Renters & Flat Owners

The Complete Renter Starter Bundle

Everything a renter or flat owner needs to cut their energy bills and start making their own electricity, with no roof, no installer and nothing fixed to the building. Five items, in the order to buy them, and every one moves with you.

Updated 23 October 2026. Prices checked 23 October 2026

£549
Plug-in solar kit, in stock
£95–£140
Typical solar saving a year
4–6 years
Solar kit payback
About £1,250
Steps 1, 2 and 3 together

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The short answer

Start with plug-in solar. The EcoFlow STREAM 800W kit (£549) is listed as Compliant on the ENA register, so you can plug it in yourself and tell your network operator within 28 days.
Add a portable power station (EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic, £499) for backup in a power cut, and to store cheap overnight power if you're on a time-of-use tariff.
Smart radiator thermostats (tado X, £139.99) screw onto your radiator valves and come off when you move. No wiring and no boiler work.
Check your usage for free first. If you have a smart meter, your supplier's in-home display or app already shows it.
Skip solar if your balcony faces north or is heavily shaded. A north-facing panel makes about half what a south-facing one does.

Every item here is portable and reversible, and none needs a landlord to sign off on wiring or building work. They're in the order that makes most sense: buy step 1 first, then add the rest as your budget allows. It's late October, so we've put the portable AC last. It's one for next summer.

Step 1: A Plug-In Solar Kit

1. EcoFlow STREAM 800W Plug-In Solar Kit

Our pick
Price
£549 (was £678)
Panels
2 × 500W
Inverter
800W
Register
Compliant

Two 500W panels and EcoFlow's STREAM microinverter, which turns their output into mains electricity and feeds it into your home through a normal socket. The kit is listed as Compliant on the ENA Type Test Register (ECOFL/21128/V1/A3), which is what lets you connect it yourself under the plug-in solar rules that began on 27 August 2026.

This version comes without mounting brackets. On 23 October 2026 it was the only STREAM kit in stock at EcoFlow; the kits with brackets and the 2 × 400W kits were out of stock. Compare the price on Amazon too, as the two have differed before.

For the full review, including the app and what it makes through the year, see our EcoFlow STREAM guide.

In stockSelf-installNo brackets
Our verdict: The easiest compliant kit to buy right now. Budget for brackets or a freestanding frame on top.

Mounting it

EcoFlow's own bracket kits were out of stock when we checked. Generic adjustable solar mounts are sold on Amazon and elsewhere. Make sure they're rated for the panel's size and weight, and that the panels can't be lifted by wind. For renters, a freestanding frame on the balcony floor or garden is safer than anything screwed to the building, which usually needs your landlord's or freeholder's permission.

Connecting it legally

Check the kit is listed as Compliant on the ENA Type Test Register, not just submitted. The EcoFlow STREAM is.
Plug it straight into a fixed wall socket. Not an extension lead or adaptor.
Tell your network operator within 28 days using the free G98 form.
The limits: no more than 800W out of the inverter and 2,000W of panels. This kit is 800W and 1,000W.
Kits that aren't on the register aren't covered by the plug-in rules. Buy one that is.

For everything else, including what counts as compliant and what happens if you move, see is balcony solar legal in the UK. It's also worth telling your home insurer. Some say you don't need to, others say you should, so check yours.

Step 2: A Portable Power Station

2. EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic

Best battery for renters
Price
£499
Capacity
1kWh LFP
Output
1,800W
Fitting
None

The plug-in solar rules exclude batteries that feed into your home's wiring, so those still need an installer. A power station sidesteps that: it's a standalone battery with its own sockets, and you plug appliances into it rather than into the wall.

It charges from the mains, so it's useful in two ways. It keeps Wi-Fi, lights or a fridge going in a power cut. And if you're on a time-of-use tariff, you can charge it on cheap overnight power and run things from it in the evening. On a standard flat-rate tariff there's no cheap rate to shift, so that part saves little.

Want more or less capacity? Our best portable power station guide compares models from £199.

In stockMoves with youSaves most on a time-of-use tariff
Our verdict: The renter's version of a home battery: no installation, and it goes with you when you move.

Step 3: Smart Radiator Thermostats

3. tado Smart Radiator Thermostat X Starter Kit

Renter-friendly
Price
£139.99
Fitting
Screws on
Battery
USB-C rechargeable
Works with
Matter, Thread

These replace the valve head on each radiator, so there's no wiring and no boiler access. They unscrew in seconds when you move. The starter kit includes the Bridge X and valve adapters.

They give you room-by-room control, so you only heat the rooms you're using. They don't switch the boiler on themselves, so they work alongside your existing thermostat rather than replacing it. Scheduling and remote control are free. Geofencing and open-window detection need tado's AI Assist subscription.

Wall thermostats such as Hive need wiring to the boiler, which usually means your landlord's permission, so we've left them out of this bundle.

No wiringReversibleSome features are a subscription
Our verdict: The safest way for a renter to get smart heating control.

Step 4: An Energy Monitor

Seeing your usage live is how you find the things that are on all the time. Start with what's free: if you have a smart meter, your supplier should offer an in-home display at no cost, and most supplier apps show your half-hourly usage.

If you want more, the Hildebrand Glow display connects to a smart meter and shows live usage without a subscription. It only works if you have a smart meter that's sending readings. Check the Glow price on Amazon.

Clamp monitors such as the Shelly EM fit inside your consumer unit and need an electrician, so they aren't a renter's option.

Step 5: A Portable Air Conditioner, for Next Summer

No landlord permission and no installation: it vents through a window kit and sets up in minutes. Solar also tends to make most on the hottest, sunniest days, which is when you'd run it. Two picks from our full comparison:

DREO AC516S, 12,000 BTU. Rated at 46dB, no drainage needed, works with Alexa, Google and Siri, for rooms up to about 30m². Check price.
DREO AC318S, 7,500 BTU. For smaller rooms, also 46dB with no drainage and voice control. Check price.

Prices usually drop outside summer, so autumn and winter can be a good time to buy. See our full portable AC guide for sizing help. The right BTU for your room matters more than the brand.

What It All Costs

ItemPrice
1. EcoFlow STREAM 800W kit£549
Brackets or frame, if neededExtra
2. EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic£499
3. tado X starter kit£139.99
4. Energy monitorFree from your supplier, or check the Glow price
5. Portable ACCheck price
Steps 1 to 3About £1,190, plus brackets

Prices from EcoFlow and tado when checked on 23 October 2026. Buy in stages: the solar kit first, then add the rest as your budget allows.

What the Solar Kit Saves

A typical 800W plug-in kit saves about £95 to £140 a year at today's price cap of 26.32p per kWh. That assumes a south-facing spot with little shade, and that you use most of what it makes at the time. At £549, that's a payback of about 4 to 6 years, before brackets.

Use more in the day to save more: run the washing machine or dishwasher when the sun's out, or charge the power station.
East or west makes about a fifth less than south, and north roughly half, so the payback stretches.
You usually aren't paid for export. Most suppliers don't pay for plug-in solar exports, so power you don't use is given away.
Winter output is low. December and January together make about 7% of the year's total.

For the full figures, see our balcony solar guide.

Renter Bundle FAQs

Can renters use plug-in solar in the UK?

Yes. Since 27 August 2026 you can plug a compliant kit into a wall socket yourself and tell your network operator within 28 days. You don't need permission to plug something in, but fixing brackets to the building usually needs your landlord's or freeholder's consent, so a freestanding frame is the safer choice.

How much does a plug-in solar kit save?

About £95 to £140 a year for a typical 800W kit facing south at the current 26.32p price cap. North-facing or shaded balconies save much less.

Can I plug a battery into my socket with plug-in solar?

Not under the plug-in rules. Batteries that feed into your home's wiring are excluded and still need an installer. A portable power station is different, because you plug appliances into it rather than it feeding your home.

Do I get paid for the electricity I export?

Usually not. Most suppliers don't pay export for plug-in solar, so the saving comes from using the power yourself.

Can I take it all with me when I move?

Yes. The solar kit unplugs, the power station is portable, and tado radiator thermostats unscrew from the valves. Tell your network operator when you move the solar kit to a new home.

Do I need to tell my insurer?

Check with yours. Some insurers say you don't need to, others say you should. It's a quick call and saves arguments if you ever claim.

Want the full plug-in solar picture?

Compare every kit, the rules and the real savings in our balcony solar guide.

Read the balcony solar guide

Updated 23 October 2026. Prices from EcoFlow UK and tado on 23 October 2026; prices and stock change often, so check before buying. Plug-in solar rules from SI 2026/848 and the ENA Type Test Register. Savings are our estimate at Ofgem's October to December 2026 price cap of 26.32p per kWh. Orientation and winter output figures from the EU's PVGIS tool.