Surface and planning check
Before any quote
We look at where the panel would go and tell you whether the rules cover it.
Read this pageThe two operators
Electricity North West Limited holds the licence for North West England. On our working map that covers Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria. SP Manweb plc holds a separate area covering Merseyside and Cheshire, along with North Wales.
The boundary runs through the middle of the region. Manchester, Bolton, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle sit in the Electricity North West area. Liverpool, Birkenhead, Chester and Warrington sit in the SP Manweb area.
How to check which one is yours
Our map is provisional and we say so on every page that uses it. There are two ways to settle it, and both take a minute.
- Use the operator's own postcode checker.
- Ring 105. It's free from anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales, and it puts you through to the distribution network operator for the address you're asking about.
We would rather you checked. Ringing 105 gives the right answer for every postcode, and it takes a minute.
What the form asks for
You fill in a short online form within 28 days of installing the device. It asks for your name, your email address and the address the panel is at. That's all of it, and it applies in Great Britain.
If you'd rather not do it on your own, we'll fill it in with you, using the operator your postcode falls in.
Why you have to tell them
Engineering Recommendation G98 was amended in 2026 to cover these devices. The Authority approved the change on 11 August 2026 and it took effect on 27 August 2026, the same day as the rest of the rules. The same amendment limits a household to one device.
On this page
4 parts
Ask us about your house
Send your postcode and tell us what the wall is made of. We'll tell you which operator covers you and whether the rules cover that surface.
Send us your postcode