Most church solar disappointments are not technical. They come from a PCC commissioning a contractor who had never worked under faculty jurisdiction, or accepting a payback figure whose assumptions were never shown. Both are avoidable in an afternoon.
1. Verify the registers yourself
Logos on a website prove nothing. Every one of these registers is free and searchable, and a genuine member will be listed under the legal entity named on your quote.
| Register | What it actually covers | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| MCS | Certifies solar PV installation companies and is the scheme most grant and export routes reference. | Search the installer by company name on the MCS certified-installer database and confirm the certificate covers solar PV, not just another technology. |
| NICEIC | Assesses electrical contractors against BS 7671 wiring regulations. | Search the contractor register and check the enrolment covers the work type you are commissioning. |
| RECC | The Renewable Energy Consumer Code — a consumer-protection code for renewables sales. | Confirm current membership rather than accepting a logo on a website or quote. |
| TrustMark | A government-endorsed quality scheme covering work in and around the home. Note "endorsed", not "approved". | Search the business on the TrustMark register. |
| Companies House | The statutory record of the company you would be contracting with. | Check incorporation date, filing history and whether the trading name matches the legal entity on the quote. |
2. Ask for parishes you can telephone
A contractor with genuine church experience will give you churchwardens and treasurers to call, and will not mind you calling them without warning. Abbreviated initials on a website are not a reference. If a company cannot name a single parish, it has not done this work before — which may still be fine for a modern hall, but is not fine for a listed church.
3. The six questions
Which faculty applications have you supported, and can the DAC confirm it?
Church work runs under faculty jurisdiction, not ordinary planning. An installer who has never been through a Diocesan Advisory Committee will not know what a Statement of Significance needs to say. Ask for parishes you can telephone.
Who actually carries out the installation, and are they the company on the quote?
Subcontracting is normal and not a problem in itself — but the PCC needs to know which entity holds the certification and which one is liable if something fails.
What happens to my warranty if you cease trading?
A workmanship warranty from the installing company is only worth what the company is worth. An insurance-backed guarantee pays out specifically in the event the installer ceases trading; ask who underwrites it and for how long.
Which component is most likely to fail first, and when?
An honest answer is the inverter, typically around years ten to twelve. A quote that implies twenty-five trouble-free years is not being straight with you.
How much of the generation do you assume we use on site?
A church that is busy on Sundays and quiet midweek has a different self-consumption profile from a hall in daily use. The self-consumption assumption drives the whole payback figure, so ask to see it stated explicitly.
What is your estimate if we win no grant at all?
Grant awards are competitive and not guaranteed. The PCC should see the unfunded case before it resolves to proceed.
4. Check the consent route matches your building
An Anglican parish church is governed by faculty jurisdiction through its Diocesan Advisory Committee, and listed-building consent does not apply in the usual way — that is the ecclesiastical exemption at work. A church hall in separate ownership, a Methodist or Catholic building, or an independent chapel may sit under an entirely different route. A contractor who does not ask which applies to you before quoting has not understood the job. Our faculty application guide sets out the process, and the grants and funding page covers which schemes each route can draw on.