Solar Panel Repair Near Me: How to Find a Repairer You Can Trust
Last updated: 7 October 2026 | 11 min read | By No1 Solar Care
Ofgem's latest Feed-in Tariff report counts 869,294 installations still registered on the scheme at the end of June 2026. The scheme shut to new applicants on 1 April 2019. So the newest of those systems is seven years old, and a great many are past fourteen.
That matters because the Energy Saving Trust says panels should last 25 years or more, while inverters need replacing after around 12. Do the sum. Hundreds of thousands of UK roofs are now in the window where something electrical is due to fail, and the person who fitted the system may no longer exist as a company.
If you have typed "solar panel repair near me" into a phone, you are probably in that window. Maybe a fault light is on. Maybe the app shows zero for three days running. This guide covers who to call first, how to tell a good repairer from a bad one, what your rights are if your installer has vanished, and when repair stops making sense.
In summary: Call your original installer first if they still trade and your warranty is live. If they don't, choose an MCS-certified engineer who gives a written diagnosis before quoting, employs their own staff and has a verifiable address. Check Companies House, ask for an insurance-backed warranty claim route, and never let anyone start work without a written report.
Who should I call first when my solar panels stop working?
Call the company that installed the system, if it still trades and the warranty is in date. The Renewable Energy Consumer Code advises giving an installer around 14 days to put a fault right before you escalate. If they've gone, or you're out of warranty, a different MCS-certified engineer is the next call.
Before you phone anyone, do four things that cost nothing and carry no risk. Look at the inverter display and write down any fault code or light colour. Take a photo of it. Open the monitoring app and screenshot the last 30 days of generation. Check whether the isolator switch next to the inverter is still in the on position, because people knock them.
Then stop. Please don't go on the roof, and don't open the inverter or the DC isolator. A string of panels in daylight is live at several hundred volts, and it cannot be switched off at the panel. That is a job for someone with insured, trained engineers and the right test equipment.
A good first phone call takes five minutes. Give the make of inverter (SMA, Fronius, SolarEdge, GoodWe and Growatt are the ones we see most), the age of the system, the fault code, and when generation dropped. An honest repairer will tell you straight away whether it sounds like a ten-minute fix or a half-day diagnosis. A dishonest one will quote a price for something they haven't seen.
How do I find a solar panel repairer near me that I can trust?
Look for four things: current MCS certification, a verifiable company address, engineers on the payroll rather than subcontracted, and a written diagnosis before any quote. Checkatrade reviews help, but read the dates. A repairer with 40 reviews and none in the last year is telling you something.
Taking those in turn. MCS certification can be checked on the MCS website by company name or postcode, so don't take a logo on a van as proof. A company address on a business park is more reassuring than a mobile number and a PO box, although neither is conclusive. Ask whether the engineer who turns up will be an employee. Subcontracted labour isn't automatically bad, but accountability gets thinner when something goes wrong a month later.
The written diagnosis is the one that most people skip. Before anyone quotes for a new inverter, they should have tested the DC strings and recorded the readings. Asking for the report costs you nothing, and a repairer who resists is usually one who hasn't measured anything.
We do this ourselves. Our engineers are MCS certified, we hold a Checkatrade rating of 10/10, and we've installed and inspected more than 500 systems. That number is on our own site, and it's one we can stand behind because the same people who fit systems are the ones who come back to look at them.
What if my original installer has gone bust?
You are probably better protected than you think. If your installer was MCS-certified and held an insurance-backed warranty, RECC guidance says the insurer will arrange to inspect your system and make repairs free of charge. Without one, you can use another MCS installer, though they may charge.
First, confirm the company really has stopped trading. Companies House shows whether it has been dissolved or is in liquidation. Then dig out your paperwork and look for the name of an insurance provider. It's usually on the handover pack or the MCS certificate, and it's often the one document people have lost.
The cover varies a lot. RECC's own summary of the deposit and workmanship warranty providers shows deposit protection running from 35 days to up to 120 days, and workmanship warranties running from 1 to 12 years, depending on the provider and the plan. Some insurers find you a new contractor; others handle each claim individually.
If you paid on finance, there is a second route. Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the finance provider shares liability for a faulty system, and unresolved complaints can go to the Financial Ombudsman after eight weeks. Not every purchase qualifies, so check the credit agreement before you rely on it.
What can be repaired, and what usually means replacement?
Most faults on a solar system are fixable without replacing anything big. Loose connectors, failed isolators, tripped RCDs, bird damage and shading problems are repairs. A dead inverter after 12 years, or a cracked panel, usually means replacement of that component. The panels themselves are rarely the problem.
The list below covers the faults we hear about most. It's a guide to what's likely, not a diagnosis, because the same symptom can have three different causes. Each line reads: fault, what you notice, usually repaired or replaced, typical age.
The key takeaway: a blank monitoring app does not always mean a broken system. Check the inverter's own display before you assume anything. Routers get moved, Wi-Fi passwords get changed, and the app goes quiet while the system carries on generating.
Panels deserve a note of their own. They have no moving parts, and the 25-year performance warranty on most of them is a manufacturer's promise of output, not a promise that nothing will break. If one in a string cracks, it can drag the whole string down. That's why a repair visit should test every string, not just the one the customer points at.
Is it worth repairing an older system, or should I replace it?
Repair if the fault is a small component or the inverter is the only failure. Replace if repairs keep recurring, the inverter is out of production, or several panels have failed. The sums usually favour repair because panels last 25 years or more. A new 4kW system costs around £6,500 on our site, so replacing one failed part wins easily.
Here is the thing people miss. An inverter replacement on a ten-year-old system is not really a repair bill. It's a reset of the clock on the most failure-prone component. The Energy Saving Trust notes that an extended inverter warranty of up to 15 years can cost nearly as much as a replacement unit, which tells you something about how the market prices the risk.
There are a few cases where we'd steer you towards a bigger decision. If your inverter is old enough that the manufacturer no longer makes the model, a straight swap may not be possible, and the replacement may need rewiring. If you want a battery in the next couple of years, it's worth choosing a hybrid inverter now instead of buying a standard one and replacing it again. And if your roof needs work, do that first. Taking panels off twice is the most avoidable expense in this business.
Feed-in Tariff customers have an extra consideration. Your generation payments are tied to the original system, so before any component changes, ask the repairer whether the work could affect your tariff registration.
What should a proper repair visit include?
A proper visit starts with testing, not a quote. The engineer should inspect the array, the roof fixings, the DC cabling, the inverter, the consumer unit and your monitoring, then give you a written report. Ours is a 21-point inspection, and the report grades each item as pass, advisory or fail.
This is what we mean when we say a full solar panel service. We call ours the 21-point Solar MOT, normally £195, and it exists precisely so a repair isn't a guessing game. The outside checks cover panels for cracks and damage, secure mounting, roof integrity, gutters, soiling, moss and shading, and any pest or bird nesting. Inside, we look at the loft and DC route, the inverter, the consumer unit, the battery if there is one, the monitoring app and your key documents.
Why bundle them? Because a fault you've noticed is often one of two or three. A loose connector that's tripping the inverter sits happily alongside a cracked panel nobody has spotted. Fix one and the system still underperforms, and you've paid for two visits.
Ask any repairer what they'll hand you at the end. A report with photographs and graded findings is useful for insurers, for buyers if you sell the house, and for any warranty claim. A verbal "all sorted" is not.
Can the company that installed my system also repair it?
Yes, if they still trade, and it is the best arrangement when it exists. The engineers who fit your system know how it was wired, which components went in and where the access points are. That cuts diagnosis time. Few national repair firms can say the same, because most only repair.
We install and maintain, so the engineers who fit a system are the ones who come back to service it. We're also careful about one thing: we don't assume every fault is ours to fix, and we'll tell you if it's something your original installer should cover under warranty.
If you've no installer to go back to, a care plan is the cheapest way to stop this happening to you again. Care Plus is £29.99 a month, includes an annual on-site health check by an engineer with a full electrical test and written report, and takes 30% off standard call-out rates. The cheaper Care plan is £16.99 a month with a 20% call-out discount. Care Pro at £44.99 adds annual panel cleaning and two emergency call-outs a year.
What are the red flags when choosing a solar panel repairer?
Walk away from anyone who knocks unannounced, offers a free roof inspection that ends in a hard sell, wants payment in cash before any diagnosis, can't show MCS certification, or refuses to put findings in writing. Fault-finding isn't free, and a repairer who quotes without testing is guessing with your money.
The cold-call pattern has become familiar. Someone says they've noticed your panels from the road, claims they're "overdue a clean" or "failing inspection", and offers a discounted fix today only. Solar panels don't fail an inspection, and no legitimate engineer can judge a system from the pavement. Be equally careful of firms who say your inverter is "obsolete" without reading the model number.
A few smaller signs matter. Vague answers about insurance. A reluctance to give a company registration number. No landline. Reviews that are all five stars and all posted in a single week. None of these proves a problem, but two together deserve a second quote.
One more: a repairer who recommends replacing everything. Sometimes that's right. More often the fault is one component, and a good engineer will show you the reading that proves it.
Do you cover my area?
We cover two regions with the same standard of service. On the South Coast that means Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Southampton, Dorset and Hampshire. In South Wales it means Cardiff, Newport and Swansea and the surrounding areas. Same-week availability is standard, and our engineers are our own.
The conditions differ, and a good repairer knows it. On the Dorset and Hampshire coast, salt in the air works on connectors and fixings, and gulls nest under arrays. In South Wales, the problems tend towards persistent rain, moss on shaded roofs, and the particulates that settle on panels in and around Cardiff and Swansea. A fault that's common in Bournemouth may be rare in Newport, and the reverse.
You can read our local pages for Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole, Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, or go straight to the booking form below.
Book a 21-point Solar MOT
If your system is misbehaving, the quickest route to a real answer is a full inspection. It is normally £195, and at the time of writing we are running an autumn offer of £99 including VAT for bookings made by 31 October 2026. You get a same-day written report and a clear list of what needs doing, in order of urgency.
South Coast: 01202 023069. South Wales: 029 2002 6002.
FAQ
How much does solar panel repair cost?
It depends on the fault, and anyone who gives a fixed price before testing is guessing. Small repairs such as a connector or isolator are a fraction of the cost of an inverter replacement. Ask for a diagnostic report first, then a written quote that names each part and the labour separately.
Can I repair solar panels myself?
No. The DC side of a solar array is live whenever there is daylight and cannot be isolated at the panel. Working on a roof also carries a serious fall risk. Check the inverter display, photograph it, check the app, and leave the rest to an MCS-certified engineer.
How long should I wait before calling my installer about a fault?
Report it as soon as you notice it. The Renewable Energy Consumer Code guidance suggests giving the installer around 14 days to resolve the issue before you escalate a complaint. Keep a record of when you reported it, what you said and what they replied, because dates matter if you do escalate.
My installer went out of business. Is my warranty gone?
Not necessarily. If you were given an insurance-backed warranty, the insurer can arrange an inspection and repairs. Check your handover pack for the provider's name. Manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters normally stay with the equipment, though you may need an installer to carry out any warranty work.
How often do inverters fail?
Not often in the first few years, then increasingly. The Energy Saving Trust says inverters usually need replacing after around 12 years, and most come with a warranty of five years as a minimum. Individual units vary a lot, so age is a guide to risk rather than a countdown.
Do I need an MCS-certified engineer to repair my system?
For routine repair, not legally. But MCS certification is the clearest evidence of competence, and it matters if your system receives Feed-in Tariff or export payments or if you may sell the house. It also gives you a complaints route that a non-certified repairer can't offer.
What is a Solar MOT, and is it the same as a repair?
It's a 21-point inspection with a written report. It finds the faults, and any repair is then quoted separately. We use the name because "solar panel service" can mean almost anything, and a defined checklist stops two engineers giving you two different answers.
Can I get a repair covered by a care plan?
Care plans give you priority booking and a discount on standard call-out rates: 20% on Care, 30% on Care Plus. Care Pro includes two emergency call-outs a year. Parts and labour beyond the included items are quoted separately, so read the plan details before assuming a repair is free.
Solar systems rarely fail all at once. They drift, a few percent at a time, and the first sign is often a number in an app that nobody was watching. Whoever you choose to look at yours, make sure they write down what they find.