Buying without getting burned
Choosing a solar installer
Not a government service. UKSolars is an independent company. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of the UK Government, DESNZ, Ofgem, MCS or any local authority. We do not administer any grant scheme, we cannot approve an application, and we never charge for anything a government provides free.
How we are paid. We are paid a fee by installers when we introduce a homeowner who asks for a quote. It does not change your price, and we are not paid more by one installer than another for the same job. In full.
Short answer
MCS certification is what makes you eligible for the Smart Export Guarantee and most grant funding, and it is the first thing to verify. It is a technical standard rather than a service guarantee, so pair it with a consumer-code registration, RECC, HIES or TrustMark, which is what gives you a route when something goes wrong.
There is no honest national “best installer” list without current evidence on local coverage, survey quality, complaints and aftercare. Use certification to make a shortlist, then compare the actual design and contract offered for your home.
Check the company, not only the salesperson
Verify the contractor in the MCS directory yourself. Ask which legal entity takes your deposit, performs the work and carries the workmanship obligation. Check the consumer-code, deposit-protection and dispute route stated in the contract rather than relying on a logo.
Compare three equivalent quotes
Each should identify the panel and inverter models, total kWp, roof-specific generation estimate, shading assumptions, scaffolding, electrical work, network application, warranties and total price. If one quote is cheaper, find the missing line before deciding it is better.
Never rank an installer because it pays for leads
UKSolars does not call a company “best” without a published assessment method and verifiable evidence. A quotation request is not an endorsement.
Take the installer question list to each survey.
Sources
Checked 2026-09-09. Rates, rules and eligibility can change. Confirm current terms before signing a contract or applying for funding.
Work out the number before anyone quotes you
Every assumption editable, nothing sent anywhere, no email. It will not give you a quote, but it will tell you whether one is fair.
We are not taking quote requests yet
We will not collect your details until we can name the installers who would receive them, so there is no form here to fill in. What we can do is tell you when something changes: a scheme opening, an export rate moving, or the quote form going live.