Why Finance Changes Everything for Installers
The single biggest barrier between a customer who wants a solar system, heat pump, or EV charger and one who actually buys it is rarely doubt — it's cost. Most residential installations run from £5,000 to over £15,000. Even customers who fully understand the long-term savings and environmental benefit struggle to hand over that sum upfront.
Offering finance removes that barrier entirely. Instead of asking a customer to find £8,000, you ask them whether £150 a month works for their budget. The conversation changes completely — and so does your close rate. Installers who partner with an FCA-authorised credit broker typically report conversion uplifts of 25–35% within the first few months.
Beyond conversions, finance expands the size of deal you can propose. When monthly payments are part of the picture, customers are far more likely to opt for a larger battery, an upgraded heat pump model, or a full home energy package rather than the minimum viable system.
Understanding the Regulatory Landscape
Before offering any form of consumer credit in the UK, there are regulatory requirements you must understand. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates consumer credit, and that regulation extends to businesses that introduce customers to finance — not just the lenders themselves.
As an installer, you will typically act as a 'credit intermediary' — you introduce customers to a lender or broker but do not provide the credit yourself. To do this lawfully, you must either hold your own FCA authorisation (specifically, Limited Permissions for credit broking) or work exclusively through an Appointed Representative arrangement with an FCA-authorised firm.
Option 1: Become an Appointed Representative
Working as an Appointed Representative (AR) of an FCA-authorised credit broker is the quickest route to market. Under this model, the authorised firm takes regulatory responsibility for your credit broking activity. You don't need your own FCA registration for that activity, and you can typically be live within days of completing onboarding.
This is the model Rubix Finance operates. When you join as an installer partner, you introduce your customers to our FCA-regulated platform. We handle compliance, lender relationships, and the application process. You focus on selling and installing.
Option 2: Apply for Limited Permissions Directly
If you want full independence or plan to introduce customers to finance outside a single broker's platform, you can apply to the FCA directly for Limited Permissions credit broking authorisation. This allows you to act as a credit intermediary in your own right.
The application process takes several months and requires you to demonstrate compliance policies, adequate systems, and a fit and proper management team. It's a more involved route but gives you broader flexibility. Rubix Finance provides guidance and support for installers who want to pursue this route.
Choosing the Right Finance Partner
Not all finance platforms are built with renewable energy installers in mind. A general consumer credit broker may lack the specialist lender relationships needed for green technology — or may require minimum volumes that make the partnership impractical for a smaller installation business.
What to Look For
Look for a platform that offers access to multiple lenders, not just one. A panel of lenders means that if your customer doesn't fit one lender's criteria, there are others to try. It also means competitive rates for different customer profiles — from prime to near-prime borrowers.
Check how the application process works for your customers. The best platforms offer soft eligibility checks that leave no footprint on the customer's credit file, so they can explore their options without committing. A fully remote application link — something you can send via SMS or email after a site survey — is essential for modern installers who can't always sit with a customer while they apply.
Understand the payout timeline. For cashflow purposes, you need to know exactly when funds will arrive after installation confirmation. A platform that pays within 24–48 hours of sign-off is far better than one with a 14-day settlement cycle.
Questions to Ask a Prospective Finance Partner
Is the platform FCA-authorised? Ask for their FCA reference number and verify it on the FCA Register.
How many lenders are on the panel, and do they specialise in green or home improvement finance?
What are the minimum and maximum loan amounts? Ensure they cover your typical installation values.
Are there any fees charged to the installer for joining or per application?
What support is available for the FCA authorisation process if you need your own permissions?
Setting Up Your Finance Process: Step by Step
Once you've selected a finance partner and completed onboarding, the operational process is straightforward. Here's how it typically works with Rubix Finance.
Step 1: Complete Digital Onboarding
Onboarding with a regulated credit broker involves KYC (Know Your Customer) checks on your business and key personnel, agreement to the installer terms, and a brief compliance orientation. With Rubix Finance this takes minutes online — no paper forms, no lengthy waiting periods. Most installers are live within 48 hours.
Step 2: Access Your Finance Tools
After onboarding, you'll access your installer dashboard and customer-facing tools — typically a finance calculator that generates monthly payment illustrations and an application link you can send remotely. These tools are branded for Rubix Finance and fully compliant, so you don't need to create any materials yourself.
Step 3: Present Finance Options During Your Quote
The most effective time to introduce finance is during or immediately after your site survey. Rather than quoting a single lump sum, show the customer what the system would cost per month at typical representative APR. Most customers find monthly payments far easier to evaluate against their household budget.
After the visit, send the customer a remote application link so they can explore their options privately, in their own time. Research consistently shows that customers who apply in the comfort of their own home, without time pressure, convert at higher rates than those pushed to apply on-site.
Step 4: Customer Applies and Receives an Offer
The customer completes a simple online form — personal details, income, and expenditure. Many lenders offer a soft eligibility check first, which gives the customer a strong indication of approval without affecting their credit score. If they proceed to a full application, decisions typically come back in under 60 seconds.
Step 5: Installation and Payout
Once the customer accepts a finance offer, you schedule and complete the installation as normal. On confirmation of completion — typically via a digital sign-off — the lender releases funds directly to your business account. Your dashboard tracks every application, its status, and expected payout date.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not quote finance rates or APR verbally without a written illustration — this is a regulatory requirement. Always direct customers to the written finance information provided by your broker partner before they make any decision.
Never pressure a customer to apply for finance or suggest that finance approval is certain before an eligibility check has been completed. The FCA's Consumer Duty rules require that customers are treated fairly and given balanced information.
Make sure any marketing materials that reference finance — including your website, leaflets, or social media — comply with FCA financial promotion rules. Your broker partner should be able to advise, and in many cases will provide compliant template copy for you to use.
Ready to Start?
Offering finance is one of the highest-leverage changes a renewable energy installer can make to their sales process. The setup is straightforward, the regulatory pathway is clear, and the conversion upside is significant.
Rubix Finance is an FCA-authorised credit broker built specifically for solar, heat pump, EV charger, and battery storage installers. Joining the network is free, onboarding takes minutes, and you could be sending your first finance application link within 48 hours.