Found a home you love and noticed a row of solar panels on the roof? They can be a real plus, but they also raise questions a viewing won’t answer. Is the roof beneath them in good order? Does the system work? Who actually owns it? Those are three separate questions, and each one has a different person best placed to answer it. This guide walks you through them, including which survey to choose and what to tell us before you book.
- Tell your surveyor about the panels when you ask for a quote, so the right survey level is chosen.
- A Level 2 Survey (Homebuyer Report) often suits a conventional home in reasonable condition; a Level 3 Survey (Building Survey) suits older, altered, or unusual homes.
- Neither survey level tests whether the solar system works or is electrically safe.
- Ownership of the panels is a question for your conveyancer, not an assumption.
- Ask the seller early for the installation paperwork, so everyone is working from the same facts.
Know what’s on the roof
“Solar panels” can mean different things. Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate electricity, while solar thermal panels heat water. A PV system may also come with an inverter, a battery, and monitoring equipment somewhere inside the house. This article focuses on PV, which is what most buyers in Liverpool and the North West are looking at.
Start by asking the seller for a list of the equipment, the installation date, and the handover pack they were given. An estate agent’s photo of the roof rarely shows every component, and it can’t show what’s been replaced or added since. A battery fitted a few years after the panels, for example, will have its own records.
Look closely at how the sales particulars describe the system too. “Owned”, “leased”, and “installed” aren’t interchangeable words, and the difference matters more than it first appears. We’ll come back to that below.
Choosing between Level 2 and Level 3
This is the decision we’re asked about most, so here’s the plain answer. Solar panels on their own don’t automatically mean you need the more detailed survey. The choice depends on the house as a whole, and our survey services page describes both options.
A Level 2 Survey (Homebuyer Report) is usually a good fit for a conventional home in reasonable condition, often one built in the last 50 years or so. It tells you about the condition of the property, flags significant defects, and points out where further advice is needed. For a fairly modern semi with a tidy, well-documented PV system, that’s often the right choice.
A Level 3 Survey (Building Survey) is the better fit if the house is older, has been altered, is of unusual construction, or you already have concerns about the roof. It gives a more detailed description of the construction and the defects we find, with more discussion of repair options. The RICS guide to home survey types sets out the differences between the levels in more detail.
Whichever you’re leaning towards, mention the panels, any known roof repairs, and any extensions or loft conversions when you get in touch. Our guide to building surveys and Homebuyer Reports covers the general choice, and we’re always happy to talk it through for your particular house.
What the survey can and can’t tell you
A home survey is a visual inspection of the building within an agreed scope. When we survey a home with panels, we’ll look at the roof from the ground and from the loft where access allows, and we’ll note clearly where the panels limit our view of the covering beneath them. A tidy array doesn’t prove every hidden tile or fixing is sound, and an honest report will say so.
What a survey won’t do is test the solar system. The RICS description of the Level 3 survey explains that services are inspected visually, without specialist testing, so their efficiency and safety aren’t confirmed that way. The same applies to Level 2.
If we see something that needs a closer look, such as signs of water getting in around the fixings or cabling that looks poorly supported, we’ll say so and recommend the right specialist. Electrical condition and system performance are jobs for a qualified electrician or solar installer, and it’s worth arranging those checks before you commit.
Roof work and the panels
Think ahead about maintenance. If the roof needs repairs in the next few years, the panels may have to come off and go back on again, and that needs a competent solar specialist as well as a roofer. A roofing quote that leaves out removal and refitting is only part of the picture.
That doesn’t mean every house with panels needs a new roof or a separate structural report. It means a visible defect, a significant inspection limit, or missing paperwork should be followed up in proportion to the concern. Let the findings guide the next step rather than worst-case guesses.
Who owns the panels
Buying the house doesn’t always mean buying the panels. Some systems were installed under a “rent a roof” arrangement, where a third party owns the equipment and holds a lease over the roof space. Ofgem’s guidance for Feed-in Tariff generators explains that some panels belong to a third party and how ownership can be looked into when it isn’t clear.
This is firmly your conveyancer’s territory, and it’s worth raising early. Ask them to confirm who owns the system, whether any agreement will continue after you buy, and what it says about access, maintenance, and roof repairs.
Keep income and ownership separate from promises about savings. A seller’s past payments don’t tell you what you’ll receive after completion. If there’s a payment arrangement, check the transfer process with the relevant provider rather than assuming it moves across automatically.
Gather the paperwork
The most useful pack links each document to the equipment that’s actually on the roof. Ask for the system details, installation and commissioning records, instruction manuals, any maintenance history, and the warranty terms. A warranty with no product details or address on it is hard to rely on.
If something’s missing, note it as an open question. A missing certificate isn’t proof of poor work, but it may change how confident you can be or which checks are worth doing. Your conveyancer and any specialist can tell you whether it’s a simple admin gap or something that matters.
Don’t swap passwords or monitoring logins in an open group email. Agree a secure handover at completion, and until then, leave the system settings alone.
Treat performance figures with care
Generation figures can help a specialist understand the system, but they aren’t a promise about future output or lower bills. Shading, how you use electricity, and the condition of the equipment all make a difference. One sunny month in a screenshot isn’t a typical year.
If the financial side matters to your decision, ask for records over a longer period and check what each figure means. Electricity generated, electricity exported, and money received are three different things. You don’t need to become a solar expert; you just need to know which claims have records behind them.
Questions about solar panels and surveys
Does a Level 3 survey test whether the panels work?
No. Both the Level 2 and Level 3 surveys are visual inspections and don’t include performance or electrical safety testing. If you want the system checked, arrange a separate visit from a qualified electrician or solar specialist, ideally before exchange.
Do solar panels mean I need a Level 3 survey?
Not on their own. The house as a whole decides it. A conventional, well-kept home with panels may suit a Level 2 Survey (Homebuyer Report), while an older, altered, or unusual property is usually better served by a Level 3 Survey (Building Survey). Tell us about the panels when you ask, and we’ll help you choose.
Can an EPC confirm the solar system is working?
No. An EPC rates the home’s energy performance at the time of assessment; it isn’t a live test of the equipment. Our Domestic Energy Assessments guide explains what an EPC does cover, so you can keep it alongside the system records rather than in place of them.
What if the panels are on a shared roof above a flat?
Tell your surveyor and conveyancer early. Responsibility for the roof and the equipment may sit with a freeholder or managing agent, and the lease will set out who can access and maintain what. Don’t assume the arrangement from a photo.
What if the house is empty and nobody can show me the controls?
Raise it with the seller’s agent and your advisers. Find out what records exist and whether an authorised specialist visit is needed. Please don’t operate unfamiliar equipment or change settings during a viewing.
Should the panels come off before the survey?
No. Buyers shouldn’t arrange removal or interfere with the equipment. If specialist access is recommended, it needs the seller’s permission and a competent person working to an agreed scope.
Book the right survey with us
If you’re buying a home with solar panels anywhere in Liverpool or the North West, get in touch with Trust Surveyors or call 0151 702 0123. Send us the address, the age of the property if you know it, and any paperwork about the panels, and we’ll help you choose between a Level 2 and a Level 3 survey before you book.
