The short answer
A leak after solar panels is often caused by the fitting work. Mounting brackets pass through or under the tiles, and a cracked tile, a displaced one or a poorly sealed bracket can let water in. Call the installer first, in writing, with photos and dates. If they do not respond, a roofer can inspect, though the panels usually have to be lifted by someone qualified before tiles beneath can be repaired.
Why roofs leak after a solar installation, who answers for it, and what happens to the panels when the roof is repaired.
How panels can cause a leak
Solar panels sit on rails that are bolted to the roof through brackets, called hooks, which slide under the tiles and fix to the rafters. Each hook means a tile above it has to ride over the bracket, sometimes with a notch cut into the underside, and an edge has to be left tight. If a tile is cracked while someone is working, a bracket is set in the wrong place or a gap is left where cables pass through, water can enter.
Tiles can also be damaged by foot traffic during the job. Concrete tiles are brittle, and a hairline crack made by a boot may not leak until the first heavy rain. Underlay, the sheet beneath the tiles, can be torn by a bracket fixing, and lead or other flashing around a roof edge may be left loose when panels are set close to it.
Not every leak after panels is the panels' fault. A tired roof can fail around the same time simply because the installation disturbed old tiles or revealed an existing weakness. The cleanest answer comes from looking at where the water enters and comparing it with the position of the brackets. Our guide on how to find where a roof is leaking shows how to gather the clues.
Who to call first
Start with the company that fitted the panels. They carried out work on your roof under a contract, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets a standard of reasonable care and skill for the work. Write to them with the date the water first appeared, pictures of the stain, the roof space and the exterior, and ask them to inspect. Keep copies, and note any answer you get.
Gather the paperwork handed over on completion: the contract, any installation certificate and any workmanship or product guarantee. Ask the installer who answers for the roof fixings if a separate roofer was involved. If nobody takes responsibility, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline offers free guidance to individuals on the next step.
If water is coming in now, you do not have to wait for a reply to protect the house. A roofer can make the area safe with a temporary cover. Photograph the fault first, keep receipts and tell the installer what you did. Our guide to what a roof make-safe involves explains the usual first step.
Can a tile under a panel be repaired?
Usually yes, but not with the panels in the way. Rails and brackets sit across several tiles, so the roofer has to see and reach the fault. In most cases that means lifting a panel or a row of them, and the electrical side of the system has to be handled by the right person. Panels can produce electricity whenever there is light, so the array should be isolated by someone qualified before anyone unclips or moves it.
A common arrangement is for the installer, or an electrician, to disconnect and lift the panels, for the roofer to repair the tiles, underlay and flashing, and for the installer to refit and test. The roofer should replace broken tiles, check the battens, reseal or replace flashing at the edge and make sure each bracket is correctly seated and covered.
Agree the order in advance, since two firms working on one roof can lead to delay and finger-pointing. We survey the roof, photograph the fault and give one total price for the roof work, noting where panel removal is needed. Agreeing it early saves a second visit.
Cost, keeping a record and what to ask
The cost of a repair under panels is set by how many panels must be lifted, how the roof is reached, whether scaffold is needed and what the survey finds, so a written total follows the survey. If the installer is responsible, the repair may cost you nothing. If you must pay for a second firm, ask whether the quote includes panel removal, scaffolding and VAT.
Keep a record from the start: photos of the underside of the roof, the date of the installation, the invoice, and any messages. If you plan to claim on home insurance, tell the insurer before anything else, fit a temporary cover, and keep every photo and receipt. A payout is never certain.
Questions worth asking any firm that visits: where exactly is the water getting in, are the tiles cracked or the flashing at fault, and does the panel layout stop the roof from draining properly? Ask them to put the answer in writing with photos. You will then have a clear account if the installer needs to be held to account. Our main emergency roof repairs page shows how we approach urgent work, and our answer on a new roof leaking sets out the same rights in more detail.
More on this in Emergency & General Roof Repairs in Crawley
Two questions on panel leaks
Will the roof need the panels taken off to be fixed?
In most cases some panels have to come off, because rails and brackets cover the tiles that need work. Someone qualified should isolate and lift them, the roofer repairs the tiles, underlay and flashing, and the installer refits and tests the array. Agree who does each part, and in what order, before work begins.
Is the solar firm responsible if the leak is near the panels?
Often, if their work caused it, because the law sets a reasonable care and skill standard for the work. Proof helps: photos, dates and where the water enters compared with the brackets. Tell them in writing, ask for an inspection, and keep the replies. If they do not respond, Citizens Advice can explain the next steps.