Short answer: It is worth registering to see the offer. Switch Together Birmingham is run by Birmingham City Council with iChoosr and groups households together to buy solar panels and batteries. Switch Together says registering is free and without obligation. Compare its offer with a quote for your own roof on system size, parts, warranty and after-care, not price alone.
What Switch Together Birmingham is
Switch Together Birmingham is Birmingham City Council’s scheme for solar panels and battery storage, run with iChoosr. It is a group-buying scheme: households register, and the scheme uses the size of the group to get a competitive price from installers. The council says it also takes registrations for batteries added to existing panels.
Switch Together’s own page says registration is free and without obligation. You get a personal offer from vetted installers, a roof survey follows if you accept, and certified installers fit the system with warranties and aftercare. It is not a grant. You still pay for the system, and the aim is a lower price through buying in bulk.
What people say about it
Experiences are mixed, as they are for most installers. Switch Together’s Trustpilot page showed a score of 2.8 from 29 reviews when we checked in September 2026, and there are long discussions on MoneySavingExpert and Reddit from people weighing up the offer. Read a few before you decide, and look for comments about after-care as well as installation.
How to compare it with a local quote
The fair way to compare is like for like. Ask both for the same things, in writing:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| System size in kWp, and panel count | A cheaper quote for a smaller system isn’t cheaper |
| Panel, inverter and battery make and model | Warranties and efficiency differ between brands |
| Expected generation for your roof | It should be based on your roof’s direction and shade |
| Scaffolding, bird mesh and optimisers | Are they included or extra? |
| Warranties on parts and workmanship | Who holds them, and for how long |
| Who services it and who you call if it fails | After-care matters for the next 25 years |
| Grid registration with National Grid Electricity Distribution | It should be included |
Then compare the total price. The average installed price in Birmingham is covered in how much do solar panels cost in Birmingham?, which gives you a check on both quotes. If export income matters to you, ask both whether the installer is MCS certified. Can you get SEG payments without MCS? explains why.
When a local installer may suit you better
A group-buying offer is priced for standard installs. A local survey may suit you better if your roof isn’t straightforward, for example a split east-west roof, heavy shading, a conservation area or a listed home, or if you want panels, a battery and an EV charger planned together. It also helps if you want to know who will come out when something goes wrong. None of that makes the scheme a bad option, but it is worth getting both quotes.
After the install
Whichever route you choose, keep the handover pack: the certificates, the grid registration, the warranty documents and the manuals. If the installer later stops trading, those papers make servicing and any claim much easier. What happens if your solar installer goes out of business? explains what to do.
Bottom line
Register with Switch Together if you're curious, then get at least one local quote for the same system size and compare them line by line. Whichever you pick, make sure you know who services the system afterwards. We give free quotes across Birmingham, and we can quote the same size of system for a fair comparison. Call 0121 330 1151, 9am to 7pm, 7 days.