What we check before an installer is listed

Every listed installer must hold a current MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certificate. When an installer applies for a listing, they supply their MCS number. Our team checks that number manually against the MCS register before the listing goes live, and we record the date checked and the reviewer. After that, every listed certificate is re-checked against the register each week, and an installer whose certificate has lapsed comes off the directory until it is back on the register.

Why MCS matters to you. MCS is the recognised industry standard for domestic solar PV in the UK. An MCS installation is a condition of eligibility for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) export tariff — the payment your energy supplier makes for electricity your panels send to the grid. It is also a condition of most solar panel manufacturer warranties. An installer without MCS certification cannot issue the documentation you need for either. If you want to understand MCS in more depth, see our guide on MCS certified solar installers.

We check that the installer is an active, trading business — not a dormant shell — and that they genuinely install solar panels as a service. Pure resellers, lead brokers, and comparison sites do not qualify for a listing and will be rejected. The check includes their website (must resolve, must mention solar PV installation as a service) and their contact details (phone and email must be real and reachable).

We scan each applicant's website for obvious overclaims before approving a listing. Phrases such as "free solar panels", "guaranteed payback", or "government-approved installer" are red flags. An installer who overclaims in their own marketing is not suitable to list next to a tool designed to give homeowners accurate estimates.

Every listed installer tells us the areas they cover — postcode districts, towns, or a named region. We check that the declared area is plausible for their location. A company will not appear in results for an area they have not declared, so when you see installers on your Solarable Report or in the directory, they have told us they cover your area.

What a listing means — and what it doesn't

A listed installer has cleared the checks above. Specifically:

• They hold a valid MCS certificate that our team verified against the official register.
• They are an active business that genuinely installs solar PV.
• Their website, at the time of our check, did not contain obvious overclaims.
• They have declared a service area that includes your postcode.

A listing is not a Solarable endorsement of their workmanship, pricing, or customer service. We do not inspect their previous installations or negotiate on price on your behalf, and we only pass your details to an installer when you ask for quotes, and then to at most three. You choose who to contact and you control the conversation.

A listing does not replace an installer survey. Solarable estimates roof suitability and potential annual benefit based on direction and area-average data. The only way to get a reliable assessment of your specific roof — covering condition, shading, pitch, and the right system size — is an on-site survey from a qualified installer. Always get that survey before committing.

Ongoing integrity

MCS status is re-checked against the official register every week. The rest of our checks are done at the point of approval. If you come across a listed installer and something does not seem right, such as contact details that have stopped working or marketing that has changed significantly, please let us know at hello@solarable.org and we will review.