How We Make Money: Leads 2 Trade and Your Survey Request
We are paid by Leads 2 Trade Limited when a homeowner we refer asks for a survey. You are never charged. It does not change our figures.
The calculator, the estimate and the verdict cost you nothing to use, with no sign-up.
Who Pays Us: Leads 2 Trade Limited
We earn from survey leads passed to Leads 2 Trade. Leads 2 Trade is a lead-generation company that introduces homeowners to installers. The table gives four facts about the company, each from a public record or from Leads 2 Trade's own website.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Leads 2 Trade, company number 05987279 |
| Website | leads2trade.co.uk, a domain registered on 18 October 2006 |
| What it sells | Solar PV, solar thermal and battery storage leads: requests from homeowners who want a survey or a quote |
| Installer rule it states | Installers must be MCS registered (Leads 2 Trade solar leads page, checked 7 November 2026) |
The installer rule is Leads 2 Trade's own statement. We do not check installers ourselves.
How and When We Are Paid
We are paid when a homeowner we refer asks for a survey.
The table sets the paid case beside four cases that earn us nothing.
| Situation | Are we paid? |
|---|---|
| A homeowner we refer asks for a survey | Yes |
| You run the calculator | No |
| You get a Poor fit result | No. We offer no survey on that result |
| You rent your home | No. A tenant gets an estimate to share with a landlord, not a referral |
| You, the homeowner | You pay us nothing to use the calculator |
The survey request form on this site is not open yet, so we refer nobody today.
What You Pay for the Calculator and the Survey
Nothing. You do not pay us.
Installers pay Leads 2 Trade for introductions. We do not call solar panels free unless we are naming a funded scheme and who qualifies for it. An installer's quote is a separate matter: the installer gives the quote.
Why the Payment Does Not Change Our Figures or Verdicts
The same formula runs for every home, whoever pays us, and each figure from a dataset carries its source and date. The table names the data behind three of the numbers in an estimate.
| What sets the number | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Installed cost per kW | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), "Solar PV cost data", mean for home retrofit installations, per kWp of panels fitted (total installed capacity), covering April 2025 to March 2026 |
| Electricity unit rate | Ofgem price cap: 26.32p per kWh for 1 October to 31 December 2026 |
| Export rate | 13p per kWh, our calculation from Ofgem figures for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), or your own rate |
None of the three is set by Leads 2 Trade, and the calculator has no input for who pays us. The sources page logs every dataset, licence and date we use.
Our verdict can say Poor fit. When it does, we do not offer a survey, even though a survey request is how we are paid.
Who We Do Not Refer to Leads 2 Trade
Our calculator offers a survey only to a homeowner whose estimate is a Good fit or Borderline. The table lists three situations in which we send nothing to Leads 2 Trade.
| Situation | What we do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your verdict is Poor fit | Show what would change the answer, and let you run it again | The estimate does not support a survey |
| You rent your home | Give you an estimate to share with your landlord | A survey is for the homeowner |
| You are only researching | Send nothing | You have not asked for calls |
What Happens When You Ask for a Survey
Leads 2 Trade arranges the survey, and installers give the quote. You will get phone calls. The survey request form on this site is not open yet, so we refer nobody today.
A separate page covers the calls and visits that follow a survey request, with who holds your details at each step.
What We Never Take Money For
We do not rank or recommend installers. We do not arrange credit or recommend a lender.
Your Details and Your Consent
Your rights, and who receives your details, are set out in our privacy policy.
Who Runs Solar Panel Cost Calculator
Solar Panel Cost Calculator is run by Solar Panel Cost Calculator Ltd. Its registered details are:
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal name | Solar Panel Cost Calculator Ltd |
| Company number | 16928471 |
| Registered office | 20 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU, United Kingdom |
| Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) registration number | ZA894721 |
| Contact | [email protected] |
The Solar Panel Cost Calculator Editorial Team writes the pages. Our about page says more on who we are and what we are not.
Questions About How We Make Money
Why is the calculator free?
We earn from survey leads passed to Leads 2 Trade. You can use the calculator with no sign-up and no charge.
Will asking for a survey cost me anything?
We do not charge you for the estimate or for asking for a survey. An installer gives its price in its quote.
Do installers pay to appear on this site?
No. We do not rank or recommend installers. Leads 2 Trade introduces homeowners who ask for a survey to installers.