances – including your heat pump. That means you can generate warmth with free, green electricity.
And your battery means you benefit from time-of-use tariffs like Cosy Octopus, which give you off-peak periods when you can heat your household with cheap grid electricity.
Yes, you can use your solar panels to charge your EV. If your car is charging whilst your panels are generating power, some of this electricity will go into your EV battery. You can also get yourself a ‘solar’ charger (also known as a ‘smart’ charger), which makes sure your car only charges up on the electricity from your panels.
But unless you really love the idea of ‘driving on sunshine’, this is rarely the best choice for your wallet. We usually recommend signing up to an EV tariff that lets you charge your car with cheap grid electricity overnight. Instead, you can use your solar-generated electricity for your home’s energy needs, and sell the rest to the grid.
Solar panels play a crucial role in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Manufacturing them does produce some carbon emissions, but solar panels produce enough electricity to offset their own manufacturing emissions in next to no time, and then keep generating energy for decades afterwards.
According to a report in 2024 from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, the average solar panel in Europe offsets its emissions in either 1.18 years if it was made in China, or 1.05 years if it was produced in Europe.
In short, we don’t think so.
Solar technology has seen very exciting improvements over the past two decades, with major advancements in power, efficiency, durability and aesthetics. This has made solar panels an excellent option for homes that would have once been considered unsuitable, such as those without a south-facing roof.
It’s possible that we will see further advancements, but additional gains in efficiency are becoming extremely small, and any promising ‘alternative’ technologies like perovskite will take a very long time to reach the residential market.
The key thing to consider is that solar technology has already reached a superb standard, and any panels you buy today are expected to last 30-40 years.
Read more about whether solar panel technology is improving here.
There are two things to consider here:
- The cost of panels may decrease, but the other costs of installation (hardware, labour and scaffolding) aren’t likely to change much.
- While you wait for the costs to go down, you’ll be missing out on the significant savings you could be making in the meantime.
With Sunsave Plus, you can be making immediate savings on your bills – because there’s no upfront cost. So while you’re waiting for panels and batteries to get cheaper, you’ll be missing out on savings now.
The price of solar panels and batteries has tumbled dramatically over the past few decades, driven by major innovations in the manufacturing process and ever-growing economies of scale. Back in the 1970s, these technologies were niche and exorbitantly expensive, but have now reached widespread appeal.
But even if prices continue on this path, it’s unlikely to make a significant difference to what you end up paying. This is because the cost of the hardware makes up a relatively small portion of the total cost of an installation (particularly in the case of the panels), with the scaffolding and labour contributing over a third.
Solar panels don’t stop working in hot weather. There are huge solar farms in some of the hottest places in the world, and the panels there produce vast amounts of electricity.
It’s true that a solar panel sees a very marginal decline in efficiency for every degree above 25°C, but even in the most intense of UK summers, the dramatic increase in output far outweighs the loss in efficiency.
The temperature would have to reach around 85°C before a solar panel completely stopped working.
Solar panels come with an absolutely tiny risk of fire.
The most recently available government data shows that, in the first half of 2023, just 0.00005% of solar panel systems caught fire, and a 2022 study by the University of Edinburgh found that half of solar panel fires are caused by faulty installations.
To make the risk of fire even smaller, it makes sense to choose a highly accredited, professional installer (like Sunsave).
Unless you’re certified by Flexi-Orb or the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), you shouldn’t install the panels yourself.
Without proper training, you could make mistakes that reduce your system’s output or effectiveness, or even cause property damage.
And while you may save money in the short term if the installation goes well, you’ll miss out on major financial benefits, like export income and potentially increasing your home's value.
It's also dangerous for you personally – one slip or poor electrical connection can be disastrous – and most solar warranties rely on a professional installation, meaning a DIY approach could void your coverage.
You’ll usually only need to clean your solar panels every two to three years.
This is because modern panels come with a hydrophobic coating, making them self-cleaning for the most part. When rainwater lands on your panels, it rolls right off, and should take any dust or dirt with it.
But if you live somewhere with more airborne detritus, like the coast, next to farmland, or near a mine, you may need to clean your panels more often.
To clean your panels, use a non-abrasive sponge on a telescopic pole with water and a mild soap or glass-cleaning fluid – or just hire a professional.
In most cases, you won’t need planning permission to get solar panels.
Solar installations are usually covered by permitted development rights, which let homeowners carry out reasonably sized measures without planning permission.
The main exceptions are usually flats, listed buildings, homes in conservation areas, and ground-mounted installations.
Benefits of going solar
Cheaper bills
For most people, the main benefit of going solar is cheaper energy bills. On average, people save 86% per year on energy from switching to solar.
Protection from rising energy prices
Electricity prices in the UK are expected to gradually increase and stay high at least well into the next decade, which means your savings increase over time relative to what you would’ve paid without solar.
Helping the environment
Solar power is clean, green energy. Switching to solar reduces your individual carbon footprint by over 1,100kg per year. Over the lifetime of your panels, that’s the equivalent of 30 return flights from London to New York.
Your individual savings will depend on your circumstances. They’re influenced by factors like:
- The size of your home, which affects how much energy you use and how many panels can fit on your roof
- The appliances you use: things like heat pumps, hot tubs or electric vehicles affect energy usage a lot
- The angle and direction of your roof, which affects how much light you get throughout the year
- The energy tariffs you’re on, which affect the rate you pay for electricity
That’s why we always offer a free 30-minute consultation to customers before discussing any specific savings figures. We need to know about your circumstances to give you an accurate quote!
To give some idea though: on average people save 86% on their energy bills by switching to solar.
Your solar panels will start generating electricity immediately once they’re installed, which means you’ll need less energy from the grid and you’ll be saving on your bill. On average, switching to solar saves people 86% on their electricity bill.
If you pay your actual bill with your energy supplier monthly, you’ll see that saving straight away in your next month’s bill! But many energy suppliers set you up to pay a fixed cost each month, regardless of how much energy you actually use. If that’s your situation, your bill won’t change – instead, you’ll build up credit with your supplier which they’ll pay back as a lump sum at the end of the year.
So we recommend contacting your supplier to change to actual monthly billing when you go solar.
This depends on a lot of factors, including:
- price
- system size
- property location
- roof direction and angle
- export tariffs
- cost of electricity
- weather
- solar panel and battery quality
To give a rough guide, people who pay upfront for solar panels typically see payback in 5–15 years. But with Sunsave Plus, the UK’s only solar subscription, there’s no upfront cost. Most of our customers see immediate day one saving which outweigh the cost of their subscription.
That means that their new energy bill, plus their monthly subscription payment, is still lower than their previous energy bill. So no waiting to break even!
Yes! This is one of the key benefits of going solar with a home solar battery – which we offer as standard.
You’ll need to sign up to an ‘export’ tariff, which lets you sell energy back to the grid. When you join Sunsave, we recommend the best export tariff for your situation and give you guidance on how to sign up.
Your export tariff doesn’t have to be from the same energy supplier you’re already with, but many suppliers do offer existing customers better rates.
There isn’t one best electricity tariff for solar, partly because different homes will benefit more or less on different tariffs, and because you need to pick both an import and export tariff.
An ‘import’ tariff is one you use to buy electricity from the grid, when needed. An ‘export’ tariff is one you use to sell the excess energy your solar panels create.
The best import tariffs are usually Good Energy EV Charge, British Gas Electric Driver, and Intelligent Octopus Flux, which is a smart import and export tariff.
And the best export tariffs for solar homes include British Gas Export and Earn Plus, Good Energy Solar Savings, and Intelligent Octopus Flux.
Which tariffs work best for you will depend on your circumstances. We’ll assess your battery size, how much of your solar electricity you consume, and whether you have a heat pump and/or an electric vehicle before making a recommendation.
An import tariff is how much you pay your supplier for grid electricity. This will include a unit rate for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity you use, and a daily standing charge that you’ll pay no matter what.
An export tariff is how much a supplier will pay for any electricity you send to the grid. Homes with solar can make hundreds of pounds per year by selling their excess electricity in this way.
When you sign up for Sunsave, our solar experts will recommend both an import and export tariff for you.
A time-of-use tariff is a type of import tariff, where the price you pay for energy depends on the time of day you buy it.
A time-of-use tariff will include at least two distinct phases – a peak period with a higher price, and an off-peak period with a lower price.
Usually, the off-peak period happens at night, and the peak rate takes place during the day, but this varies depending on the tariff.
When you sign up for Sunsave, our solar experts will recommend the best time-of-use tariff for your circumstances.
Solar panels can increase the value of your home, according to multiple studies.
Some studies say going solar can add around 2-3%, while one from Swansea University goes as high as 6-7%.
Switching to solar will usually increase your property's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating by at least one grade, which often raises your property's value too.
A standard solar panel system saves 1.1 tonnes of CO2 per year, based on a database of 32 different solar and battery systems designed by Sunsave for homes in England and Wales.
That adds up to 33–44 tonnes of CO2 saved over a system's usual lifespan of 30-40 years.
This also means cutting your annual household carbon footprint by around 31%, as UK homes emit 3.5 tonnes per year, on average.
This figure is based on a government report that households account for 26% of the UK’s carbon footprint, the country’s latest emissions total, and the number of households across the nation.
You could save 86% on your electricity bills with a solar & battery system, on average.
This figure is based on a sample of over 150 systems installed by Sunsave across England and Wales in 2024. The average system is 6.1kWp, with 54% of solar electricity used at home and 46% exported to the grid.
A solar battery plays a large part in this process, as it lets you use more of the electricity your solar panels produce.
And if you’re signed up to a time-of-use tariff, a battery could save you even more money, as it lets you build up a supply of cheap, off-peak electricity every night.
Without a battery, you’ll end up paying a higher rate for grid electricity during the morning and evening, when 20% of the average household’s daily usage happens – and when your panels aren’t typically generating as much electricity.
Solar and battery systems are exempt from VAT across the UK until April 2027, when it’s due to increase to 5%.
This 0% VAT rate applies to buying and installing solar panels and storage batteries in all residential accommodations, as well as buildings used solely for charitable purposes. Commercial properties aren’t included.
To qualify, you have to buy your equipment from the same company you use to install it.
This tax relief was launched across Great Britain in April 2022. It was then extended to Northern Ireland, storage batteries, and charitable organisations in May 2023.
Sunsave services
Sunsave Plus is the UK’s first solar subscription.
You get a full solar panel and battery system for absolutely nothing up front, and you own the system from day one. (This isn’t a roof-lease or ‘rent-a-roof’ scheme.)
Instead, you pay a single low fixed monthly payment which doesn’t change for the full length of your subscription.
We’ll design, install and maintain your system for you. Sunsave Plus comes with the Sunsave Guarantee: a comprehensive monitoring and maintenance package that gives you:
- 24/7 remote monitoring of your system
- Free replacement parts and repairs (including a replacement battery and inverter if needed)
- Insurance against fire, damage and theft
Most of our customers make an immediate saving on their bills, even on top of their Sunsave Plus repayments – but your individual savings will depend on your circumstances. They’re influenced by factors like:
- the size of your home, which affects how much energy you use and how many panels can fit on your roof
- the appliances you use: things like heat pumps, hot tubs or electric vehicles affect energy usage a lot
- the angle and direction of your roof, which affects how much light you get throughout the year
- the energy tariffs you’re on, which affect the rate you pay for electricity
That’s why we always offer a free 30-minute consultation to customers before discussing any specific savings figures. We need to know about your circumstances to give you an accurate quote!
To give some idea though: on average people save 86% on their energy bills by switching to solar. And we’ve calculated that a typical 4-bed family home can save £401 per year on their bills with Sunsave Plus, even on top of their monthly repayments.
A portion of your Sunsave Plus monthly payment is a loan. When you get Sunsave Plus, we give you credit for the kit and the installation, which you pay back monthly. But your Sunsave Plus payment also covers your monitoring and maintenance package, the 20-year Sunsave Guarantee.
We believe this is better than a normal 'solar loan' for a few reasons:
- By spreading the term length out over 20 years, we bring the interest rate down to a low competitive rate which means most customers see an immediate monthly saving versus their previous energy bill.
- The Sunsave Guarantee is a unique support package that comes with downtime cover and free replacement parts including a battery and inverter. A regular loan will cover the cost of your kit and installation, but offer you no protection should anything go wrong with your system down the line. With Sunsave Plus, your system will also be insured by Aviva, meaning it’ll be fully covered against damage, fire, and theft.
- Sunsave Plus is flexible. Unlike a lot of loans, we let you make a full or partial early repayment at any time with no penalties.
Yes, 100%. We’re not a roof-lease or rent-a-roof scheme, so when you sign up for Sunsave Plus you own your system from day one. We have no rights over your roof, and we don’t take any cut of the energy you sell back to the grid.
That means there are no issues with insurers or mortgage companies.
Read more about why Sunsave Plus is better than roof lease or rent-a-roof schemes here.
Yes, every Sunsave system is insured by Aviva against fire, damage and theft. We also include downtime cover, so we’ll cover your costs if your system isn’t working for an extended period.
The Sunsave Guarantee is a unique set of protections that you won’t get with any other solar installer. Sunsave Plus comes with the Sunsave Guarantee for the full length of your subscription. This includes:
- 24/7 remote monitoring of your system, and proactive troubleshooting
- free replacement parts if needed – including a free battery upgrade and inverter replacement
- downtime cover, so you won’t pay if your system isn’t working for an extended period
- insurance from Aviva against damage, fire and theft
No, you’ll still need an energy supplier to top up your solar system with energy from the grid when you need it (like during winter when your solar generation is a little lower). Also, you can only sell the excess energy you create in the sunnier months back to the grid through an energy supplier.
We’ll recommend the best supplier and tariff options for your specific circumstances when you sign up.
There are two main reasons to go with Sunsave Plus instead of paying upfront, even if you can afford the cost:
Sunsave Plus comes with a comprehensive monitoring & maintenance package
Every Sunsave Plus subscription is protected by the Sunsave Guarantee, our comprehensive monitoring and maintenance package. If you pay for the equipment and installation upfront, you won't get this ongoing support, and you'll only be protected by the minimum manufacturer warranties.
The Sunsave Guarantee comes with:
- 24/7 remote monitoring of your system, and proactive troubleshooting
- free replacement parts if needed throughout your Sunsave Subscription – including a free battery upgrade and inverter replacement
- downtime cover, so you won’t pay if your system isn’t working for an extended period
- insurance from Aviva against damage, fire and theft
The battery and inverter cost is a key one to consider here. Solar batteries degrade over time, and need replacing after 10-12 years. With Sunsave Plus you'll get a free upgrade when that happens, but if you choose to pay upfront you’ll have to pay the full cost yourself (in the region of £3,000-7,000, based on current prices).
You also won’t get a replacement inverter. According to a 2019 study by risk management company DNV, half of inverters fail by year 14. That means you’ll have to shell out again, at a cost of around £1,500.
So if you're thinking about the upfront cost, you'll need to factor in these extra expenses further down the line.
Read more about the Sunsave Guarantee here.
If you don't pay upfront, you can put the money to other uses
As Sunsave Plus comes with no upfront cost, you can use any money you would’ve spent on solar panels elsewhere. For example, you could put it into a high-interest savings account, spend it on a holiday or home improvement, or keep it safe for emergencies.
There's no need to pay that large upfront chunk, or to wait years to see payback from your solar system. Most Sunsave customers see an immediate saving on their bills, even on top of their Sunsave Plus monthly repayments. That means their new energy bill, plus their repayments, is still lower than the energy bill they were paying before.
With Sunsave Plus there’s no upfront cost
Sunsave offers the UK’s first (and currently only) solar subscription. Rather than paying thousands up front for your solar panels, you pay fixed low monthly instalments to Sunsave over time with no deposit. That means there’s no big initial investment, and you can start saving on your energy bills straight away. Most Sunsave Plus customers save so much on their energy bills that they’re making a net saving even on top of their monthly repayments.
Sunsave isn’t a roof lease or rent-a-roof scheme
Unlike a lot of other solar installers, with Sunsave you own your solar panels from day one and we don’t have any rights at all over your roof.
Read more about the risk of roof lease schemes here.
The Sunsave Guarantee is a unique set of protections
Sunsave Plus comes with the Sunsave Guarantee for the full length of your subscription. This includes:
- 24/7 remote monitoring of your system, and proactive troubleshooting
- free replacement parts if needed – including a free battery upgrade and inverter replacement
- downtime cover, so you won’t pay if your system isn’t working for an extended period
- insurance from Aviva against damage, fire and theft
No other solar installer offers this complete package of monitoring and maintenance. Read more about the Sunsave Guarantee here.
Sunsave is here to stay
- We’re authorised and regulated by the FCA. We’re authorised to provide solar panels, batteries, installation, insurance, monitoring and maintenance through a monthly subscription.
- We’re a Which? Trusted trader. Independent experts at Which? have endorsed us as one of their few trusted solar traders.
- We’re recognised by all industry-leading accreditation schemes. That includes Flexi-Orb, MCS, HIES, EPVS, and Trustmark.
- We’re government backed. We’ve been awarded £2.2m from the UK government via its Green Home Finance Accelerator initiative to fund the research, development and launch of Sunsave Plus.
- We’ve raised over £120m in investment. We’re backed by established venture capital funds that have previously invested in Google, Airbnb and PayPal. We also have backing from successful investors like industry leader Bill Nussey, author of Freeing Energy, and Stuart Rose, Chairman of Asda.
Yes! We’ve created a referral scheme so our customers can benefit when they tell their friends and family about Sunsave Plus. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get a unique referral code via email, and you can pass this on to whoever you want.
If someone you’ve referred installs solar with Sunsave, you’ll get £250, and they’ll get a £250 discount on their system.
Sunsave Standard is our traditional solar and battery option, where you pay upfront to get a full solar system. Our solar experts will create a bespoke design tailored to your household, taking into account a whole range of factors including the size of your roof, your annual electricity consumption and your budget. From site survey to scaffolding, we’ll take care of everything. Once we’ve started, your installation will be complete in a couple of days.
All of our Sunsave Standard systems come with a two-year workmanship warranty.
We typically take a 15% deposit when you sign the contract (you can pay by bank transfer or card), and the remainder after we’ve installed your system.
You can use the more traditional option of paying upfront for a full solar panel and battery system with Sunsave Standard.
Our solar experts will create a bespoke design tailored to your household, taking into account a whole range of factors including the size of your roof, your annual electricity consumption and your budget. From site survey to scaffolding, we’ll take care of everything. Once we’ve started, your installation will be complete in a couple of days.
All of our Sunsave Standard systems come with a two-year workmanship warranty.
We typically take a 15% deposit when you sign the contract (you can pay by bank transfer or card), and the remainder after we’ve installed your system.
We’re here to make the power of solar accessible to everyone in the UK, and we’re not going anywhere.
Sunsave is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means we’ve demonstrated to the regulator that our business is robust and sustainable. We’re also fully accredited by Flexi-Orb and the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), and we’re a Which? Trusted Trader.
We’ve raised over £120m in funding, and we’re backed by reputable investors like Stuart Rose (previous Chairman of ASDA). We’ve also received £2.2m from the UK government’s Green Home Finance Accelerator Scheme to launch our solar subscription Sunsave Plus.
We’re fully accredited by MCS, Flexi-Orb, EPVS, HIES, NAPIT and TrustMark.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)
MCS certifies, assures quality and provides consumer protection for microgeneration installations and installers, including solar PV. We’re a member of MCS, so your solar PV system will be installed to a high standard and built to last. With your MCS certificate, you can sign up to an SEG (Smart Export Guarantee) tariff with an energy supplier to make money from your excess electricity.
Energy Performance Validation Scheme Gold (EPVS Gold)
EPVS is a certification standard that makes sure solar PV and battery energy-saving estimates are accurate by validating installers’ processes. Our EPVS Gold rating means we’re best in class for the accuracy of our savings calculations. So when you choose Sunsave, you’ll know that an independent third party has validated the individual energy-saving estimates in your proposal.
The Home Insulation and Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme (HIES)
HIES is CTSI-approved Consumer Code that gives you protection for renewable energy installations, including solar photovoltaic panels, batteries and inverters. When you install solar with Sunsave, HIES protects any deposit you’ve made to us in the event that we can’t install your solar system. Through their insurance-backed guarantee, they make sure your workmanship guarantee is upheld, in the unlikely event that we can’t. HIES also provides a fair and independent arbitration mechanism if you believe that we haven’t delivered the installation experience you expected.
TrustMark
TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work you choose to have carried out in or around your home. We’ve been vetted to meet TrustMark’s high standards and have made a commitment to provide good customer service.
Yes, we're fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide solar panels, batteries, installation, insurance, monitoring and maintenance through a monthly subscription.
No, Sunsave Plus is not a lease or 'rent-a-roof' scheme. With Sunsave Plus, you own your solar panels from day one, and we don’t have any rights over your roof. So you don’t have the downsides which come from those arrangements.With many solar suppliers, you’ll rent solar panels and sign a roof lease so ownership of the panels doesn’t pass to you once they’re installed. (The lease is in place because without it the panels would automatically belong to you once they’re permanently fixed to the property.)
There are two main drawbacks to roof leases:
- Roof lease contracts will often have restrictions around what you can and can’t do with your home. You may need consent (which the leaser might not give) if you want to make changes like extensions. In some cases, you may face penalties if any building work you do reduces the generation of your panels, even temporarily.
- Mortgage providers have historically been very wary of lending to homes with roof leases. Properties with a roof lease in place will likely have a smaller selection of providers to choose from. Also, homebuyers might be reluctant to make an offer with the restrictive roof lease in place.
Essentially, having a roof lease means you don’t have full control over your home. With Sunsave Plus, that isn’t the case – you own your panels, and you own your roof.
Read more about why Sunsave Plus is better than roof lease or rent-a-roof schemes here.
Sunsave Plus is not a roof lease or rent-a-roof scheme. With Sunsave Plus, you own your solar panels from day one, and we don’t have any rights over your roof. So you don’t have the downsides which come from those arrangements.
With many solar suppliers, you’ll rent solar panels and sign a roof lease so ownership of the panels doesn’t pass to you once they’re installed. (The lease is in place because without it the panels would automatically belong to you once they’re permanently fixed to the property.)
There are two main drawbacks to roof leases:
- Roof lease contracts will often have restrictions around what you can and can’t do with your home. You may need consent (which the leaser might not give) if you want to make changes like extensions. In some cases, you may face penalties if any building work you do reduces the generation of your panels, even temporarily.
- Mortgage providers have historically been very wary of lending to homes with roof leases. Properties with a roof lease in place will likely have a smaller selection of providers to choose from. Also, homebuyers might be reluctant to make an offer with the restrictive roof lease in place.
Essentially, having a roof lease means you don’t have full control over your home. With Sunsave Plus, that isn’t the case – you own your panels, and you own your roof.
Read more about why Sunsave Plus is better than roof lease or rent-a-roof schemes here.
Yes! We’re the first company to introduce solar subscriptions in the UK, but it’s a successful approach in places like Germany and the US.
Sunrun was founded in 2007 in the United States offering a subscription similar to ours, and they now have millions of customers. In Germany, Enpal began offering a subscription in 2017 and have been growing incredibly fast ever since.
Read more about the popularity of solar subscriptions around the world.
No, we don’t currently install solar panels on flat roofs. That’s because most can’t support the weight of the heavy ballast mounts needed to secure solar panels against the wind. We’d like to be able to in future!
Bear in mind if you are thinking about getting panels on a flat roof: a lot of residential flat roofs have a 15-year lifespan, meaning a solar panel system will need to be removed within its lifetime. We’d always recommend people put solar panels on a sloped roof, if they can.
Read more about the pros and cons of flat roof installations here.
No, we don’t currently install solar panels on the ground due to the high cost and complexity.
Ground-mounted installations need extra materials (like larger mounting equipment and support structures) and significant manual labour, including site preparation, potentially some landscaping work, and the digging of trenches to connect the system to the property. In most cases, you’ll also need planning permission. Naturally, all of these things add significantly to the cost of the installation.
We always recommend that people put solar panels on their roof, if they can. This is usually a much better use of available space, and a far simpler process.
Read more about the pros and cons of ground-mounted installations here.
No, we don’t currently offer solar roof tiles.
Solar roof tiles are less efficient than the monocrystalline panels we install, so to get the same level of electricity generation you’d need to cover a lot more surface area. They’re also more expensive than regular panels (both in terms of cost of the tiles themselves and the complexity of the installation process), so the cost can become incredibly high.
Yes, although it’s not as straightforward as installing on a regular roof. Generally, we can install on dormer roofs as long as:
- there’s enough space for panels (the minimum to be viable is 6)
- the roof is sloping
- the roof is facing in the right direction to get enough sun
The best way to check if we can install on your particular roof is to fill in your details and arrange a 30-minute no-pressure consultation with one of our solar experts.
In the meantime, read more about the pros and cons of dormer solar installs here.
Yes! When your solar panels reach the end of their lifespan (which could be 25-40 years), we’ll organise recycling them for you.
If you get solar panels from any other installer, they’re required to recycle them free of charge too!
When we install, we’ll set you up with an app from the manufacturer of your panels, which lets you keep an eye on how your system is performing.
We also monitor your system 24/7 as part of the Sunsave Guarantee, so we can proactively troubleshoot any issues that come up.
It’s not essential, but bird-proofing is a sensible precaution for most people getting solar panels installed. Whether it’s worth it for you will depend on whether there are nesting birds in your area.
We offer bird-proofing as an optional extra with all of our installs.
Read more about the considerations around bird-proofing here.
Getting a Sunsave solar install
Your consultation is a 30-minute video call with one of our solar experts, giving you a chance to ask any questions with no pressure to proceed.
Based on the information you give us about your home and energy usage, we prepare a personalised design for a solar panel and battery system tailored to you.
On the call, we take you through that design, including the number and position of your panels, the size of your battery, and which tariffs we recommend. We also explain what your costs and savings will look like over the short and long term, and all the protections you get with the Sunsave Guarantee.
Some of our customers are already experts in solar solar technology, and some are less familiar. We pride ourselves on our transparent and collaborative approach, so any and all questions are welcome at this stage!
Your Sunsave proposal is a written summary of the plan we present to you in your consultation. It covers things like:
- your costs and savings over the short and long-term
- the tariffs we’re suggesting for you to maximise your savings
- your solar panels and battery design, and details of the kit
- an overview of all the protections you get with the Sunsave Guarantee
We send you your proposal after the consultation, so you can read it and decide in your own time if you’d like to proceed. Of course, if you have more questions we’re always happy to help.
We’re a Which? Trusted Trader, and fully accredited by MCS, EPVS, HIES, NAPIT and TrustMark. Our dedicated in-house team has decades of solar experience and manages your solar installation from start to finish, working with exclusively Flexi-Orb and MCS-accredited subcontractors to make sure your system is built to last.
We handle everything from design, DNO application, survey, supply and install, monitoring and financing – so you don’t need to lift a finger.
Typically, an installation takes less than 48 hours. We’ll always let you know well ahead of time what your estimate is though, and agree a plan and timings well in advance.
The solar panels go on your roof! (We don’t do ground-mounted installations – read more about that here.)
But panels aren’t the only kit you’ll get: we also install a solar battery, which comes with an inverter. The inverter helps the battery connect to your home electricity supply. The battery and inverter need to be installed next to each other, and the best locations for them are:
- in a garage attached to your property
- on an external wall of your house
We will sometimes consider other locations, but these can come with extra complexity and potentially extra cost. We’ll always work with you during the installation process to decide the best place for your kit, and our expert technical almost always find a way to make it work for your home.
As Sunsave Plus is a financial product, we’ll give you several documents to help you understand it in more detail, and decide whether it’s suitable for you.
These documents include lots of useful information about the various agreements you’re signing up to, and the protections you have through the Sunsave Guarantee.
When you actually agree to sign up to Sunsave Plus, you sign three documents:
- Installation Agreement: this covers the terms under which we’ll install your solar panel and battery system.
- Fixed Sum Loan Agreement: this covers the credit we lend you to cover the cost of your solar panel and battery system.
- Monitoring and Maintenance Agreement: this covers the ongoing protections we give you for the duration of your subscription with us.
We recommend you read everything carefully before signing your contracts. If you have any questions at all, you should get in touch with us – we’re always happy to help.
Once we’ve installed your solar system, you’re protected by the Sunsave Guarantee. So if there’s any issue with your system, we’re always here to help. You can call or email Sunsave to report issues or ask any questions.
We’re also remotely monitoring your system 24/7, and will proactively troubleshoot any issues we see. If you ever do need repairs or replacement parts, we’ll help you claim on your warranties with the relevant manufacturers.
From the moment you sign your Sunsave Plus contract, we get to work organising your installation. There are 6 steps to solar with Sunsave:
1. Asking you for some info
- First, you’ll need to complete a photo survey of parts of your property so we can plan your install. (We’ll give you really clear instructions on what we need.)
- You’ll also need to set up a Direct Debit, so we can take your Sunsave Plus payments once your system is up and running.
2. Preparing your install
- Once we’ve seen your survey, we’ll create a plan for exactly how and where to fit your new system.
- In the background, we’ll contact your local grid operator for permission to sell your excess energy back to the grid.
3. Scheduling your install
- We’ll work with you to find suitable dates (you’ll need to be home during the installation).
- We’ll let you know when scaffolding is going up, too.
4. Installing your system
- Our engineers will come and fit your new system. Generally this takes 1-2 days, but we’ll let you know in advance what our timeline is.
- Once your system is up and running, you’ll be able to sign up for a time-of-use tariff to make the most of your new home battery.
5. Sending your documents
- We’ll send you all the important documents for your new system.
- At this point, you’ll be able to sign up for an export tariff to sell your excess energy back to the grid.
6. Making the most of your system
- We’ll check to make sure you’ve switched over to the right tariffs.
- Once your tariffs are sorted, we’ll adjust your battery settings to make sure your system is as efficient as it can be.
Once your installation is done, that's not the end though. The Sunsave Guarantee means we'll be keeping an eye on your system remotely at all times to make sure everything's working as it should. And we'll periodically be in touch to see if there's anything you need.
Eligibility for Sunsave Plus
To be eligible for Sunsave Plus, you need to be:
- a UK resident
- an owner of the property where you want to install
- able to afford the regular repayments, which we assess with a soft credit check
- aged 18–65 (anyone aged up to 75 can also apply for our 10-year option. The main difference is you get a 10-year Sunsave Guarantee)
Two people can make a joint application for Sunsave Plus, as long as at least one of them meets the criteria above. The second applicant can be a friend or family, and doesn’t need to live at the property.
Sunsave Plus is for anyone who wants to save money on their energy bills with clean, green energy – without a big upfront cost.
If you apply for Sunsave Plus, you’re an ‘applicant’. Up to two people can jointly apply for Sunsave Plus, though we’ll always set one person as the lead applicant – that person will be our main point of contact.
If you’re an applicant:
- you’ll sign the contracts if you choose to go ahead with Sunsave (this will form a financial connection between you and any other applicants)
- you’re bound by the terms of the contracts and agreements you sign with us
- you’ll be responsible for making repayments if you’re the sole applicant (if you’re a joint applicant, you’ll be responsible for making repayments if the other applicant passes away)
Payments and managing your account
Unfortunately you can’t change your repayment date for Sunsave Plus at the moment. This is something we’d love to offer in the future but it’s not an option now.
Your first repayment date will be one month after we commission your solar system (‘commission’ essentially means finish setting it up after install). We’ll take monthly payments on the same date from then on until your subscription ends.
Yes! We can’t schedule regular overpayments, but you can make partial repayments at any time.
This is where you pay off some but not all of your remaining credit balance. If you do this, your fixed monthly repayment will stay the same, but the length of your subscription contract with us will be shorter.
You’d also accrue interest on a smaller total amount, since you’ll have a lower outstanding balance, meaning you’ll pay less overall. Bear in mind though that the length of time you’re covered by the Sunsave Guarantee will also shorten.
To make a partial repayment, email us at support@sunsave.energy or call on +44 330 828 5793.
Yes, you can pay off your remaining credit balance and end your subscription at any time with no fees.
To make a full repayment, email us at support@sunsave.energy or call on +44 330 828 5793.
As soon as you get your solar system installed with Sunsave, you own it. So there’s no barrier to you moving home. We’re not a ‘roof lease’ scheme, and we don’t have any rights over your roof.
Having a solar and battery system can boost your home’s value, too. Solar panels increase the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating by at least one grade, which tends to increase property value. Rightmove research in 2023 found that this can be by up to 3%.
If you move home, you have two main options:
- Transfer your Sunsave subscription to the new homeowner This is a popular option with similar solar subscriptions around the world. Sunrun in the US sees a 98% success rate with transferring their solar subscriptions to new homeowners. If you’re planning to move home, let us know as soon as you can. We’ll help you work through the transfer process with the prospective new homeowner. Bear in mind that the new owner will also need to pass our eligibility checks.
- Add the price of the system to your sale price You can include the cost of your remaining credit balance with us in the sale price for your home. That way, you can pay off the system in full when you sell. There’s no fee for repaying early. If you do this, the new homeowner will own the system outright and won’t have any contract or obligations to Sunsave – that could be a very appealing prospect to potential buyers.
Read more about moving home with a Sunsave Plus subscription here.
If you’ve made a joint application with someone you’re no longer going to be in contact with, we’ll discuss with both of you individually to figure out a plan that works.
Life happens, and we’re here to help.
If you think you might have any trouble making your Sunsave repayments, please let us know as soon as you can. We can work with you to figure out a plan that makes sense.
And if there’s something in your life that affects your relationship with us, let us know and we’ll do everything we can to support you. This might be a physical or mental health challenge, or a situation affecting a loved one.
You’ll only need to tell us about this once, and we’ll do our best to keep any questions to a minimum.
Sunsave Plus is a financial product, so it will affect your credit history.
- When you apply for Sunsave, we run a ‘soft check’ which doesn’t affect your credit score. This is part of our eligibility checks to make sure Sunsave Plus is right for you.
- After we complete your install and 'commission' your system, we run a ‘hard check’ on your credit history. This does leave a mark on your credit record – but what impact this has will depend on your overall credit history.
- It’s common for new sources of credit to temporarily lower your score (this is true of opening a new bank account, credit card, or taking out a new mortgage or loan). So consider the timing of your application to Sunsave, if you know you’ll be looking to get credit elsewhere in the near future.
- We’ll report your regular payments to the 3 main credit reference agencies. So if you keep making your payments on time, this will show other lenders that you’re reliable and it can boost your score over time. On the other hand, missing payments will definitely have a negative effect on your score.
Sunsave Standard won't affect your credit history in any way, and doesn't involve any credit checks.
If you miss a payment, we’ll first try to find out why. Depending on the circumstances we might charge you a late payment fee. This may also go on your credit record, which could make it harder to borrow money in the future. We charge interest on late payments daily, so the total amount you owe will increase over time.
If you think there’s a chance you’ll miss a Sunsave payment, please let us know ahead of time so we can help.
If you miss a lot of repayments, we might have to take legal action against you. That’s the last thing we want to do, so please get in touch if you’re having any financial issues.
If the worst happens and a Sunsave customer passes away, their contract with us would form part of their estate. We’d work with the executor of that estate to manage repayment as part of probate.
If a joint applicant passes away, then responsibility for the contract and repayments will pass to the other person.
Ready to start saving?
