Plug-in Solar arrives in the UK: What Landlords and Property Owners Need to Know

From 27 August 2026, plug-in solar systems have been able to be legally purchased and installed in domestic properties across England, Scotland and Wales. The safety regulations apply across Great Britain, though the accompanying planning permission changes currently apply in England only.  The changes remove a significant regulatory barrier to small-scale domestic renewable energy generation and could make solar power accessible to many households that are unable or unwilling to install rooftop systems. They also raise a number of practical questions for landlords, property owners and tenants. 

The Law

The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/848) amended existing plug and socket safety regulations to permit the approval of standard plugs fitted to a “plug-in microgenerator”. This is defined as a device that generates electricity from sunlight, has a maximum output not exceeding 800 watts, and connects to a property by means of a standard plug and socket. 

In practice, homeowners and tenants can install small solar panels to an external wall, balcony or similar structure with the electricity generated being used directly within the property through a standard mains socket. These devices are available for purchase from high street retailers and when installed could provide up to 20% of an average home’s electricity use, when operating at full capacity. Any surplus electricity generated by the household is returned to the National Grid, as current regulations do not permit the use of plug-in battery storage systems.

UK Scope

In England, separate development changes have simplified planning for domestic installations, so that no planning is required to install plug-in solar, subject to a number of exceptions. Scotland and Wales operate separate planning regimes and have not yet introduced equivalent changes. Northern Ireland differs again as it has separate electricity safety regulations and the recent reforms in the rest of the UK do not currently extend to permitting plug-in solar installations there.

Lessons from Germany

Germany provides a useful case study as a more mature plug-in solar market, where half a million new plug-in devices were installed in 2025. By 2045 it is expected that 2% of Germany’s total energy will be generated from plug-in solar. Germany has gone a step further than the UK by classifying plug-in solar as a ‘privileged measure’ under rental and property ownership law. This makes it difficult for landlords to refuse installation without a reasonable justification such as a safety concern. In most cases, UK tenants will still need to obtain any landlord consent required under their lease or tenancy agreement, though the UK Government has indicated it will "consider" legislative intervention if landlord consent generally proves to be a “friction” point.

Implications for property owners

Although the permitted development changes apply to residential premises, the legalisation of plug-in solar raises practical considerations for landlords.

1. Consent and lease provisions

Where a tenant wishes to install plug-in solar panels on a residential building the starting point will be the lease. Most leases require landlord consent for alterations.  Landlords may also wish to consider responsibility for maintenance, removal at lease termination, reinstatement obligations and liability for damage caused by the installation or removal. 

2. Insurance

Landlords should review whether existing insurance arrangements adequately cover tenant-installed generation equipment and whether any insurer notification requirements apply. 

3. Building regulations and registration

The planning permission changes in England do not disapply building regulations. All plug-in solar devices must comply with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, and users should also consider any applicable registration requirements associated with the plug-in solar regime, including registration on the UK Plug-In Solar Registration portal.  Compliance with the Interim Product Specification and registration requirements should also form part of any landlord review process where tenant installations are proposed.

The UK Government has stated that it views plug-in solar as part of a wider package of measures to reduce energy costs and increase uptake of renewables.  Drawing on Germany’s experience, further reforms relating to tenants’ rights may follow. While plug-in solar installations are relatively small in scale, widespread adoption could create new issues for landlords, tenants and property managers.  Existing lease provisions on alterations, reinstatement, insurance and regulatory compliance may not have been drafted with plug-in generation technology in mind.  Landlords may therefore wish to review whether their standard lease documentation adequately addresses this emerging technology. 

If you would like to discuss the content of this article further please contact Dixcee Fast, Robert Forman or Lauren Winters.

This article was written by Alex Hounsome and Elaine Kennedy Walton.

Sources:

Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market - GOV.UK

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/896/made

Germany Plug-in Solar Panels: UK vs Germany Rules Comparison

Germany has become a leader in plug-in solar. What’s taking other European countries so long? | Euronews

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-gives-apartment-dwellers-legal-right-solar-power-2024-07-05/

https://inews.co.uk/news/landlords-block-solar-panels-renters-bills-4736855

Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market - GOV.UK