How To Offer Finance For Battery Storage Installations

What finance really means at the checkout

Customer finance is simply a way to let homeowners spread the cost of a battery storage installation into manageable monthly payments, rather than paying everything upfront. For your business, it can turn a high-consideration purchase into a clearer, easier decision, because the customer can focus on outcomes and affordability at the same time. In the UK market, finance is now routinely positioned alongside the quote, not after it, and customers increasingly expect to see options such as 0% for shorter terms or lower APR over longer terms. Done well, it supports stronger cashflow, fewer stalled enquiries, and a more predictable pipeline.

Why homeowners choose finance for solar and batteries

Battery storage sits in that uncomfortable middle ground: it is a meaningful home upgrade, but still competes with kitchens, holidays, and general cost-of-living priorities. Many households can afford the monthly payment more easily than the lump sum, particularly when installers can illustrate savings, export payments, and reduced reliance on peak electricity. The market has also normalised interest-free deals for solar and battery packages over two to three years, sometimes with a modest deposit, which lowers the psychological barrier without changing the underlying value of the system. When customers see a fixed monthly figure, they can compare it to their bills and decide faster.

How finance lifts conversion without discounting your work

Offering finance can increase sales because it reframes the decision from “Can we afford it?” to “Does this monthly payment make sense?” That shift is powerful in a category where typical jobs are several thousand pounds. It can also protect margin: rather than reducing the price to close the sale, you present structured choices such as 0% over 24 to 36 months, or a longer plan that reduces monthly payments. Finance can improve lead quality too, because customers who complete an application have signalled commitment. And when energy suppliers and major brands promote battery finance as standard, customers arrive primed to accept it as a normal part of the purchase.

Understanding affordability is not just about a rate or an APR - it is about what the customer pays each month, and what they get in return.

Standout line: If you sell outcomes, finance sells certainty.

Typical transaction values (what customers are really financing)

What you can put on finance (beyond the battery)

1. Battery storage unit and installation labour

2. Solar PV panels bundled with battery storage

3. Inverter upgrades, optimisers, and monitoring

4. Electrical works (consumer unit upgrades, cabling, isolators)

5. EV charger supply and installation when packaged with storage

6. Smart tariffs set-up support and commissioning

7. Extended warranties and service plans (where permitted by the lender)

The compliance lens (FCA essentials, in plain English)

In the UK, offering or introducing regulated credit comes with Financial Conduct Authority expectations, even if you are not the lender. You must present finance clearly and fairly, avoid misleading “from” claims, and ensure any 0% or deferred interest promotions explain conditions and consequences. Marketing needs representative examples where required, and customers should understand deposits, term length, total amount payable, and what happens if they miss payments. If you act as an introducer, your role must be transparent and you should use approved materials and processes.

Broker and introducer models: how most installers do it

Most battery installers do not become lenders. Instead, they work with a retail finance broker that connects customers to a panel of lenders, so the customer can be assessed for eligibility and offered suitable terms. As the installer, you typically introduce the customer at the point they are considering the quote, then the broker and lender handle the credit decision, documentation, and regulated steps. This keeps your team focused on surveying, design, and installation while still giving customers a professional finance experience. It also helps you avoid building multiple lender relationships yourself, and gives you a way to offer more than one type of plan, such as shorter-term interest-free options and longer-term low-APR options, subject to status.

A practical customer journey (step by step)

1. Quote the system clearly: present a good, better, best package structure and show the installed price.

2. Introduce monthly options early: display a small set of terms (for example 24, 36, 60 months) and a representative “from £X per month”.

3. Confirm what the customer wants to fund: full amount or deposit plus finance.

4. Share the finance application link: customer completes key details on their device, ideally while you are still engaged.

5. Credit assessment and decision: lender checks eligibility and returns an approval, referral, or decline.

6. Customer reviews the agreement: key information, total payable, and repayment schedule are confirmed.

7. Installation booking: once approved and documentation is in place, you schedule works as normal.

8. Completion and activation: installation is completed, commissioning is done, and customer begins repayments per the agreement.

9. Aftercare prompt: send a simple follow-up explaining monitoring, warranty registration, and who to contact for finance questions.

Getting started with Kandoo

Kandoo is a UK-based retail finance broker, which means we help you offer customer finance without you having to become a lender. We can support you with a finance journey that fits your sales process, whether you sell in-home, over the phone, or online. You will typically start by agreeing the product categories you want to fund, the customer experience you want to deliver, and the types of plans that suit your average order values. From there, we help you embed finance into your quoting and marketing so customers see clear, compliant options at the right moment, with decisions delivered quickly where possible. The aim is straightforward: make affordability clear, keep the process professional, and help you convert more of the demand already in the market.

Next-step suggestions

• Add a “Pay monthly” panel next to your installed price on every quote.

• Build two default finance pathways: a shorter-term 0% style offer (where available) and a longer-term low-APR option.

• Train your team on one script: price, monthly payment, term, and total amount payable.

• Use a simple calculator on your website to capture finance-led enquiries.

FAQs

Can I offer 0% finance on battery storage installations?

Often, yes, subject to lender criteria and customer status. In the GB market, 0% finance has become common on solar and battery packages over two to three years, typically with a deposit and fixed monthly instalments.

Is battery finance secured against the customers property?

Typically no. Many solar and battery finance offers are structured as unsecured credit or point-of-sale lending, meaning they are not tied to the home, although terms vary by lender.

What deposit should I ask for?

It depends on the lender, the plan, and the job size. Some market offers use a modest upfront deposit to keep monthly payments lower and align the customer with the purchase.

Do customers still finance batteries if there are no direct grants?

Yes. While there is no UK-wide grant purely for solar batteries, customers may benefit from measures such as 0% VAT on eligible installations and export payments, which can strengthen the overall value case when paired with finance.

What is the difference between 0% finance and buy-now-pay-later?

0% finance usually means fixed repayments over the term with no interest. Buy-now-pay-later can include a promotional period where no interest is charged if the balance is cleared by a deadline, but costs can rise if the customer misses it, so the terms must be explained clearly.

Can I offer longer terms to reduce monthly payments?

Yes. The market includes longer-term plans, sometimes extending well beyond three years, which can bring the monthly figure down. The trade-off is that the customer may pay more overall if interest applies.

Do energy suppliers influence customer expectations on finance?

They can. Supplier partnerships have helped normalise interest-free or low-rate options for solar and battery upgrades, and customers increasingly expect installers to present similar affordability choices.

What does Kandoo do versus what I do?

You introduce the finance option and keep your sales and installation process moving. Kandoo supports the finance journey by connecting eligible customers to lender options and helping you deliver a clear, compliant experience.