Most landlords write off solar as "too expensive for a rental." Having priced hundreds of UK installs, here's where the actual numbers land:

The EPC angle nobody talks about

From 2028, rental properties in England & Wales will need a minimum EPC rating of C. A 4kW solar array is often the single cheapest way to jump a property from D to C — cheaper than new windows, cheaper than a heat pump. If your portfolio has EPC D properties, solar isn't a nice-to-have, it's compliance prep.

The yield math

A typical 4kW system on a UK semi costs roughly £5,000–£7,000 fully installed. If you're on a fixed-rate tenancy where the tenant pays their own electric, you don't recover that directly — but you do recover it on:

• Reduced void periods (EPC-C+ properties let faster)

• Higher achievable rent in areas with energy-conscious tenants

• Avoiding future retrofit costs mandated by regulation

If you're on a bills-included or HMO model, the payback is direct — usually 6-9 years against today's tariffs, less if you add a battery and time-shift usage.

What actually kills the ROI

Bad roof orientation and undersized inverters. A north-facing roof with a 15-year-old inverter isn't worth touching. Get a proper site survey before you commit to anything — not a generic online quote based on a postcode.

Happy to answer questions on this if anyone's weighing it up for their portfolio.