How UK Solar Professionals Can Use the Finance Marketplace to Close More Deals
For many homeowners, affordability is the biggest barrier to going solar. The Finance Marketplace helps make solar more accessible by allowing customers to explore finance options directly within OpenSolar proposals.
Now available for MCS-approved businesses, the Finance Marketplace lets customers generate real-time quotes and submit credit applications without leaving the proposal experience. There are no installer fees, no additional setup and installers are not required to hold FCA authorisation.
Why finance helps close more deals
Large upfront costs can slow down or completely stall solar projects, even when customers are interested in moving forward.
By showing estimated monthly repayments alongside projected savings, the Finance Marketplace can make many homeowners feel solar is significantly more achievable and easier to fit into a household budget.
Because the Finance Marketplace is built directly into OpenSolar proposals, customers can explore finance options in the same place they’re already reviewing system designs, savings and pricing.
Using the Finance Marketplace compliantly
The Finance Marketplace is designed to support customer choice without requiring installer involvement in financial decisions. It allows customers to view indicative options alongside system design and performance information, helping them understand how they might choose to pay.
As a non-regulated installer, your role is simple and focused, you can:
- Make customers aware that the Finance Marketplace exists
- Direct them to where it sits within the proposal
- Explain that it is a self-service tool to explore third-party options
- Continue to focus discussions on the solar system, its performance, and installation
For example:
- “You’ll see a Finance Marketplace in your proposal if you’d like to explore payment options.”
- “We don’t arrange finance, but you can review third-party options there if it’s useful.”
This keeps your role clear and ensures the customer remains in control of any financial decision.
Staying within the boundary
To remain compliant without creating unnecessary complexity, the key principle is neutrality. You are signposting a tool, not taking part in the finance process.
In practice, this means avoiding activities that could be interpreted as influencing a finance decision, such as:
- Recommending or favouring specific products or lenders
- Suggesting what option a customer should choose
- Discussing approval chances or repayment structures
- Comparing finance options or guiding applications
Keeping your involvement at a high level avoids crossing into regulated activity.
Positioning the Marketplace appropriately
The Finance Marketplace should be presented as a separate, optional resource rather than part of the sales conversation.
A good approach is to:
- Introduce it briefly as part of the proposal journey
- Allow the customer to engage with it in their own time
- Keep your primary focus on system design, value, and installation quality
There is no need to lead with finance or use it to support a sale. Customers who are interested will explore it independently within the proposal.
Helping more homeowners move forward with solar
The Finance Marketplace gives customers a simple, built-in way to explore payment options at their own pace. There is no cost, no setup, and no need for FCA authorisation to make it available.
Your role remains straightforward, focusing on delivering high-quality solar solutions while signposting an additional customer benefit.
By enabling the Finance Marketplace, you can support affordability conversations without adding complexity to your sales process.
Used in this way, the Finance Marketplace can enhance your customer proposition while keeping your role clear, compliant, and focused on what you do best.
