Installing renewables

We recommend you use an installer who is certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and uses MCS-certified products.

All installers or suppliers should be able to provide a detailed breakdown of the specification and costs of their proposed system. They should also be able to:

• explain how they have calculated the size of the system to be appropriate for your needs
• supply clear information and operating instructions
• explain how you should maintain your system
• provide an estimate of how much heat and electricity will be generated by any proposed system, and illustrate what this means in terms of your current energy needs
• provide an estimate of the savings you could make after installation

We recommend you get at least three quotes from three different installers. Beware of heavy-handed sales techniques, such as pressure to sign on the day, high prices with large discounts for signing on the spot, or bogus monitoring scheme discounts. Don’t compare installers on cost alone – the cheapest may not be the most appropriate.

Check your quotations for the following:

• will the installer project manage the whole job, or will you need to arrange and pay for other trades such as electricians, plumbers or groundwork contractors?
• do the prices cover the distribution system (radiators and associated pipework) and the safe removal and disposal of any existing equipment, for example your old boiler?
• do prices cover the cost of commissioning the system? All accredited installers are certified to commission systems once fully installed to ensure that they are fit for purpose
• make sure that you receive a Commissioning Certificate from the installer
• available options, including size, fuel type, hot water storage, and maintenance cycles
• the efficiency values of the system
• payment options. Your deposit should not be more than 25 per cent of the full cost. You should check that this will be protected with insurance
• for heating systems, ask whether the cost of integration with your home’s heating system, or a proposed heating system, is included

Depending on the kind of property and installation, you may also need to get planning permission or a building warrant from your local planning authority. Make sure you have the right permissions in place before beginning installation.

If your home is a listed building, you will almost certainly require consent from your local authority. You should always check with your local planning department to find out if planning permission or building warrants are required:

• Planning Portal – for England and Wales
• Scottish Government website – for Scotland
• NI Direct – for Northern Ireland

You should also check that the installation complies with building regulations in your area:

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

Check with your home insurance provider to make sure your policy covers the changes to your home and make any adjustments you need. Some policies cover the more common systems, such as solar PV.

There are many schemes offering financial support and incentives for installing renewables. You may have to apply for funding before proceeding with the installation, so it’s worth checking beforehand.

If you live in Scotland, you could get up to £17,500 interest-free when you install home renewables with the Home Energy Scotland Loan.

Once the renewables system has been commissioned, you should receive an MCS installation certificate from your installer. MCS requirements state that your MCS installer should have registered your system within 10 working days of the system being fully installed. Householders must use an MCS-certified installer and product for most funding schemes.

You may wish to get a follow-up Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) carried out to update the energy efficiency rating of your property.

An EPC is now required if you wish to rent your property in the UK or sell your house in Scotland. EPCs are also required to pre-qualify for certain government financial incentive schemes for renewables systems and insulation.

If you get any energy saving measures retrofitted in your property that will not be visible, such as wall, floor or loft insulation, it is very important to keep evidence of this work. Take photos before and after installation, keep receipts of materials and builders’ invoices and building warrant plans.

If an EPC surveyor cannot visually see the measure because it’s inaccessible, they will need to see documentary evidence of the work undertaken in order to validate the EPC.

If you do not have evidence of retrofit insulation, this insulation cannot be factored into the EPC rating and will be ignored. Instead, the level of insulation will be assumed based on the building’s age. This may significantly affect the EPC energy rating and the rating may not be as high as it could be.

Check to see what paperwork is required to complete your application. Most schemes will require your MCS certification to process your claim.

Make sure your installer explains how your system and its controls work before they finish, and that they hand over any manuals that come with the system.

This is a standard part of the installation process and any competent installer should be happy to take you through this.