Solar for rental owners and tenants

Rental Owners 

Solar panels can be an attractive feature of a rental as it can save tenants a significant amount in their power bills.

Some tenants may be willing to pay a little more in rent and stay a little longer if they are saving on energy bills and costs in the long term. If your rental doesn’t have solar panels it's worth considering.

As a landlord, you can factor the cost of solar PV into the rent that you charge, or negotiate a separate agreement with your tenants to pay only for the solar electricity they consume. Alternatively, there are a number of Australian companies that broker deals between renters and landlords. Solar PV becomes an additional income stream for the landlord, while the tenant buys power at a cheaper rate than grid supply - everybody wins.

To find out more about your options in this area, click below.

Solar power for renters and apartment dwellers

Tenants 

If you are renting and your home does not currently have solar panels you do have options. It is worth knowing that there are Australian companies operating that can broker deals between renters and landlords for solar PV systems. Check out Raising the roof: Solar for renters and apartment dwellers published in the Alternative Technology Association's ReNew Magazine Issue 142 (Jan-Mar 2018).

Consider contacting your landlord or your agent to ask about whether solar is an option.

If solar isn’t an option in your rental – you can still cut your energy usage. CSIRO has some tips on their website. Other useful energy saving tips can be found at this website