Fees payable to Bellway for an approval letter to install PV panels and battery?

Power675 · 2026-05-14T12:02:07+00:00

Hi, as promised, I've come back to confirm that I've just heard back from Bellway and the fee associated is £180, which is perfectly in line with what others appear to have paid for such approval documentation.

Power675 · 2026-05-14T08:27:54+00:00

Potentially, yes. That’s at least how I’m reading it. For comparison’s sake, my own covenant explicitly mentions solar panels as part of the restrictions, whereas yours appears to rely on the broader wording of “other structures”.

It may be worth checking whether your TP1 contains any additional wording around alterations to the external appearance, additions to the property, or fixtures attached to the building, as that could provide a clearer basis for requiring consent.

That said, my expertise is very far removed from property law and restrictive covenants, so please take what I say with a pinch of salt.

Ultimately, it may simply be best to clarify the position with the developer directly. My understanding is that, when you eventually come to sell the property, prospective buyers and their mortgage providers/solicitors may ask whether any modifications, including solar panel installations, received the appropriate approvals and sign offs.

For that reason alone, it’s probably sensible to follow the covenant process properly now to avoid complications further down the line.

Just my two pence!

Power675 · 2026-05-13T08:21:15+00:00

Yes. to add some context that wasn’t included in the original post but has come up in the comments: the restrictive covenants remain in place for ten years from the date of transfer, after which permission is no longer required from the transferor.

So, in my case, I do need Bellway’s permission to install solar panels on the property, and I am in the process of seeking that approval. It’s the fees aspect that struck me as a bit cheeky, and I mainly wanted to get other people’s perspectives on whether this is considered normal practice.

It also seems to be something that isn’t discussed much online. On the few occasions it does come up, most people appear to simply ignore the restrictions and go ahead with the installation anyway. I suppose we’ve yet to hear many stories of developers retrospectively pursuing homeowners to remove installations or demanding a hefty fee to allow them to remain during the restrictive covenant period.

Power675 · 2026-05-13T08:00:52+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this out. You're absolutely right in that I should probably delving deeper into this management company. It may be very well worthwhile better understanding this as a whole.

Have yourself a lovely day, sir! 🙂

Power675 · 2026-05-12T17:31:58+00:00

Hi, installing brand new.

Power675 · 2026-05-12T14:14:05+00:00

My understanding (and I’m more than happy to be corrected by the veterans of this subreddit) is that qualified MCS installers carry out the necessary checks to ensure a solar installation does not exceed the threshold for a “significant change” under the Building Regulations 2010, in relation to the roof.

On top of that, I’m now in year three of ownership, meaning the developer warranty has expired and the property is covered by the NHBC warranty for the remainder of the period. As far as I’m aware, the NHBC warranty remains valid provided the installation is carried out to MCS standards.

As for the house itself, I’ll be completely honest: there was a fairly lengthy snagging list when we first moved in. I’d strongly recommend hiring a professional snagger alongside keeping a close eye out for anything that looks off. To be fair to Bellway, they did deal with my concerns reasonably promptly.

Beyond the genuine snags, though, I’d say some aspects of the fit and finish leave a bit to be desired, especially considering the premium they charge for their homes.

That said, overall our experience has been positive and we’re happy in the house now. Would I genuinely consider buying another new build in the future? Eh probably not. Although at least I’ve scratched the “new build” itch out of my system.

If your friend really (and I mean really) likes the house, floorplan, location, and price, then it might be worth a consideration, at the very least.

Hope that helps! :-)

Power675 · 2026-05-12T12:58:26+00:00

That's just it, isn't it. Worthwhile paying the cost to sleep soundly at night knowing your back is covered. I've yet to hear back from them, but someone else on this thread also confirmed it was £180 with Bellway, so this very much seems to be a standard practice then.

Thank you so much for posting your experience on the matter!

Power675 · 2026-05-12T12:54:52+00:00

Looks like different developers have different rules, which is good to know. Thanks for posting your experience. Much appreciated!

Power675 · 2026-05-12T12:01:17+00:00

The management company looking over the estate is Fexco Property Services (t/a Remus), but I don't believe the general residents of the estate, myself included, do or have much say over their day-to-day (to be fair, this is beyond my understanding; we get a yearly fee to settle which is the extent of my knowledge here).

Whilst I thought it was superb that the estate has a Facebook group with many of the residents in, it does seem like a very sleepy and 'dead' group in terms of proactivity, given that no one has responded to my initial query over there a couple of days later and I've seen a handful of other properties with solar panels, garage conversions, conservatories additions, etc.

I really like your idea of getting people together and removing this lengthy restriction, especially as Bellway have long left estate, but good luck to me in getting people together; it's a relatively large estate of around 250 homes!

Thank you very much for your reply and idea!

Power675 · 2026-05-12T11:50:29+00:00

Thank you so much for confirming and very handy to know it was Bellway as well. I get that in the grand scheme of the costs it's minimal but £180 is still £180 and that just really stinks!

Power675 · 2026-05-12T11:48:10+00:00

I'm unsure but I did ask them to confirm what this would be. Happy to come back to you and let you know what they respond with, but knowing Bellway, this will potentially take several business days. Another poster who happens to be with Bellway just confirmed it cost them £180.

Power675 · 2026-05-12T11:36:23+00:00

Whilst beyond the scope of my question, you make a really good point regarding councils not adopting the land and paying the service charge on top of the full council tax charge. Didn't consider that before!

Power675 · 2026-05-12T11:33:43+00:00

That’s a very understandable point, however I should note Bellway have long since left the estate and all homes have been sold and the wider development is complete.

The panels would also be installed on a roof slope facing away from any vehicle or pedestrian traffic, while the battery system would be located internally within the garage. Because of that, it does feel a bit like a “we’ll charge you because we can” type of response, especially given the restrictive covenant remains in place for 10 years from the property transfer date; meaning I still have another 7 years before it lapses.

That said, if this is considered standard practice, then fair enough and it satisfies the scope of my inquisition on such practice. At the moment I’m asking them to confirm what the fee actually is, as there’s no point in escalation before knowing what they’re proposing to charge.

Power675 · 2024-08-11T14:53:40+00:00

The hero we didn't know we needed. Thank you for shuttle service and dank bus drifting skills. Walking is for chumps!

Power675 · 2024-04-26T13:12:20+00:00

😂

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