Finding a solar installer near you

Why distance is a weak guide

Local knowledge can help, because a nearby firm may know your roof types, your council and your network operator. It can also reach you quickly if something goes wrong.

However, distance alone says little about design quality, financial strength or aftercare. A small firm down the road can be excellent. It can also be a poor choice. So start with evidence, and let location be a tie-breaker.

This guide shows you how to build a shortlist you can check. It keeps the same independent approach as the rest of this site. We do not install panels. We are not a lender or a broker.

Build a verifiable shortlist

Start with a list of three to five firms, since that is enough to compare. You can find them through the MCS installer search, through friends and neighbours, or through our national solar panels hub. For each one, confirm the basics yourself.

• Legal name. Look up the company on Companies House. It should match the name on the quote and the contract.
• Trading address. Check that it is a real place, not just a mailbox.
• Certification. Check the MCS and RECC registers directly, using the numbers the firm gives you.
• Insurance. Ask for proof of public liability cover and any workmanship insurance.
• Comparable work. Ask for recent jobs on homes like yours, and speak to past customers if you can.
• Who does the work. Ask who will survey, who will install and whether any of it is subcontracted.

Do not rely on a badge on a website. Because badges are easy to copy, use the register and check it yourself. If a firm cannot give you a registration number, treat that as a warning.

Two certifications, not one

These two schemes do different jobs, yet you need to ask about both.

MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewables, and its solar standard is MIS 3002 version 6.0, dated 18 March 2026. MCS certification matters for money as well as quality. GOV.UK says you must show MCS or equivalent certification to claim Smart Export Guarantee payments. Our guide to the Smart Export Guarantee explains how those payments work.

The Renewable Energy Consumer Code, or RECC, is separate. While MCS looks at the install, RECC covers sales practices, contracts, deposits and dispute resolution. RECC members must insure deposits, stage payments and the workmanship warranties they issue. That protects you if the installer stops trading.

Our guide to MCS-certified solar installers explains the scheme further. Still, the key step is simple. Ask every firm to confirm both, with numbers you can check on the public registers.

Local checks that do help

Place still matters in a few practical ways. Your electricity network operator and your planning authority both depend on where you live. A good local installer should know them well.

For example, our town data places Leeds in the Northern Powergrid area. Bristol sits in National Grid Electricity Distribution’s South West area, and Glasgow in SP Energy Networks’ area.

Output varies too. PVGIS estimates around 952 kWh per kWp in Leeds, 1,025 in Bristol and 853 in Glasgow. That is for a south-facing roof at 35 degrees.

Our city pages cover solar installers serving Leeds, solar installers serving Bristol, and solar installers serving Glasgow. Each one sets out the local network, planning authority and yield. Use them as a checklist of local questions, although they are not a recommendation of any firm.

Request the same information from each firm

Quotes only compare well when every firm answers the same questions. So send each firm the same brief, and ask for the same items in writing.

• Named products, including panel, inverter, mounting system and any battery.
• An itemised scope of work, with scaffolding and electrical upgrades shown.
• A generation estimate, with the method and the assumptions behind it.
• Who handles grid notification or application, and who signs it off.
• Warranties on panels, inverter and workmanship, and who backs each one.
• A payment schedule, with the amount due at each stage.
• A complaints route, including any independent redress scheme.

Our questions to ask a solar installer guide gives you a fuller list, grouped by topic. Use it to write your brief before the first visit.

Then compare the answers side by side. A low price with a thin scope is not a bargain. Likewise, a high price is not proof of quality, especially while the scope stays unclear.

Check before paying

The money step is where most problems start, so slow down here, because mistakes are hard to undo. Before you transfer anything, check that these three things match across your documents.

1. Who you are contracting with. The company on the contract should be the company you checked.
2. Who gets the money. The bank account should belong to that company, not to a person or a third party.
3. Who backs the warranty. The warranty provider should be named, and it should be someone who can honour it.

Next, ask how your deposit is covered. RECC members must insure deposits and stage payments. Ask what the cover is, and get it in writing. Also check your cancellation rights, and ask how long you have to change your mind.

Be careful with finance offered at the door or on the day. Take the paperwork away and read it. A genuine offer will still be there tomorrow, and you are under no duty to rush. For more on pressure tactics, see our guide to solar sales red flags.

Know your rights

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) publishes guidance on unfair commercial practices. It explains what counts as misleading or aggressive selling. However, you need to act early. If a firm makes false claims or applies undue pressure, it may be breaking consumer law.

Keep every message, quote and photo. Because disputes turn on evidence, a clear record makes a complaint much easier to handle. You can also raise it with the relevant code or scheme body.

If you would rather not search alone

Some people prefer not to run the whole search themselves, and our enquiry form is one option. You can request quotes through our enquiry form, and the operator may then match you with vetted MCS-certified installers. Nobody is contacted automatically, and we do not install anything.

Whichever route you take, the same checks apply. Verify the firm, ask for the same information, and keep your money safe until the paperwork matches. A good installer will not mind any of it.