Questions to ask before signing a renewable energy contract
A practical checklist for heat pump, solar and battery contracts: assumptions, scope, cooling-off and evidence.
While the paperwork is in front of you
You do not need to be confrontational. You need the assumptions written down so you can compare quotes and sleep on the decision.
Money and assumptions
- Gross price, grant, net price, and any finance APR and term
- Annual running cost: kWh, SCOP or yield, unit rates named
- Comparison baseline: old boiler, new gas, or stay as you are
- Whether solar or battery offset is inside a heat pump saving figure
Scope of work
- Radiators, pipework, cylinder, electrics: included, excluded, or provisional?
- Making good and redecoration: who pays?
- Cap on provisional extras
After sales pressure
Many people regret signing on the day of the visit because discounts were tied to “today only”. Taking time to read written terms is normal, not difficult.
Keep copies
Quotes, estimates, emails, tariff leaflets, survey notes, contract and deposit receipts. If something later looks unclear, you will want what was promised at the time.
Heat pump quotes: how to read your estimate and the reality checker.
Consumer help: consumer rights page (general signposting, not legal advice).
Related guides
What a proper heat pump quote should include
One total price is not enough. You need design assumptions you can question line by line.
Read more →Heat pumps, solar panels, deposits and cancellation rights
Distance and off-premises home-energy contracts usually carry a 14-day cancellation right. A survey or system design does not automatically remove it.
Read more →Grants, loans and tariffs: know the difference
A grant cuts what you pay upfront. A loan spreads cost. A tariff changes annual running cost. Do not mix them in one headline.
Read more →