How to Choose an MCS Solar Installer in the UK

Choose a company that can prove who it is, what work it is certified for and how your money is protected. A logo on a van, advert or website is not proof.

Start with three checks: find the exact business on the MCS register for solar PV, verify any consumer-code membership in that code’s own directory, and get at least three written quotes before choosing.

Five checks before you pay a deposit

Open each check and ask the company for the evidence.

1. Is the exact company MCS-certified for solar PV?

Search the MCS directory using the legal business name, not just the trading name. Check that the listing covers solar PV. Ask which MCS-certified company will survey, install and issue the certificate if a sales company or subcontractor is involved.

2. Is the claimed consumer-code membership current?

Search the code’s own member directory. For RECC, only businesses shown in its current directory are members. Do not rely on a badge copied into a website footer or brochure.

3. How are my deposit and workmanship warranty protected?

Ask for the insurer’s name, what is covered, the cover dates and the policy documents. RECC says its members must protect deposits, advance payments and workmanship warranties. Its consumer tips say a RECC member should not take more than 25% of the contract price as a deposit. This is a RECC rule, not a general limit for every seller.

4. Do I have the full contract before paying?

Get the legal company name, address, complete installed price, payment stages, cancellation terms, complaints route, equipment list and a property-specific performance estimate in writing. Read what happens if the survey changes the design or price.

5. Will the company let me compare calmly?

RECC advises getting at least three quotes. Do not sign because a discount supposedly ends during the visit. A sound proposal can be left with you while you check the business, design and payment protection.

Separate the seller from the installer

The company advertising or arranging the job may not be the company fitting the system. Write down the legal name of the seller, the company taking payment, the MCS-certified installer, the electrician and the business responsible for the workmanship warranty. Ask who you contact if one of them stops trading.

Check the design after checking the business

A valid listing does not tell you whether one proposal suits your home. The quote should use your roof, shade, annual electricity use and likely daytime use. It should name the panels, inverter, mounting system and battery, show the system size in kWp and give a forecast in annual kWh.

Use the full solar quote checklist for equipment and contract detail, the three-quote worksheet to compare proposals, and the four-nation planning guide if the roof or location needs extra checks.

Documents to have before the deposit

The full quote and property-specific performance estimate.
The contract, payment schedule and cancellation information.
The exact legal names and registered addresses of the seller and installer.
Independent directory evidence for MCS and any consumer code claimed.
The deposit-protection provider, cover period and policy terms.
The workmanship warranty and how it remains protected if the installer stops trading.
The complaints route and any independent dispute-resolution service.

Warning signs

Guaranteed savings, payback or grant eligibility before a survey.
A certification badge that cannot be found in the official directory.
No clear answer about who installs and issues the MCS certificate.
A large payment requested before clear protection documents arrive.
Pressure to sign or accept finance during the visit.
No named equipment, itemised price or excluded-work list.
A savings figure without its electricity, export and self-use assumptions.

Keep the handover pack

After installation, keep the MCS certificate, DNO evidence, commissioning results, equipment details, monitoring access, electrical documents, product warranties, workmanship warranty and insurance policy. Store them with the contract and proof of payment.

Primary sources: MCS consumer guidance, MCS installer search, RECC member directory, RECC consumer tips, RECC deposit and warranty protection.

Planning for aftercare? Keep the solar PV repair and fault guide with your handover pack so you know what to record and who should test the system.