EIR Solar Together (2) [May 2026]

1. “The response that you kindly provided on 22 January 2026 explained that "Up to £1.3million was provided by the GLA across all phases of STL. This supported marketing, promotion, customer acquisition, customer support, training and employment opportunities, and programme closedown.”. Could you please explain the basis for use of the word “customer” in this process, and whether this indicates any representation by Solar Together that it would enter into a supplier/customer relationship or other contractual status with those customers co-funded by GLA?”
2. “Could I please ask you to provide me with a summary or detail (whichever is the easiest to provide) describing the service that Solar Together undertook to provide under the Solar Together scheme to: a. Mayor of London, and b. Customers identified”

Our response

With reference to the Freedom of Information request previously issued under reference MGLA050126-1282 concerning Solar Together, the term “customer”, as used in phrases such as “customer acquisition” and “customer support”, was employed as an operational descriptor, not as a legal or contractual classification.

For clarity, “customers” refers to households and small businesses that registered for, received, accepted, or were otherwise affected by an installation offer facilitated through the Solar Together London scheme. The use of the term “customer” does not indicate that Solar Together London, iChoosr, or the GLA represented itself as a supplier of solar PV systems or as entering into installation contracts with participants. Installation contracts were entered into directly between “customers” and installers.

The use of the term “customer” does not indicate that Solar Together London, iChoosr, or the GLA represented itself as a supplier of solar PV systems or as entering into installation contracts with participants. Installation contracts were entered into directly between “customers” and installers.

Services provided to the Mayor of London / the GLA

Solar Together (delivered by iChoosr) undertook to provide the Mayor and the GLA with a managed group-buying delivery service, including:

• Design and operation of the Solar Together London collective purchasing model
• Delivery of reverse auctions to appoint qualified solar installers
• Marketing and promotion of the scheme (borough-facing and London-wide)
• Recruitment and management of participant registrations
• Oversight of installer selection and performance within agreed standards
• Provision of programme-level reporting and performance data
• Administration of scheme close-down and post-scheme support
• Support to the GLA during periods of installer failure and remediation

These services relate to programme facilitation and management, not as supply or installation services.

Services provided to “customers” (households and small businesses)

Solar Together provided customers with a range of facilitative and support services, including:

• The opportunity to register free of charge to participate in the Solar Together scheme
• Access to a competitively priced installation offer generated through an aggregated group-buying process
• Confidence that installers participating in the scheme met defined quality, accreditation and vetting standards
• Clear information to support decision-making, including system design details, expected costs and indicative savings
• Access to a central helpdesk and structured communications throughout the scheme
• Ongoing scheme-level customer support, including assistance when issues or queries arose
• Information and coordination support in circumstances where installations were delayed, cancelled or otherwise disrupted