Solar and selling your home in Perth: what buyers need to know

Solar panels are now standard on a large proportion of Perth's housing stock. On both sides of a Perth property transaction, solar system details — tariff status, age, condition, and warranty — affect the financial picture. Getting these details right prevents surprises at settlement.

What solar adds to a Perth property

Buyer value proposition: Buyers purchasing a home with solar inherit a system already generating electricity. Depending on tariff and usage, a 6.6kW system can reduce electricity bills by $1,200–$2,500/year. For a buyer on a 30-year mortgage at current rates, that's meaningful ongoing value.

Valuation impact: Australian property research (Solar Analytics, Finder) consistently finds solar adds value to residential property — commonly cited as $6,000–$14,000 for a standard 6.6kW system on a Perth suburban house. Actual impact varies by suburb, market conditions, buyer awareness, and system age/condition.

Market reality: In Perth's current market, solar is increasingly expected on homes in certain price ranges and suburbs. Its presence may not always command a premium so much as its absence is a detractor.

The REBS/DEBS split

REBS (Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme): Older Perth solar systems (commissioned before 1 November 2020 and enrolled on REBS by 31 October 2020) receive a flat 7.135c/kWh for all export. This is significantly better than DEBS's 2c/kWh off-peak rate for most export patterns.

What happens when you sell: REBS status is attached to the account/connection, NOT the property. When a property changes hands:

• The seller closes their Synergy account
• The buyer opens a new Synergy account at the same address
• REBS eligibility does NOT transfer — the new owner starts on DEBS

This is a material fact. A buyer acquiring a home expecting to inherit REBS rates will be disappointed. Sellers should disclose which export arrangement applies to the property's current account, and buyers should clarify before making offers that assume specific export income.

DEBS transfer: DEBS applies to the connection point. A buyer who continues solar feed-in will be on DEBS from the date they take over the account. There is no grandfathering of REBS to new account holders.

System age and life expectancy

Inverter lifespan: Solar inverters typically last 10–15 years before failure or major service is required. A system installed in 2012–2015 may have an inverter approaching end of life. A buyer purchasing such a home should factor in potential inverter replacement ($1,500–$3,000 installed) within the near term.

Panel lifespan: Quality panels have 25–30 year lifespans with modest degradation (approximately 0.3–0.5% per year). A 10-year-old panel system retains approximately 95–97% of original capacity and typically has significant remaining useful life.

Age questions to ask:

• What year was the system installed?
• Has the inverter ever been replaced?
• What monitoring data is available to confirm performance?

What sellers should do

Before listing:

1. Obtain a system condition report from a licensed solar electrician if the system is over 8 years old or if you haven't monitored it recently. This prevents a pre-settlement inspection revealing issues.

2. Gather documentation: commissioning certificate, equipment manuals, warranty documentation, inverter serial numbers, and monitoring app access credentials. Bundle this in the property disclosure documentation.

3. Disclose the tariff status: clearly state whether the system is on REBS or DEBS, and note that REBS does not transfer to new owners.

4. Check export credits: any outstanding DEBS export credits on a Synergy account belong to the current account holder. They don't transfer with the property — time your final meter read and account closure accordingly.

In the contract: Work with your conveyancer to ensure the solar system is explicitly included in the contract as part of the property, and that all warranties and documentation are included in the handover.

What buyers should do

Before making an offer:

1. Commission a solar inspection (separate from the building inspection). Confirm performance, safety, and system condition. Cost: $200–$500.

2. Determine REBS or DEBS status — and factor into your offer/value assessment that REBS will become DEBS on transfer.

3. Confirm system ownership: is the system owned outright, or is there a solar lease, PPA (power purchase agreement), or loan secured against it? A solar lease obligation transfers with the property; a solar loan generally doesn't (it's personal finance), but may affect seller payoff requirements. Rare in Perth's residential market but worth confirming.

4. Check Western Power connection approval: systems should have an approved connection certificate (NCN/NCR approval). Ask the seller for this documentation.

5. Get inverter warranty status: most inverters have 5–10 year warranties. Know whether the warranty is in the seller's name and whether it transfers.

The battery adds complexity

If the property includes a battery system:

• Confirm the battery warranty status (most have 10-year warranties)
• Check the battery's state of health if monitoring data is available
• Confirm whether the backup capability is configured and tested
• For Tesla Powerwall: confirm the system is associated with the Tesla account and whether the account/vehicle connection needs transfer

Common misconceptions

"Solar adds exactly X to the property value": Not a fixed amount — varies by system size, age, condition, market, and buyer awareness. A 15-year-old system with a failing inverter may deduct value, not add it.

"The buyer gets REBS": No. REBS doesn't transfer. Sellers on REBS should not use current export income as a selling point unless they explicitly clarify that buyers will receive DEBS rates instead.

"Solar warranties transfer automatically": Some do, some don't. Panel warranties from major manufacturers usually transfer (they're product warranties, not account-based). Inverter warranties vary — some require transfer registration.

If you're assessing solar value on a property you're considering purchasing, upload the seller's recent Synergy bills to BillWise for an independent consumption analysis.