Most homes can be suitable for solar panels as long as part of the roof is east/west facing, or preferably south-facing, and isn't overshadowed by trees or buildings. We also need to make sure your roof is structurally sound before fitting panels. Book a free, no obligation home survey to find out if your home is suitable and we'll be able to advise you on the best system available for your property.

The feed-in tariff is a tax-free, inflation-linked subsidy paid to homeowners and businesses for generating their own electricity through renewable sources. The scheme was set up by the government to encourage more UK consumers to adopt sustainable ways of generating energy, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions and secure future energy supplies.

Currently, homeowners and businesses receive 21p for every unit of energy their solar panel system produces - whether they use it themselves to power their home, or sell it back to the national grid. An additional 3.2p per unit is paid out for every unit exported back to the grid.

Once your solar panel system has been installed and registered, your feed-in tariff rate is “locked in” for 25 years and will increase in line with inflation so you will always enjoy the same great tax-free income you have signed up to.

From April 2012, homes will be required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of level D to claim the higher rate of feed-in tariff.

As part of our complete customer service, Solarlec will conduct an EPC assessment and advise accordingly in the unlikely event your home does not meet level D efficiency.

No, the installation must use a solar panel company approved by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), like Solarlec, for you to be eligible for the feed-in tariff.

Your energy supplier pays you for producing your own energy.

When it comes to buying a solar PV system, price is an obvious consideration. PV systems can cost as little as £0.72p net cost per month for the first year and then even less over the next few years on our finance schemes (which makes them almost self-funding), with a complete system starting from just £5,881.

However, when choosing your solar panels, it's equally important to look at quality. Not all panels are the same - after all, you only have one roof, so it's crucial you maximise its potential by selecting the best products that will perform to a level that guarantees the greatest financial return on your investment.

Solarlec stocks panels from the world's leading manufacturers - your energy advisor will talk you through all of the options available to you based on your roof size and budget when you book your free home survey.

Workmanship/installation

As a credible company, Solarlec takes pride in the work it does and provides extensive warranties on all products and workmanship for your complete peace of mind.

We offer an insurance-backed five year installation and workmanship warranty which you can find here.

Deposit and performance guarantees

For complete consumer confidence, your deposit will be safeguarded through an independent insurance-backed deposit protection guarantee through either the Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) Scheme (which you can find here) or the Independent Warranty Association (IWA). This guarantees that whatever happens, your deposit is safe.

Additionally, Solarlec provides all customers with a price match promise to guarantee you receive the very best value products and services when you choose us. [link to document]

When we survey your property for its suitability for solar panels, we will provide you with a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculation, which calculates how much electricity your system will produce in the first year and what your likely cost savings and benefits will be.

Solarlec's SAP Performance Guarantee gives you a financial promise that your solar panels will produce at least the amount of electricity predicted in your SAP calculation.

Product guarantees

All of the products provided to you by Solarlec are certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme or other appropriate standard as required and we endeavour to only supply systems of the very highest quality.

All Solarlec solar panels are subject to manufacturers' efficiency warranties - these are specific for each brand but usually guarantee at least 90% efficiency after 12 years and a minimum of 80% efficiency after 25 years. An example can be found here. [link to LG guarantee document].

For a typical example of an inverter warranty, click here. [link to SMA document]

In England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, you don't need planning permission for most home solar electricity systems, as long as they're below a certain size - but you should check with your local planning officer if your home is a listed building, in a conservation area or World Heritage Site.

Yes - they simply require daylight to function effectively. The more sunlight there is, the more electricity your solar panels will produce - so you'll see the greatest returns during summer months.

Solarlec uses its own installers rather than subcontractors, which means we can promise you the highest quality service - with that all-important personal touch - from start to finish.

Our in-house installation teams are made up of experienced, highly trained solar PV specialists whose technical expertise and knowledge of panels, inverters, mounting kits and solar PV systems in general is unparalleled. Each team of energy specialists includes a time served electrician who will test your system to guarantee the ultimate performance and safety.

Our teams install hundreds of solar photovoltaic systems each year - so you're in safe hands with us.

Our in-house solar panel installation teams work tidily and efficiently, respecting your home and usually completing your installation in a day. We know how precious your home is, so we cause as little disruption to you as possible

Your solar panel system comes with a generation meter that records the amount of electricity that your panels produce, so you are constantly up to date with the amount of money you are saving and earning. Portable display monitors are also available as an optional extra.