Solar Panel Repair in the UK
Most “solar panel repairs” aren't panel repairs at all. The panels themselves are the most reliable part of the system; it's the inverter, the wiring connectors, and the things living under the array that cause nearly every callout. That matters because it changes who you ring and what you pay.
Before you pay anyone, check your paperwork. A system under 10 years old usually has at least one warranty still in force, and a fault that traces to the installation itself should be fixed under the workmanship warranty, not billed to you.
Quick Answer
Solar panel repairs in the UK typically cost £85 to £250 for an electrician callout and diagnosis, £850 to £1,700 to replace a failed string inverter, and £150 to £400 plus access costs to replace a single damaged panel. Check your warranties first: panels carry 12 to 25 year product warranties, inverters 5 to 12 years, and the installation itself 2 to 10 years of workmanship cover. Storm and impact damage is usually a home insurance claim, not a repair bill.
Last updated June 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
What goes wrong with solar panels?
Solar PV systems have no moving parts, so the failure list is short and predictable. In rough order of how often UK repairers actually see them:
| Fault | Typical Symptom | How Common |
|---|---|---|
| Inverter failure or fault codes | Zero generation in daylight, red/orange light, app alerts | Very common, the #1 callout |
| Tripped isolator or RCD | System dead after a power cut or storm | Common, often a 5-minute fix |
| Loose or corroded MC4 connectors | Intermittent output drops, arcing smell in worst cases | Common on older installs |
| Bird damage under the array | Pecked cables, nests, mess streaking the panels | Common in towns and coastal areas |
| Cracked or shattered panel glass | Visible damage after storms, hail, or dropped debris | Occasional |
| Hot spots and burnt cells | One panel underperforming, brown marks on cells | Occasional, more on budget panels |
| Roof leak around mounting points | Damp patch in loft below the array | Rare, almost always an install defect |
Quick checks before you book anyone
- Check the inverter display or app for an error code, and search that exact code: many faults clear with a documented restart procedure
- Check the AC isolator (by the consumer unit) and DC isolator (by the inverter) are both on: power cuts trip them
- Compare this month's generation to the same month last year in the app before concluding output has dropped
- Look at the panels from the ground: visible damage, bird nests, or new tree shading explain most genuine output drops
How much do solar panel repairs cost?
Prices below are typical 2026 figures for UK homes, assuming no warranty applies. Two things drive the bill: whether scaffolding is needed (anything touching the panels themselves usually means access costs), and whether the part is still made.
| Repair | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Callout and diagnosis | £85–£250 | Often credited against the repair if you proceed |
| Isolator / RCD / fuse fault | £85–£200 | Electrician job, no roof access needed |
| MC4 connector replacement | £100–£300 | Depends on access; connectors themselves cost pennies |
| Inverter repair | £150–£400 | Only worth it on newer units; many are swap-only |
| String inverter replacement | £850–£1,700 | The single biggest lifetime cost; typical at year 10–15 |
| Hybrid inverter replacement | £1,300–£2,100 | If you have battery storage |
| Single panel replacement | £150–£400 + access | Scaffolding can add £400–£800; discontinued panels may force a like-for-similar swap |
| Bird proofing after damage | £170–£340 | One-off mesh kit; see our pigeon proofing guide |
| Roof leak around mountings | £200–£600 | Pursue the installer's workmanship warranty first |
Storm, hail and impact damage: claim, don't pay
Panels smashed by storms, falling branches, or flying debris are a buildings insurance claim in almost every UK policy, because roof-mounted solar counts as part of the structure. Photograph the damage, keep the system switched off if wiring is exposed, and call your insurer before commissioning any repair. See our solar panel insurance guide for what's covered.
Check your warranties before paying for any repair
A solar installation carries up to four separate warranties, and repairers report that a large share of paid callouts should have been free warranty claims. Dig out your handover pack (or ask the installer for a copy) and check these in order:
| Warranty | Typical Duration | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Panel product warranty | 12–25 years | Manufacturing defects: delamination, junction box failure, hot spots, premature cell failure |
| Panel performance warranty | 25–30 years | Output below the guaranteed degradation curve |
| Inverter warranty | 5–12 years (often extendable) | Inverter failure and fault codes |
| Workmanship warranty | 2–10 years | Anything caused by the installation: roof leaks, loose fixings, bad wiring, connector faults |
If your original installer has gone bust
You're not necessarily out of cover. Many installations completed under MCS came with an insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) through schemes like HIES or RECC, which exists precisely for this situation: the insurer honours the workmanship warranty when the installer can't. Look for an IBG certificate in your handover pack. Manufacturer warranties on the panels and inverter also survive the installer's insolvency; you claim through the manufacturer or their UK distributor instead.
No paperwork at all? Any MCS-certified installer can take on an “orphaned” system: they'll inspect it, fix what's wrong, and some will adopt it under their own ongoing cover.
Need a repairer for your solar system?
Get free quotes from MCS-certified installers near you who diagnose and repair existing systems. No obligation.
Get a Quote ↓Who repairs solar panels?
There's no separate “solar repair” trade in the UK; the work splits between three kinds of firm depending on the fault:
Your original installer
First call for anything within the workmanship warranty period, and the only sensible call for roof leaks or loose mountings. They know the system, hold the commissioning records, and warranty claims go through them.
Any MCS-certified installer
For out-of-warranty work, panel swaps, inverter replacements, and orphaned systems. MCS certification means they work to the same standard your system was installed under, which keeps your Smart Export Guarantee eligibility intact.
A qualified electrician
Fine for AC-side faults: tripped breakers, isolator replacement, consumer unit issues. They should not open the DC side (panels, strings, MC4 connectors) unless they have PV-specific training; DC arcs are the main fire risk on solar systems.
Find a solar repairer near you
We list MCS-certified solar installers across every UK county, most of whom take on repair and diagnostic work as well as new installations. Browse by area:
Repair or replace? The honest maths
For a single failed panel or an inverter, repair (or like-for-like replacement of the part) is almost always right: the rest of the system has decades left. The harder call is an ageing system with multiple problems.
The rule of thumb repairers use: if the system is under 15 years old, fix it. Panels degrade at only 0.3–0.5% a year, so a 2012 array still produces around 95% of its day-one output and owes you nothing if it was paid off by Feed-in Tariff income. If quoted repairs exceed roughly half the cost of a new system, or your panels are early-2000s vintage with obsolete connectors, replacement starts to win: modern panels generate roughly twice the power per square metre, so a re-panel of the same roof can double your output.
One warning for Feed-in Tariff households: replacing or extending a FIT-registered system can affect your payments. Like-for-like repairs and inverter swaps are fine, but tell your FIT licensee about panel replacements, and take advice before changing the system size.
Short version: repair the part, not the system, unless the system is 15+ years old AND the repair quote passes half the cost of starting again. A new 4 kW system costs £6,600 to £8,500 installed if you do reach that point.
Solar Panel Repair FAQ
Who repairs solar panels in the UK?
MCS-certified solar installers handle most repair work, including diagnosis, panel replacement, and inverter swaps. Your original installer is the first call while the workmanship warranty runs. Qualified electricians can fix AC-side faults like tripped isolators, but should not work on the DC side without PV training. There is no separate licensed 'solar repair' trade.
How much does it cost to repair a solar panel?
A callout and diagnosis costs £85 to £250. Replacing a single damaged panel costs £150 to £400 plus access costs (scaffolding can add £400 to £800). Replacing a failed string inverter, the most common major repair, costs £850 to £1,700. Minor electrical faults like tripped isolators are usually fixed within a £85 to £200 callout.
Can a cracked solar panel be repaired?
No, not economically. A panel with cracked glass or cell damage is replaced, not repaired: the laminate is sealed in manufacture and cannot be resealed on a roof. The panel will often still produce some power, but water ingress will corrode it over time and a damaged panel can create hot spots. If the crack came from storm or impact damage, claim on buildings insurance.
Why is my solar system showing zero output?
Check the simple things first: the AC isolator by your consumer unit and the DC isolator by the inverter (power cuts trip them), then the inverter display for an error code. Zero output in daylight with the isolators on usually means an inverter fault. If the inverter is under 12 years old, check its warranty before paying for a replacement.
Does home insurance cover solar panel damage?
Usually yes. Roof-mounted solar panels count as part of the building under most UK buildings insurance policies, so storm, hail, fire, and impact damage are claimable. Wear and tear, electrical failure, and manufacturing defects are not; those are warranty matters. Tell your insurer you have panels so your rebuild sum is right.
My solar installer has gone out of business. Who fixes my system?
Check your handover pack for an insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) from schemes like HIES or RECC; it honours the workmanship warranty when the installer cannot. Panel and inverter manufacturer warranties survive installer insolvency and are claimed through the manufacturer or UK distributor. For the repair itself, any MCS-certified installer can take on an orphaned system.
Is it worth repairing a 15-year-old solar system?
Usually yes for single faults: panels degrade so slowly that a 15-year-old array still produces around 93 to 95% of its original output, and if it earns Feed-in Tariff payments it is worth keeping running. Replacement only wins when repairs exceed roughly half the cost of a new system, or when multiple components are failing together.
How long does a solar panel repair take?
Electrical faults are typically fixed in a single visit of one to two hours. Inverter replacements take half a day once the unit arrives (allow one to two weeks for ordering). Panel replacements depend on scaffolding availability, typically one to three weeks end to end, though the roof work itself is only a few hours.
Related guides
Related Guides
Maintenance Guide
Cleaning, monitoring, warranties, and lifespan.
Solar Panel Insurance
Home insurance cover, what to tell your insurer, and specialist policies.
Bird Proofing
Bird proofing solar panels: costs, mesh clips, legal rules, and prevention.
Inverter Guide
Comparing string, micro, and hybrid inverters.
Solar Panel Lifespan
How long solar panels last, degradation rates, and warranties.
Solar Panel Costs
Full cost breakdown and payback periods.
Sources
- MCS, Microgeneration Certification Scheme
- RECC, Renewable Energy Consumer Code
- HIES Consumer Code
- Ofgem, Feed-in Tariffs scheme
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He researches every battery and inverter brand against manufacturer datasheets, MCS and Ofgem data, and feedback from the MCS-certified installers in our directory before publishing.
Get Your Solar System Fixed
Free, no-obligation quotes from MCS-certified installers near you who diagnose and repair existing solar systems.