Terms and conditions for a solar panel and battery installer

A solar and battery installer needs terms that deal with the quote given before a roof survey, the generation figures in the proposal, export limits imposed by the network operator, equipment ordered on long lead times, and cancellation after that equipment has been bought. I draft customer terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Solar PV and battery storage installers in England and Wales, sole traders and limited companies, whether you fit domestic rooftop systems, retrofit batteries to existing arrays, or work on commercial roofs and farm buildings. Most of your customers are homeowners and therefore consumers, with a smaller number of landlords, housing providers and business premises, and the law treats those two groups very differently.

What matters in a solar and battery installer's terms

Generation figures, savings and the headline price

Almost every solar dispute starts with a number on the proposal: predicted annual generation, expected bill savings, a payback period. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, information a consumer relies on in deciding to buy is binding, so those figures can become contractual. The terms should record what the estimate is based on, the assumptions made about shading, orientation, occupancy and tariffs, and that actual output and savings depend on the weather and on how the household uses electricity. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 also means the headline price shown to a consumer must include mandatory charges such as scaffolding and application fees.

The survey, the roof and repricing the job

You price from a survey and photographs. The condition of the roof is often only apparent once the scaffold is up: brittle or non-standard tiles, perished battens and felt, asbestos cement on an outbuilding, or loft wiring that has to be disturbed. Solar panels on a house are usually permitted development under Class A of Part 14 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, but not on a listed building, and conditions apply in conservation areas. Your terms need a clear right to stop, report and reprice, with variations agreed in writing before work continues, and a right to withdraw and refund if the roof will not safely take the array. They should also put the customer in charge of confirming that the roof is theirs to alter and that any consent needed for a flat, a leasehold, a listed building or a conservation area has been obtained.

Grid connection, certification and the export side

A system that cannot be connected, or that must be export limited, is a commercial risk as well as a technical one. Connection of generating equipment is subject to the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 and to the network operator's connection process. The terms should set out what you apply for, what the network operator may impose, and that a limitation, refusal or delay by the operator is not a breach by you. Registering for export payments is the customer's arrangement with their electricity supplier, and the terms should say so. Certain electrical work must be certified or notified under the Building Regulations, so the terms should state what certification you issue and when, which is normally after payment.

Deposits, stage payments and equipment you have already bought

Panels, inverters and batteries are ordered against a specific design and often with long lead times. A deposit that funds equipment and a stage payment on delivery to site are normal, with the balance due on commissioning rather than at a later date of the customer's choosing. For business customers, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives you interest and fixed compensation on overdue invoices. Retention of title does little for you once the array is fixed to the roof and the battery wired into the consumer unit, so the terms should rely on payment timing and on properly drafted cancellation charges.

Cancellation rights when the sale happens in the customer's kitchen

Most domestic solar sales are agreed at the home, or by telephone and email, which brings them within the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and gives the customer fourteen days to cancel. Where the cancellation information is not given properly the period can extend by up to twelve months, which leaves a commissioned system at risk for that period. Work carried out during the period counts only where the customer expressly asked for it, and a customer who then cancels pays a proportionate amount. Refunds are due within fourteen days, so your ordering process and your terms have to work together.

Warranties, monitoring and where your liability stops

Three separate matters are often confused: the manufacturer's product warranty on panels and inverters, the battery's capacity or cycle warranty, and your own workmanship guarantee. The terms should separate them, say what you pass through and what you do not, and make clear you cannot promise that a manufacturer will still be trading. Monitoring platforms, firmware updates and tariff optimisation are largely outside your control and should be excluded. For business customers, cap liability and exclude lost generation revenue, subject to the reasonableness test under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. Liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence cannot be excluded from anyone's terms.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

The customer cancelled after I had ordered the battery. Can I keep the deposit?

That turns on your terms and on when the cancellation arrived. Within the statutory cancellation period a consumer is generally entitled to their money back, so a deposit does not protect you in that period. Outside that period, a cancellation charge has to reflect the costs you have committed rather than punish the customer, or it risks being treated as unfair.

A customer blames my array for a roof leak eighteen months later. What helps?

Photographs before and after, your survey notes, the fixing detail used, and a workmanship guarantee that says plainly what it covers and for how long. The terms should exclude pre-existing roof defects and later work by others, require prompt reporting of suspected leaks, and give you the first chance to inspect before anyone else inspects the roof.

Can I add a fee when the customer pays the balance by card?

Charging consumers a surcharge for paying by card is not permitted under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, so build the cost into your prices. The terms can still set out which payment methods you accept, that cleared funds are required before commissioning, and what happens when a bank transfer arrives late.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Consultancy and contractor agreements, £595
• Ask Caesar, £495 a month
• Terms and conditions for a heat pump installer
• Terms and conditions for an EV charger installer

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.