Can renters and apartment residents use plug-in solar in WA?

The draft plug-in solar standard is a product and safety rule. It sets what a kit must be and how it connects, but it does not touch the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 or your strata by-laws. That means two sets of rules will apply to a renter: the plug-in rules once they are final, and the normal rules about changing a rental home.

Why does the government say renters will benefit most?

Because the kit is portable. The consultation paper says a legal pathway will benefit renters and apartment residents “particularly, because people will be able to purchase and use systems knowing they can relocate them if they move house.” Commerce Minister Dr Tony Buti put it more simply in the media statement: “When you move house, you take it with you.”

The FAQ adds that renter access is not part of this consultation. The government says it is working across agencies on “other changes that might be needed to support renter access to the systems once they are available.” Nothing on that has been published yet.

Does WA tenancy law let me put solar on my rental?

Not automatically. Since 29 July 2024, WA tenants have been able to make “minor modifications” under a set process, and the landlord can only refuse on listed grounds. But the minor modification list is fixed by regulation, and solar is not on it.

The list, from regulation 7I(2) of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 1989 as set out in Consumer Protection’s guidelines, includes painting a room, picture hooks, a screw for a wall mount, shelf or bracket, wall anchors, water-efficient shower heads, security lights and cameras, window coverings, flyscreens, LED bulbs and a vegetable or herb garden. The guidelines then say: “Anything not included on this list is not a minor modification and is not subject to this process.”

My reading is that a plug-in solar kit is not a minor modification, even if fitting it involves a bracket. Consumer Protection has not said how it will treat these kits, so treat that as unconfirmed.

So how do I ask my landlord?

For anything outside the minor modification list, Consumer Protection says: “Tenants will need to ask the landlord for permission to make any other changes.” You use Form 27 (Request to make major modification - Tenant) and give the landlord 28 days to reply. Its examples of these bigger changes are an air conditioner, a dishwasher or a pet door.

The Consumer Protection page does not say what happens if the landlord says no, or does not reply, to one of these bigger requests. I could not find a WA rule that forces a landlord to agree to solar. That is different from Germany, where tenants have had a legal right since October 2024 to ask for permission for a plug-in solar device, which a landlord can only refuse if it is unreasonable to expect them to allow it. See how Germany did it.

What if the kit does not need any drilling?

The draft standard rules out kits that just sit loose. Clause 5.5.1 says “Unsecured mounting arrangements are not permitted”, so every kit will be clamped, bolted or weighed down somehow.

So the draft expects kits to come off without damage. Whether a clamp-on or ballasted kit counts as a change to the rental premises is not settled anywhere I could find. My reading is that you should ask in writing anyway, because your lease, your bond and, in a unit, the strata by-laws all still apply.

I rent an apartment. Who do I need to ask?

Usually two parties: the strata company and your landlord. Landgate says all residents, including tenants, must follow a scheme’s by-laws. Many by-laws control what can be seen from outside a unit or fixed to common property, and the FAQ notes a balcony or courtyard may be common property or covered by by-laws.

Consumer Protection’s guidelines give a useful hint on order. Where by-laws need a council or body of owners to approve a change, a landlord may refuse if the tenant does not already have that approval, and the guidelines say tenants “should obtain the approval of the council or body of owners” before sending the request to the landlord. That advice is written for minor modifications, but my reading is that the same order makes sense for solar: strata consent first, then the landlord. More on that in balcony solar and WA strata.

Does each apartment count as one household?

Yes, under the draft. It defines a household as “A single dwelling unit with its own electricity supply and switchboard”, and says that in strata complexes or apartments “each dwelling with its own switchboard is treated as a separate household.” Each household can have one plug-in system.

The catch is rooftop solar. The draft says a plug-in system “must not be used at sites with an existing fixed installation (e.g. traditional rooftop solar).” It does not say how that applies to a unit in a block where solar panels sit on the common-property roof. That gap is covered in the strata guide, and you can raise it in the consultation before 5pm AWST on 9 December 2026.

What else will the user be responsible for?

More than most people expect. The draft lists things the instructions must tell users, and several matter in apartments and rentals:

• getting any planning permission needed
• checking whether the kit affects any insurance, “including their own insurance and, where applicable, insurance covering the property or building”
• not fixing panels to walls that form a boundary between dwellings
• making sure panels do not increase the risk of fire spreading along external walls or balconies to neighbours
• keeping escape and rescue paths clear
• not plugging into damaged or non-compliant sockets, and getting a licensed electrician to check if there is any doubt

The draft also says that where a switchboard does not have modern protection devices, is not clearly labelled or is of unknown condition, users must be advised to get a licensed electrician to inspect it first. In a rental the switchboard belongs to the landlord, so raise it early. See do I need an electrician.

What happens when I move out?

You can take it with you. The FAQ says systems can move to a new home, and the network notification must be updated with the new address and details whether you take the system or leave it behind. The notification itself is covered in notifying Western Power or Horizon Power.

The kit also comes with a green reflective “PV - Plug in” label that the draft says must be stuck on the switchboard. The draft does not say what happens to that label when you leave. My reading is that you should agree with the landlord in writing, before you install, how the kit and label come off and what you will repair.

What should a renter do once kits are legal?

These steps are my suggestion, in the order I would take them:

1. Read your lease for anything about balconies, fixtures or alterations.
2. In a strata building, get a copy of the by-laws and ask the strata company for written consent.
3. Send your landlord a written request using Form 27, with the kit details and the strata consent attached.
4. Check your socket and switchboard, and ask the landlord for an electrician’s check if the switchboard is old or unlabelled.
5. Buy only a kit certified to the final WA standard and carrying the RCM mark, then notify the network operator.

Until the final rules are out, no kit can tick step 5. The government expects to publish version 2 of the standard by February 2027, and only then will it prepare the legal changes. The timeline has the dates.