A solar quotation usually starts with equipment: the number of panels, inverter capacity and battery size. The legal paperwork can appear much later, sometimes after the deposit has been paid and the installer is already on the roof.
That order can create problems. A technically capable system still needs the correct approvals and safety documents. Property permissions, electricity supplier requirements and the contract with the installer should all be checked before work starts.
Rooftop solar compliance in South Africa depends partly on where the property is and who supplies its electricity. A process followed by a friend in another municipality may not apply to your home. The useful starting point is your own property and its supply arrangement.
1. Identify your electricity supplier
Check whether the property receives electricity from the municipality or directly from Eskom. Location alone does not settle the question, because different areas within a municipality may have different suppliers.
Ask the supplier which small scale embedded generation application applies to the proposed installation. Explain whether the system includes solar panels, batteries, a connection to the supply network and any intended export of electricity.
Do not assume that a system requires no authorisation simply because it is marketed as backup power or configured not to export. The applicable rules and the actual electrical arrangement matter.
The City of Cape Town, for example, states that solar PV systems within its electricity supply area must be registered for authorisation. Its guidance also covers applications for solar PV and battery installations. That is a local example, not a substitute for checking another supplier’s requirements.
See Cape Town’s guidance on going solar.
2. Separate supplier approval from electrical safety
An electrical Certificate of Compliance, commonly called a CoC, and electricity supplier authorisation are different documents serving different purposes. One should not be presented as a replacement for the other.
The electrical installation needs to meet the applicable safety requirements. A CoC must be issued by a person registered to issue it for the relevant work. Ask who will perform the installation, who will test it and who will sign the certificate and supporting test report.
The Department of Employment and Labour has warned the public about fake electrical contractors and invalid certificates. A printed document carrying a business logo is not enough to establish that the person issuing it is properly registered.
Request verifiable registration information before signing. Where the proposed system requires additional professional approval, identify that professional and include the relevant deliverables in the contract.
3. Check whether you need property permission
A tenant should obtain the owner’s written permission before installing equipment that changes the property or its electrical system. The agreement should address ownership of the equipment, removal, roof damage and what happens when the lease ends.
In a sectional title scheme, roof areas, external appearance and electrical infrastructure can involve common property and scheme rules. Obtain advice about the required body corporate approval rather than assuming a personal balcony or roof position is yours to alter freely.
An estate may also have architectural or conduct rules. Ask for the applicable process and keep the approval with your installation documents. An installer’s statement that “we work in this estate all the time” is not evidence of permission for your particular system.
Municipal building or planning requirements may also arise depending on the work. A standard panel installation and a new supporting structure should not automatically be treated as identical. Ask the municipality about the actual design where structural changes are proposed.
4. Make the quotation describe the whole job
A price is difficult to compare if one installer includes approvals and another leaves them to the customer. Ask for a complete description of the work and the documents to be delivered.
The quotation should identify:
- The equipment make, model and capacity.
- The proposed system arrangement and intended operating mode.
- Who handles electricity supplier applications and associated costs.
- Testing, certification and any professional signoff required.
- Roof work, cabling, distribution board changes and making good.
- The payment stages and handover requirements.
- Workmanship and equipment warranty arrangements.
Ask what is excluded. A statement such as “installation complete” may be used differently by different businesses. Define completion in a way that includes the agreed testing and paperwork, rather than just equipment being attached and switched on.
If a supplier application is refused or requires alterations, the contract should explain who addresses the problem and who carries the additional cost. Discuss that possibility before it becomes a dispute.
5. Understand the promises about savings and export
Sales forecasts often depend on assumptions about household use, sunshine, tariffs and battery performance. Ask for the assumptions in writing and compare them with your own electricity records.
An estimate is not necessarily a contractual guarantee. If a salesperson promises a specific result, ask whether that promise appears in the agreement and how it will be measured. A claim that a system will “pay for itself” is incomplete without the time period, costs and assumptions.
Exporting electricity can involve metering, an approved tariff and an agreement with the electricity supplier. Installing an inverter capable of exporting does not automatically authorise export or create an entitlement to payment.
Cape Town’s official guidance explains its local arrangements and application process. Other suppliers may use different terms or processes. Read the current requirements for your supply area before treating export revenue as part of the household budget.
See Cape Town’s electricity application forms.
6. Tell your insurer what is being installed
Ask your building insurer how solar equipment and batteries affect the policy. Clarify the insured value, theft cover, installation requirements and any conditions relevant to fire or electrical damage.
A system may increase the value you need insured. The insurer may also want information about the installer or certification. Obtain its response in writing and keep it with the policy schedule.
Equipment warranties need separate attention. Check who provides the warranty, how a claim is made and whether labour, transport or removal is included. A replacement component can still leave you with additional costs if the warranty covers only the component itself.
Ask how maintenance, monitoring and changes to settings affect the warranty. Keep invoices and serial numbers, and make sure access to the monitoring account is handed over to you.
7. Do not accept an incomplete handover
At handover, request the supplier approval documents, relevant electrical certificate and test report, equipment manuals, warranties and the agreed technical records. The documents should correspond to the system installed.
Ask the installer to demonstrate ordinary operation and safe shutdown procedures. Have the location of isolators and emergency information explained by the qualified person responsible. This is especially useful where several household members may need to act during a fault.
Do not alter wiring or attempt electrical fault finding yourself. If the system behaves unexpectedly, report the symptoms and use a qualified person. Photograph error messages and retain service records so later warranty discussions have a clear history.
If promised documents are missing, raise that promptly in writing. List each outstanding item and request a delivery date. Avoid signing a statement that all contractual obligations have been completed if important work remains unresolved.
Buy the installation with the paperwork included
The right solar system should come with clear responsibilities, appropriate authorisation and verifiable safety documents. Those items are part of the installation’s value.
Before paying a deposit, identify your supplier, check property permissions and agree who will deliver every required document. That preparation makes it easier to enjoy the system and deal with a problem if one arises later.
