Often referred to as balcony solar, these are small photovoltaic systems designed to generate electricity that can offset electricity being consumed within the home at the time.

For houses, their introduction may be relatively straightforward. In leasehold blocks, however, there are additional considerations.

A resident may own or occupy their flat, but that does not necessarily mean they have an unrestricted right to install equipment on a balcony, balustrade, external wall or other part of the building. Lease provisions, electrical arrangements, fire and structural considerations, insurance requirements and building specific restrictions may all be relevant.

There is another important distinction too. Product compliance at the point of purchase does not automatically answer whether a particular installation is appropriate for a particular building. And once equipment has been approved, there is the ongoing question of how it is recorded, inspected, maintained and managed throughout its life.

Our view at Future Decarbonise is therefore not that plug-in solar should automatically be approved or refused. Instead, its arrival is an opportunity for managing agents and freeholders to establish a proportionate policy, and to consider whether individual installations or a professionally designed block level solar scheme represents the better solution for that particular building.

The full picture

A new product category arriving in managed buildings

The regulatory change is an important development in making small scale renewable generation more accessible. The Government's Interim Product Specification establishes technical and safety requirements for qualifying plug-in solar products, alongside the wider electrical and network requirements applicable to their connection and use.

However, product compliance is only one part of the picture within a managed residential building. A compliant product may still be proposed for a location, electrical installation or building where additional assessment or permission is appropriate. That distinction matters.

For managing agents, the question is therefore unlikely to be simply whether the product is compliant. It is more likely to be: is this product, installed in this location, in this way, appropriate for this building, and how will it be managed afterwards?

Consent: start with the lease and the building

Whether consent is required, and what form that consent should take, will depend on the individual lease, the location of the proposed installation and the nature of the works. A freestanding or removable installation may present different considerations from equipment fixed to a balustrade, facade or other part of the external building.

Where an installation affects the exterior, common parts or building fabric, the lease and any relevant building requirements should be reviewed before permission is given. Depending on the circumstances, this could result in anything from a straightforward written consent with conditions through to a more formal licence or approval process. There should not be a one size fits all answer.

A sensible policy can instead establish what information residents must provide, when further professional advice is required and what conditions will apply if permission is granted. Legal advice should be obtained where there is uncertainty over the interpretation of a particular lease or the landlord's ability to grant, condition or refuse consent.

Safety goes beyond the panel

The fact that a product can connect through a standard socket does not remove the need to consider the electrical installation it is connecting into. Before approval, relevant considerations may include the condition and suitability of the existing electrical installation and circuit, protective devices, socket location, the manufacturer's installation requirements and any limitations contained within the applicable product specification.

Managers should also consider the risk of equipment being used differently after approval. Additional electrical equipment, extension leads, adaptors or other devices could subsequently be introduced by an occupier. Equipment may be moved, damaged or altered. Cables and connectors can deteriorate, and the condition of an installation several years after approval may be different from its condition on day one. That makes ongoing management as important as initial approval.

Where installations are permitted, the building's policy could therefore consider:

• appropriate electrical checks before connection;

• compliance with manufacturer instructions and applicable technical requirements;

• restrictions on alterations or additional equipment;

• periodic inspection or testing where appropriate;

• reporting of damage or defects;

• responsibilities for maintenance and replacement;

• removal of equipment that becomes unsafe or non-compliant;

• what happens when the leaseholder sells or the occupier leaves; and

• keeping installation and inspection information with the building's records.

The appropriate inspection and testing regime should be determined according to the equipment, manufacturer guidance, electrical installation and risk profile, rather than assuming one testing requirement applies universally.

External walls, balconies and higher risk buildings

Electrical safety is only part of the assessment. Where equipment is mounted externally, managers may also need to consider the mounting method, wind loading, structural suitability, fire performance, escape routes, the external wall system and the consequences of equipment becoming detached.

The Government's Interim Product Specification itself recognises that installation surface and building type matter, and places restrictions around certain external wall materials and buildings undergoing relevant remediation. That makes building specific assessment particularly important where there are known external wall issues, remediation works or other building safety considerations.

The appropriate level of scrutiny should therefore reflect the particular building and proposed installation rather than relying on height alone. Where necessary, competent fire, structural, electrical, building safety or other professional advice should be obtained before consent is issued.

Compliance and maintenance are an ongoing responsibility

One of the easiest mistakes with plug-in technology is to treat it like an appliance that disappears from the manager's responsibility once permission has been granted. In practice, ongoing planned maintenance is likely to be one of the biggest management challenges. In a managed block, particularly where equipment is visible externally or attached to part of the building, there is a strong case for maintaining an appropriate record, and a planned inspection and maintenance regime, throughout its life.

An asset or consent register could record information such as:

• property and installation location;

• product and model;

• date approved and installed;

• relevant product documentation;

• electrical or other assessments obtained;

• conditions attached to consent;

• maintenance or inspection information where applicable; and

• removal, replacement or transfer of the equipment.

This also helps prevent another potential problem: installation creep. A resident may initially install an approved system correctly, but later add, replace or modify equipment. A building policy should make clear whether changes require further approval, and that initial consent does not automatically extend to future alterations.

What happens to surplus electricity?

Plug-in solar is principally designed to offset electricity being consumed within the property while generation is taking place. Where generation exceeds consumption, the electrical and metering arrangements become more important.

Eligibility for payment for exported electricity, including through the Smart Export Guarantee, depends on the applicable metering, installation and supplier requirements. In multi-occupancy buildings these arrangements can be more complex than in a conventional single dwelling, so residents should not assume that surplus generation will necessarily attract an export payment.

The actual position should be checked against the specific metering and electrical configuration of the property and the requirements of the relevant energy supplier or export tariff. That distinction can materially affect the financial case for an individual installation.

The case for looking at the whole block

Individual plug-in solar may be appropriate for some buildings and residents. But its arrival also creates a useful opportunity to consider solar at building level. Where technically and commercially suitable, a professionally designed rooftop or other communal solar installation could potentially supply communal loads such as lighting, lifts, pumps, ventilation or other landlord controlled services.

The potential financial benefit will depend on the building's electricity consumption, available generation area, tariffs, system design, export arrangements and other factors, and should therefore be modelled for the individual property.

A communal scheme may also provide a simpler management structure. Rather than multiple resident owned installations with different products, locations and maintenance histories, a block level system can provide a single designed installation with defined ownership, planned maintenance arrangements and asset records. That does not make communal solar automatically preferable. It does, however, mean that when residents begin asking about balcony solar, there is a worthwhile second question: could solar deliver greater benefit if we looked at the building as a whole?

A sensible approach for managing agents

Before resident enquiries begin, managers may want to consider:

• Reviewing the lease position and establishing when consent may be required.

• Creating an application process setting out the information residents need to provide.

• Assessing electrical suitability rather than relying solely on the product's compliance documentation.

• Considering the building itself, including external wall, fire, structural, remediation and insurance factors where relevant.

• Setting conditions for approval, including installation, maintenance, alteration and removal.

• Planning for ongoing compliance and planned maintenance, with proportionate inspection, record keeping and review requirements.

• Maintaining an installation register so approved equipment does not disappear from the building's records.

• Preventing uncontrolled modification or overloading by making clear that subsequent changes or additional equipment may require reassessment.

• Considering the block level opportunity before assuming individual installations are the only route to solar.

The objective does not need to be to make plug-in solar difficult. It should be to make sure that, where it is used, it is introduced in a way that is proportionate, documented and appropriate for the building.

How Future Decarbonise can help

Future Decarbonise can support managing agents and building owners in assessing the practical implications of solar within managed residential buildings. Depending on the property and scope required, this may include reviewing building and electrical suitability, helping develop a framework for resident applications, assessing opportunities for communal solar, designing and installing suitable block level systems, and establishing appropriate planned maintenance arrangements to keep those assets safe and productive over time.

Every building is different, and the right approach will depend on its construction, electrical infrastructure, lease arrangements, energy use and wider risk profile. The arrival of plug-in solar is therefore less about choosing between yes or no to balcony panels, and more about having the right process to make an informed decision. And in some buildings, that conversation may reveal that the bigger opportunity is not on the balcony at all. It is on the roof.

This article provides general information for property professionals and is not legal, electrical, fire, structural, building-safety or financial advice. Requirements and suitability will vary according to the building, lease, electrical installation, proposed product and method of installation. Appropriate competent professional advice should be obtained where required. References to potential energy or service-charge savings are illustrative only and do not constitute a guarantee of performance or financial return. Future Decarbonise is part of Future Group.