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Housing works

Smart Export Guarantee

If you are a council tenant, you could earn money through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) if your home has Solar Photovoltaic roof panels (solar PVs) installed since January 2020 onwards and you have a smart meter.

SEG is a UK government scheme that pays households for any extra electricity their solar PVs produce. If your panels make more electricity than you are use, the surplus is sent back to the national grid. Your chosen SEG tariff supplier then pays you for the electricity you’ve supported.

We get Feed in Tarriff (FiTs) income from the first solar PVs we installed on around 500 council homes before January 2020. These homes won't be eligible for SEG. Many more council homes have had solar PVs installed since this date and might be eligible. 

Check eligibility

If you are a council tenant with solar PVs on your home, you will need to contact us to:

  • Check if your solar PVs may be eligible for SEG
  • Request a microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) certificate or a permission letter from us
  • Get proof that the solar PVs are council owned

Not every home with solar PVs will be eligible for SEG, even if panels were installed on properties in the same street. Panels may have been installed at different times or under different schemes.

How to apply

You apply for SEG directly with your chosen energy supplier. Each supplier sets their own SEG payments rates, which can vary. The council is not involved.

To apply, you will need:

  • Solar PVs installed at your home
  • A smart meter that can record exported electricity
  • A MCS certificate
  • Permission letter from us, as the solar PVs are council owned

Different SEG suppliers may ask for extra information, such as:

  • A Distribution Network Operator (DNO) G98 certificate - tenants must request a copy from their DNO, the council does not hold these
  • Photos of your current meter, if this has been changed since your MCS certificate was issued
  • Proof that the solar PVs are council owned - we can help with this

Once set up, your smart meter automatically records exported electricity, and your supplier pays you the agreed rate.