Solar & EPC Uplift ROI Analysis

Which properties should get solar first, ranked by EPC uplift, payback, and grant eligibility · Updated 11 May 2026
Portfolio
Yardley Property Group
14 properties · West Midlands · 5-30 unit segment
MEES 2030
3yr 7mo
ANALYSED
Properties Modelled
14
Roof survey + SAP recalc complete
✓ PASS
Reach EPC C With Solar
9
D-rated → C purely via PV uplift
£
Grants Potentially Eligible
£37,820
ECO4 + Warm Homes · plus £10k MEES cap protection
YRS
Top-5 Avg Payback
4.4
After grants · 25yr panel warranty

Decision Matrix: Cost vs SAP Uplift

Bubble size = annual saving · bottom-right = best value · top-left = avoid

Top 3 Properties to Install Solar First

Highest payback / SAP / grant combined score
1
8 Sycamore Close, Coventry
South-facing 38m², 6.0 kWp + 5kWh battery. Currently SAP 65 (D) → jumps to SAP 75 (C). Warm Homes Local Grant covers 60% of install.
4.0 yrs
Payback
£4,300 net cost
2
19 Elderflower Mews, Birmingham
SSW-facing 32m², 4.6 kWp + 7kWh battery. Tenant on benefits qualifies for ECO4 full subsidy, 60% covered. Export tariff sweet spot with the battery.
5.1 yrs
Payback
£4,960 net cost
3
12 Maple Avenue, Birmingham
South-facing 41m², 5.8 kWp. +9 SAP takes it cleanly over the C line. Warm Homes scheme cuts net cost by 62%, payback inside the first tenancy renewal cycle.
4.1 yrs
Payback
£3,420 net cost

Grant Eligibility: What Your Portfolio Qualifies For

Per-property checks against current 2026 schemes. Eligibility verified against EPC, tenant income band, and property type.
ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)
Subsidy for low-income tenants / E-rated stock, paid via the big-six energy firms.
£22,400
Cash funding available
4 properties qualify · Elderflower Mews · Linden Grove · Rosewood Terrace · Hollybush Road
Warm Homes Local Grant
DESNZ scheme via local authority. Birmingham & Solihull live; Wolverhampton Q3 2026.
£15,420
Cash funding available
3 properties qualify · Sycamore Close · Maple Avenue · Willowbank Flat 7
MEES £10k Cost Cap
Statutory cap on landlord exposure under MEES regs. Not cash, insurance against overspend.
£10,000
Cap per property
3 properties protected · Linden Grove · Hawthorn Lane · Beechwood Drive
Headline Math
Install the top 5 properties for £46,040 gross. After grants: £17,860 out of pocket. Recovered in just 4.4 years average.
Compliance Win
9 properties reach EPC C purely from PV uplift, no fabric work needed. You're not just MEES-ready, you're future-proofed.
Funding Window
ECO4 budget review is Sep 2026. Submit applications by July to lock in current rates. The next cycle is expected 18% lower.

What This Saves You: Live Calculator

Drag the slider to model installing your top-N priority properties. Numbers update live.
Properties to install
5
Top 12 viable shown · 2 excluded as unsuitable
Total Investment
£46,040
Gross system + install
Grant Offset
−£28,180
Combined cash schemes
Net Out-of-Pocket
£17,860
Average 4.4yr payback
EPC C Compliance
64%
9 of 14, gap remains

Properties Where Solar Is NOT The Right Call

Honest filter, not every property is a fit. Two clear "skip" recommendations below.
!
27 Beechwood Drive, Wolverhampton
North-facing roof, F-rated (SAP 38). Solar yield drops 38% on this orientation. Even with a 6.2 kWp system, payback runs 18+ years. The panels will outlast the warranty before breaking even. Recommended: fabric-first retrofit (EWI + heat pump) under MEES cap. Revisit solar after EPC reaches D.
!
Flat 3, Heath Court, Birmingham
Grade II listed conversion, shared flat roof. Conservation officer pre-app indicates panels visible from street level would be refused. Roof access is also a leasehold issue. Recommended: already EPC C, no compliance action needed. Skip solar, capital better deployed elsewhere in portfolio.
Priority
Sort
# Property EPC Now → After Roof & System SAP Uplift Install Cost Annual Saving Payback Grant Eligibility
Built by Simply Button Solutions
Demonstration dashboard for simplybuttonsolutions.com/work. Property names and figures illustrative. SAP uplifts modelled per SAP 10.2 PV methodology. Grant eligibility subject to scheme T&Cs at point of application.