Short answer
A tenant can install solar panels; but as of October 2026, for a grid-connected system the subscription must be in the applicant's name, a right-of-use document (including a lease) must be submitted and the landlord's written permission obtained. In an Antalya apartment building, the unit owners' decision is also needed. Portable off-grid systems do not require a license application.
Key takeaways
- A title deed, lease or a document showing the right of use is requested in the application.
- For net metering, the generation and consumption facilities must belong to the same tax identification number.
- In an apartment building, a notarized copy of the minutes book decision is required.
- Systems not connected to the grid do not require a license or a distribution company application (5/1/b).
- The connection of a system operated without acceptance can be cut and a 3-year application ban applies.
If you are a tenant with a high electricity bill, is it possible to install solar panels as a tenant? The short answer: yes, but there are legal and technical conditions. As of October 2026, for a grid-connected system the application is made in the name of the subscription owner, and a document showing the right to use the roof (a title deed or lease) is requested. In practice the most important step is reaching a written agreement with the landlord. This guide explains the options and the contract clauses for tenants in Antalya.
Can a tenant install solar panels?
The regulation does not prohibit tenants; what decides is in whose name the subscription is and whether your right to use the roof is documented. Among the application documents for rooftop systems up to 25 kW, for a detached building there is the title deed, a lease agreement or a document showing the right of use. In other words, a lease can be accepted as one of the documents showing the right of use.
Even so, in practice what decides the matter is the landlord's consent and the content of the contract. Installing a permanent system on the roof means altering the roof; an installation made without the landlord's permission can lead to a dispute and a demand for removal. If your lease has no explicit provision on roof use or solar installation, you first need to prepare a supplementary protocol.
Three ways to get solar panels on a rented home
| Route | How it works | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Grid-connected rooftop system (on the tenant's subscription) | Application is made in the tenant's name, with landlord permission and the lease | Who keeps the system on moving out must be written; the subscription must be in the tenant's name |
| 2. The landlord invests | The landlord installs the system with their own title deed and subscription details; the tenant may benefit through rent or the bill | Electricity consumption and the rental relationship must be clarified by contract |
| 3. Portable / off-grid small system | A compact system not permanently fixed to the roof and working on its own | A system not connected to the grid does not require a license or a distribution company application; zoning, fire and structural matters are separate |
Each route has different advantages and risks. A grid-connected system offers surplus energy and net metering, but requires more paperwork and time. Portable systems are more flexible for a tenant, but their capacity is limited.
Agreement with the landlord: clauses the contract should contain
What causes the most problems with solar panels for tenants is verbal agreements. We recommend adding the following clauses to a written supplementary protocol:
- Installation consent: That the landlord gives explicit consent to the installation of a system on the roof and to the drilling and fixing work needed for mounting.
- Ownership of the system: Who owns the equipment (the tenant or the landlord).
- End of the lease: Whether the system will be removed on moving out, who bears the removal cost and restoring the roof to its former condition.
- Transfer of cost: If the landlord takes over the system, the form of payment or rent reduction to the tenant.
- Roof repairs: Temporary removal of panels during roof renovation or repair, and its cost.
- Insurance and liability: How responsibility is shared in case of damage; for details, see our article on solar panel insurance.
- Access: The crew's right of access to the roof for maintenance and repair.
An approach that makes agreement easier is to show the landlord that the investment adds value for them too. A system on the roof can improve a building's energy performance and rental appeal; but this is not a guarantee and depends on market conditions. On the technical side, the issues the landlord worries about most are roof watertightness, structural load and fire safety. Giving written information on these three points before installation increases trust.
Legal details vary according to the type and term of the lease. This article is general information; for a binding contract we recommend getting support from a lawyer.
Subscription and net metering rules
For net metering, the generation and consumption facilities must belong to the same tax identification number. This condition is critical for a tenant: if the tenant makes the application for the system, the consumption subscription must also be in the tenant's name. If the landlord makes the application but the consumption subscription stays with the tenant, generation and consumption belong to different persons and net metering cannot be achieved.
Also, under the procedure up to 25 kW, the system cannot exceed the consumption facility's contract power; generation and consumption are connected at the same metering point and one application is made for each consumption point. For a residential subscription, net metering is monthly and no generation or sale limit applies. Although these rules apply, because surplus energy is paid only the active energy unit price, the real gain for a tenant is self-consumption.
If the tenant changes, the subscription changes too; in that case, how the system will be tied to the new tenant should be thought through in advance. If the generation facility is transferred, a new application for the associated consumption facility may be restricted (November 2025 amendment; inheritance and bankruptcy excluded). For this reason, in some cases it is a safer route for the landlord to take ownership of the system.
Being a tenant in an apartment building
If you live in an apartment building, the roof is a common area. In that case not only the landlord's but also the unit owners' decision is needed. In the application, a notarized copy of the "solar plant may be installed" decision in the minutes book is requested. As a tenant you cannot run this process alone; the participation of the landlord and the building management is essential. You can find more information on the process in our article on the unit owners' decision for an apartment solar plant.
In Antalya, rented apartments are mostly in apartment buildings or housing complexes; detached rental villas are concentrated in places such as Belek, Kemer, Kaş and Manavgat. If you rent a detached villa the process is simpler, because a unit owners' decision is not required. For foreign tenants renting a holiday home, working with the landlord's authorized representative in Turkey is important for speeding up the process.
Portable and off-grid options
One option for a tenant is a small system that does not require permanent mounting. Article 5/1/b of the regulation exempts generation facilities with no connection to the transmission or distribution system from the license and company formation obligation. In other words, for a system not connected to the grid, saying "no license or distribution company application is needed" is correct. This does not mean "it is subject to no permit"; obligations such as zoning, structural and fire requirements are separate matters.
No grid-connected system should be run without acceptance. The connection of a facility found to be operating without acceptance can be cut without notice, the equipment must be removed within 60 days and the owner cannot apply for 3 years. So stay away from informal "plug-in" solutions. For the logic of off-grid systems, see our article on what an off-grid system is.
Three example scenarios for Antalya
The following are not real customer stories but general scenarios designed to help you understand the process.
- A detached rental villa in Manavgat: The landlord lives abroad and his representative allows roof use. The tenant can keep the subscription in their own name and make the connection application with the lease; who keeps the system must be written in the protocol.
- An apartment flat in Muratpaşa: The roof is a common area. An application cannot be made without the landlord and management obtaining the minutes book decision. For the tenant, a more realistic option is a portable system independent of the roof, or an initiative by the landlord.
- A stone house in Kaş rented as a holiday home: Because of the roof structure, the possibility of a protected zone and a short lease term, a permanent system may be risky. For protected zones, see our article on heritage sites and solar panels.
In all three scenarios, the common point is putting the lease term and roof rights into writing. In short-term leases, before investing, assess together the contract term, renewal conditions and transfer of the system.
Payback of the investment and the lease term
The tenant's biggest question is this: if the payback period is longer than the lease term, does the investment make sense? The system capacity, consumption and tariff determine this calculation. EPDK (Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority) raised retail sales prices from 4 April 2026, and the residential increase was 25%; even so we promise no payback period, because every home's consumption is different. As the self-consumption ratio rises, the payback period shortens; surplus energy is paid only the active energy unit price.
If you are a tenant, the safest approach is to share the cost with the landlord. The landlord buys the system and the tenant benefits through lower rent or a bill advantage. For the payback logic, you can see our article on payback period calculation, and to get an idea based on your own consumption you can request a free site survey from Solar Nexo.
Conclusion
Solar panels for tenants are possible, but three conditions are needed: the landlord's written permission, the subscription being in the right name and (in an apartment building) the unit owners' decision. For a grid-connected system, running it without acceptance has serious consequences; portable off-grid systems are a flexible alternative. Whichever route you choose, add installation, removal and transfer clauses in writing to the lease.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install solar panels as a tenant?
Yes, but the landlord's written permission and a document showing the right to use the roof are needed. Under the procedure up to 25 kW, for a detached building the title deed, a lease or a right-of-use document is requested in the application. The subscription must also be in the applicant's name. In an apartment building, the unit owners' decision and a notarized copy are also required.
Is the landlord's permission mandatory for solar panels in a rented home?
Because the roof or common area belongs to the property owner, a permanent installation without the landlord's permission can cause a dispute and lead to a demand for removal. If the lease has no explicit provision, preparing a written supplementary protocol covering installation, removal and transfer is recommended. Putting this permission into writing as a supplement to the lease prevents disputes over removal and roof repair that may arise on moving out or at the end of the lease.
Can I take the solar panels with me when I move?
The ownership of the system and the removal terms depend on the lease and the supplementary protocol. Portable off-grid systems can generally be taken along; for grid-connected rooftop systems, matters such as removal, roof repair and the transfer of the subscription to the new tenant should be clarified in writing beforehand. In a grid-connected system, problems can arise if matters such as removal, roof repair and transfer of the subscription to the new tenant are not clarified in advance.
Is permission needed to install a small off-grid system?
Article 5/1/b of the regulation exempts generation facilities not connected to the grid from the license and company formation obligation; that is, no license or distribution company application is needed. However, obligations such as zoning, structural and fire requirements are separate matters; saying "no permission is needed at all" would not be right. Small compact systems can be a flexible solution for tenants, but their capacity is limited and each installation must be assessed separately.
If the landlord installs solar, can the tenant benefit?
Yes, but this arrangement should be clarified by contract. For net metering, the generation and consumption facilities must belong to the same tax identification number. If the landlord installs the system and ties generation to their own consumption, providing the tenant with an advantage such as a rent reduction can be arranged by contract. If arrangements such as a rent reduction or bill sharing are not made in writing, the likelihood of a later dispute between the parties increases.
How many years is the payback for solar for a tenant?
Giving a single period would be wrong; system capacity, consumption, the self-consumption ratio and the tariff are decisive. The lease term and the payback period may also not match. The safest route is to share the cost with the landlord and have a survey done with your own consumption data. If the lease is short, the landlord undertaking the investment or choosing a portable system may be a more sensible approach.
Sources
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