Solar Together and Group-Buying Schemes: Are They Worth It?

The upfront cost of solar is one of the most common reasons UK homeowners put off going green. So when a letter arrives from your local council inviting you to join a group-buying scheme, the appeal is obvious. Solar Together has been operating in the UK since 2012 and is now available  through dozens of councils, offering bulk-discount pricing through a process called a reverse auction. The headline figures, often 20 to 30 per cent below average market rates, sound compelling. But do those savings genuinely stack up once you examine at equipment quality, installer choice, lead times and aftercare? This guide breaks down exactly how the scheme works so you can make a confident, informed decision.

What Is Solar Together and Who Runs It?

Solar Together is a council-backed group-buying initiative delivered by the Dutch company iChoosr. The model is straightforward: a local authority promotes the scheme to its residents, while iChoosr manages the registration process, vets installers and runs the auction that determines pricing.

It is important to be clear about what the scheme is not. Solar Together is not a government grant, and it does not provide free solar panels. Homeowners who take part still pay for their installation in full; they simply benefit from a bulk-negotiated price. The scheme has grown steadily since its launch, with thousands of UK homes now installed through it and new council areas joining each year across England and Wales.

Eligibility is broadly straightforward: the scheme is open to homeowners or, in some cases, leaseholders with landlord permission. Certain council rounds also include small businesses and Commonhold Associations.

How the Group-Buying Auction Actually Works

The process follows five typical stages, and understanding each one helps set realistic expectations.

• Registration: You sign up for free and share basic details about your property, including your roof size, orientation, age and any shading. At this stage, you are committing to nothing.
• Auction: iChoosr invites pre-vetted solar installers to compete for the entire regional batch of homes. This is a reverse auction, meaning installers bid downwards to offer the lowest possible price.
• Personalised offer: A single regional winner is chosen. Each registered homeowner then receives a personalised quote based on their specific roof, reflecting the winning installer’s pricing.
• Decision: You review the offer and either accept or decline, with no obligation either way.
• Installation: Accepted households are scheduled for installation, typically over several months.

One important caveat on timing: from initial registration through to the moment your system is switched on, the full journey can take around nine months in many regions. In some cases, homeowners have reported waiting longer than twelve months. If you need panels installed by a specific date, this lead time is worth factoring in from the outset.

How Much Can You Actually Save?

Solar Together and the Greater London Authority cite typical savings of 20 to 30 per cent off average market rates, with some councils reporting figures of 35 to 40 per cent in their published round reports. Those headline numbers are attractive, but they come with caveats worth unpacking.

The comparison point is an unspecified national average rather than prices from local, directly contracted installers. In practice, if you gather three quotes from MCS-certified installers in your county, you may find that at least one comes close to, or even matches, the Solar Together price. To give a rough sense of scale: a typical 4 kW system in the South East might be quoted at somewhere between £6,000 and £8,000 through a direct installer, depending on equipment choice, while a Solar Together offer for a comparable system might land towards the lower end of that range or slightly below it. That is a difference, but not always as dramatic as the headline percentage implies.

It is also worth noting that 0% VAT on domestic solar panels applies to all UK installations regardless of how you procure them, so this is not an exclusive advantage of the scheme. Where pricing differences between group-buying and independent quotes tend to be most significant is on battery storage. This typically adds several thousand pounds to the total and is where installer margins vary most.

The Pros of Joining a Group-Buying Scheme

• Lower headline pricing is achieved through bulk negotiation and a competitive reverse auction.
• A simplified process: you register once and receive a ready-made quote, without the need to chase multiple installers yourself.
• Council endorsement, which gives many homeowners confidence that participating installers have been pre-screened.
• No obligation to proceed once the offer arrives, so there is no financial risk in simply registering to see what price comes back.
• A useful pricing benchmark: even if you ultimately choose a different installer, the Solar Together figure provides a reference point for comparing quotes.

The Cons and Risks Homeowners Should Know About

Group-buying schemes have a good track record, but they also come with limitations that are less frequently highlighted in council promotional material.

• Long waiting times: because all jobs in a region go to a single winning installer, that installer’s workload can become substantial. Some homeowners have reported 12-24 months from offer acceptance to switch-on, particularly in larger council areas.
• Equipment choices tilted towards cost: the auction incentivises price competition, which can result in lower-tier panels or inverters being specified. The winning installer has limited room to offer premium equipment at the bulk rate.
• No brand choice: homeowners typically cannot specify a particular panel manufacturer, inverter brand or battery chemistry. You accept or reject the package as a whole.
• Aftercare risk: if the winning installer becomes overloaded or, in more serious cases, ceases trading before your install is complete, resolving the situation can be complicated. Additionally, workmanship warranties may become harder to resolve.
• Mixed customer experiences: independent review platforms and council-published feedback reports have flagged inconsistent service quality, with a certain minority of participants describing their experience as below average, particularly around communication and post-installation support.

Solar Together vs Getting Independent Quotes

The most practical advice for any homeowner considering Solar Together is to treat it as one quote among several. Even if the process takes a few more hours, gathering at least two quotes from MCS-certified local installers gives you a genuine comparison.

When comparing, look beyond the headline price and examine:

• Panel brand and output warranty (most reputable manufacturers offer 25-year product and performance guarantees).
• Inverter type and brand, including whether a hybrid inverter is included if you plan to add a battery later.
• Battery chemistry and capacity if storage is part of your system.
• Expected installation date and what happens if it slips.
• Workmanship guarantee length and what protection exists if the installer becomes insolvent.

It is also worth asking each installer for examples of nearby installs, ideally with homeowners willing to provide a reference, and checking their reviews on independent platforms such as Trustpilot or Which? Trusted Traders.

How to Check If Solar Together Is Available in Your Area

Solar Together runs in defined geographic rounds linked to participating councils. Not every council area is part of the scheme, and those that are tend to open registration windows for limited periods before each auction round. Missing the registration window can mean waiting for the next one, which could be six to twelve months away.

To find out if a round is active near you, check your local council’s website or visit the official Solar Together site. Several South East councils, including areas within Kent, Sussex and Surrey, have run rounds in recent years. Some councils now also run alternative or complementary group-buying pilots, sometimes under different names, so it is worth checking your council’s energy or sustainability pages for the latest information.

Who Group-Buying Suits Best (and Who Should Avoid It)

Solar Together works well for some homeowners and less well for others. Being honest about which group you fall into can save a lot of frustration.

Group-buying is likely a good fit if you:

• Have a typical pitched roof with good south or south-west-facing aspects and minimal shading.
• Have a modest budget and are primarily focused on reducing cost rather than maximising specification.
• Have no pressing deadline and are comfortable with a 9– to 12-month wait.
• Want a ready-made quote as a benchmark, with the option to walk away if an independent installer matches the price with better equipment.

Group-buying is probably a poor fit if you:

• Have a complex roof, a listed building, or a property in a conservation area where bespoke design is essential.
• Need the system installed by a specific date, for example, before a winter heating season or ahead of an electric vehicle delivery.
• Want to specify premium panel and inverter brands, or a particular battery chemistry.
• Are planning a whole-home energy upgrade that includes a heat pump or EV charger, where an integrated design from a single installer makes more sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Solar Together a government grant or a free solar scheme?

No. Solar Together is a council-promoted group-buying initiative, not a government grant. Homeowners who accept an offer pay for the full cost of their installation. The benefit is a bulk-negotiated discount through a competitive auction, not subsidised or free panels. Separate government support mechanisms, such as the Smart Export Guarantee, remain available to all eligible installations regardless of how they are procured.

How much can I really save through Solar Together compared to local installers?

Published figures from iChoosr and participating councils typically cite 20 to 30 per cent below average market rates, with some rounds reporting higher. However, the comparison is against a national average rather than local quotes. In practice, getting two or three quotes from MCS-certified installers in your county may produce prices close to the group-buying figure, particularly if the local market is competitive. The savings are real but not guaranteed to be dramatic in every case.

Can I choose which solar panel or battery brand I get through the scheme?

Generally, no. Once an installer wins the regional auction, they specify the equipment package for all accepted households. You can accept or decline the offer, but you cannot negotiate the panel brand, inverter model or battery chemistry within the scheme. If equipment specification matters to you, an independent quote lets you compare specific products and warranties side by side.

What happens if the winning installer goes out of business before my install?

This is a genuine risk with any single-contractor model. iChoosr does pre-vet installers, and some council agreements include provisions for alternative arrangements, but the level of protection varies by round. As a homeowner, it is worth asking iChoosr directly what consumer protections are in place before accepting an offer, and whether the installer holds appropriate insurance for part-completed works.

Can I still claim the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) if I install through Solar Together?

Yes. The Smart Export Guarantee is available to any eligible solar PV system installed by an MCS-certified installer, regardless of how you sourced the installation. Solar Together’s pre-vetted installers hold MCS certification, so a system installed through the scheme should qualify. Once your system is live, you apply directly to an energy supplier who offers a SEG tariff to begin receiving payments for the electricity you export to the grid.

Conclusion

Solar Together can be a useful route for UK homeowners who want a bulk-negotiated price without the effort of sourcing multiple quotes. The savings are real. The process is straightforward, and local council endorsement adds a layer of reassurance. The scheme is not automatically the cheapest or the best option for every household. Equipment specifications, installer choice and installation timelines are all constrained by the auction model in ways that matter more to some homeowners than others.

The smartest approach is to use a Solar Together offer as one data point alongside two or three independent quotes from MCS-certified local installers. Compare on specification, not just price, and factor in how long you are prepared to wait.

If you are based in the South East and would like a free, no-obligation quote to set alongside any group-buying offer, The Solar Co would be happy to help. We offer full transparency on panel and inverter brands, lead times and aftercare, so you can weigh a bespoke proposal against the group-buying route with confidence.

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