The short answer
Private renting covers 14.5% of households in Congleton West and 10.7% in Congleton East. A tenant needs the owner’s written agreement for panels. Lower-income private tenants in homes rated EPC D to G may qualify for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, with landlords paying at least 50% after their first property.
Who rents in Congleton
| Area | Owned | Private rent | Social rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congleton East | 72.1% | 10.7% | 16.2% |
| Congleton West | 73.6% | 14.5% | 10.5% |
| Cheshire East | 71.9% | 15.5% | 11.6% |
Renting is a minority in both wards, and the two differ in kind. Congleton West has more private renting, at 14.5%; Congleton East has more social renting, at 16.2%. Both private-rent shares are below the Cheshire East figure of 15.5% (Census 2021). The wider picture is on homes by ward.
The owner decides
Panels fixed to a roof become part of the building, so only the owner can agree to them. That holds for a house let by a private landlord, a home rented from a housing provider and a flat let by a leaseholder, where the leaseholder’s own landlord has to agree as well. A tenant who arranges panels without consent risks a breach of the tenancy and a demand to remove them at the tenant’s cost.
Agreement should be in writing and should cover more than a simple yes. A short letter or tenancy addendum that answers the following points avoids most later disputes:
- who pays for the system, and whether any contribution from the tenant is refunded when they leave;
- who owns the panels, inverter and any battery;
- who arranges and pays for servicing, repairs and insurance;
- who registers for export payments, and what happens to that account at the end of the tenancy;
- how the landlord or firm gets access for maintenance;
- whether anything is to be removed when the tenancy ends.
Help for private tenants on lower incomes
Cheshire East runs the Warm Homes: Local Grant until 31 March 2028. It funds insulation and renewables, which can include solar panels, for homes rated EPC D to G (council page). Private tenants can qualify as well as owner-occupiers. The household must receive an income-related benefit, or have an income of no more than £36,000 before tax or £20,000 after housing costs.
For a rented home the landlord has to agree, and landlords contribute at least 50% of the cost for each property after their first. Upgrades aim to lift a home by at least two EPC bands, so panels are often part of a wider package with insulation, not a stand-alone measure. The government’s guidance on applying for the grant explains the national rules; the council decides locally what each home receives. Grants and schemes sets the grant beside the other routes.
The energy rating target for lets
The government has said that privately rented homes in England should reach EPC band C by 1 October 2030, subject to the cost cap and exemptions. For a landlord with a home rated D or below, that puts energy improvements on the agenda well before the date. Solar panels can improve a home’s rating, though insulation and heating usually come first in the assessor’s recommendations, and the right mix depends on the property. A current certificate shows the rating and the recommended measures.
Landlords planning several properties should look at the order of work. Doing the roof insulation and any roof repairs before panels go on avoids paying to lift and refit them later.
Three ways the cost is commonly shared
There is no standard arrangement, but most fall into one of three patterns.
- The landlord pays. The landlord buys and owns the system, the tenant gets cheaper daytime electricity, and the landlord gains a better energy rating and a more attractive home to let. The tenancy records who handles export payments.
- The landlord pays with grant help. Where the tenant qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the grant covers part of the work and the landlord pays the required share. The landlord still owns the equipment.
- The tenant contributes. Less common, and it needs care. If a tenant pays towards panels on someone else’s building, the agreement should say whether any of that money comes back if the tenancy ends early.
Timing the work around a tenancy
Fitting panels means scaffolding, a day or two of roof work and electrical work inside the house, with the supply turned off for part of it. Between tenancies is the easiest time for a landlord. With a tenant in place, the landlord needs to give proper notice for access under the tenancy, agree the dates and make sure the tenant knows what the work involves. If the work is part of a grant package with insulation, there may be several visits.
If the answer is no
A landlord does not have to agree to panels, and there is no general right for a tenant to insist. A refusal is often about cost, roof condition, a planned sale or uncertainty about the paperwork, and a request that answers those points may get a different reply later. Pointing a landlord to the grant, and to the target for rented homes below, can help. If the home is in poor repair or hard to heat, that is a separate matter from solar, and the council’s housing team can advise.
What tenants can do without the roof
Not every tenant wants or can get a roof system. There are smaller steps. Moving heavy electricity use, such as washing and dishwashing, into daylight hours makes the most of any panels that are fitted. A plug-in kit is another possibility in some homes: from 27 August 2026 these count as solar PV under the amended planning rules (SI 2026/896), and they may not be fixed to timber walls, timber balconies or timber-clad parts. Fixing any kit to the building still needs the landlord’s agreement, and in a flat the building owner’s too: see mill conversions and flats.
Export payments and the tenancy
Electricity sent to the grid can be paid for under the SEG, which requires larger suppliers to offer an export rate above zero for eligible systems (Ofgem). The system needs an MCS certificate and a meter that records exports. In a rented home, decide in advance who registers. If the tenant pays the bills and registers, the account has to be closed or transferred when they move out. If the landlord registers, the arrangement needs writing into the tenancy. Export and self-use explains how much of the output a household is likely to use itself.
Older rented homes in the town centre
A good share of the town centre lies in the West Street and Moody Street conservation areas, and parts of it are listed. For a landlord, the rules are the same as for anyone else. Panels on the roof slope of an unlisted house are permitted development within the usual limits under Part 14 of the permitted development order; walls facing the road and flat roofs bring extra steps; and listed buildings need permission and consent for any panel. Check each property on the national list, and read conservation areas and listed buildings before planning a programme.
Next steps
Tenants: put the request in writing and keep the reply. Landlords: check each home’s certificate, its planning position and whether the tenant qualifies for the grant, then gather quotes from firms certified for solar; choosing an installer lists the checks. Anyone unsure where their home stands can use the roof and route check or send a question.