Why anyone would pay for your roof
Networks and energy providers need height. Anything that transmits, receives or collects — a radio antenna, a solar array, a sign — works better a few metres above the surrounding rooftops. Building a dedicated structure is slow and expensive, so operators pay existing property owners instead. For you it is passive: the equipment sits there, someone else maintains it, and you receive an annual payment.
The options differ enormously in disruption. Some involve heavy steelwork and a registered lease; others are a small box on the chimney that can be removed at any time. Below is an honest comparison.
The main options compared
| Option | Typical return | What it involves | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting an IoT/LoRaWAN gateway | £350 a year, plus £15 towards electricity | A shoebox-sized unit on the chimney or gable end with a short antenna, plugged into a standard indoor 230V socket. | Homes, farms, pubs, village halls and businesses with height over the surrounding area. |
| Rent-a-roof solar | Usually free electricity rather than cash rent | A provider installs and owns panels on your roof, keeps the generation income and gives you use of the power generated. | South-facing roofs in good structural condition, with a long lease term. |
| Mobile phone mast or antenna site | Negotiated rent; site-dependent | Significant steelwork, cabinets and access rights under the Electronic Communications Code. Long legal process. | Tall commercial buildings, industrial units and open land rather than typical homes. |
| Advertising hoardings or signage | Negotiated rent; location-dependent | Planning permission and a highly visible roadside or high-street frontage. | Commercial premises on busy routes. |
Figures for solar, mast and advertising arrangements are negotiated case by case and are shown for context only. The £350 a year figure applies to the Netmore Rooftop Programme and is subject to postcode, property suitability, survey, approval, contract completion and installation.
The low-disruption option: hosting a network gateway
Of the four, hosting an IoT gateway is the least invasive. The unit measures roughly 265 × 165 × 100 mm, weighs about 1.4 kg and draws around 7 watts — similar to a broadband router. It mounts on a chimney stack or gable end with a bracket, needs no structural alteration, has no camera or microphone, and does not connect to your home broadband or Wi-Fi.
What the gateway is doing up there
It relays tiny encrypted messages from nearby low-power sensors — water meters, flood probes, air-quality monitors — to the operator's network. One well-sited roof can serve an entire neighbourhood. If you want the technical detail, read our plain-English LoRaWAN guide or the water network case study.
Is your property a candidate? A five-point check
- Height: is the roof, chimney or gable end above nearby rooftops and trees?
- Access: can an engineer reach the mounting point safely with standard equipment?
- Power: is there a normal indoor 230V socket within reach of the unit?
- Permission: do you own the property, or can the owner or freeholder consent?
- Coverage: is the postcode in an area the network still needs to reach?
Homes, farms, pubs, village halls, sports clubs and commercial premises can all qualify. Coverage need is the one thing you cannot judge from the ground — that is what the postcode check answers.
What happens after you enquire
- Step 1
Check the postcode
Submit your address details so we can confirm whether the network needs coverage where you are.
- Step 2
Property review and survey
We review the mounting point — chimney or gable end — access, and the nearest indoor power socket.
- Step 3
Contract and installation
If approved, you complete a Netmore contract and qualified engineers install the unit at no cost to you.
- Step 4
Annual payment
Hosts receive £350 a year on a rolling annual agreement, plus £15 a year towards electricity.
Questions property owners ask
- Can I really get paid just for having equipment on my roof?
- Yes — property owners are routinely paid to host telecoms and network equipment, because operators need height and would otherwise have to build their own structures. Under the Netmore Rooftop Programme hosts receive £350 a year, plus £15 a year towards the electricity used. Payment depends on postcode, property suitability, survey, approval, contract completion and installation.
- Do I need to own the property?
- You need the owner's authority. Landlords, farm owners, pub and club committees and business owners can apply directly. Tenants would need their landlord's written consent before a survey.
- Does it cost me anything to host a gateway?
- No. Installation, insurance, monitoring, maintenance and eventual removal are covered by the operator. The only running cost is a few watts of electricity, offset by the £15 annual contribution.
- Will it affect my mortgage, insurance or ability to sell?
- The agreement is a rolling annual arrangement with no structural alteration and no long lease registered against the title, so it can be ended if circumstances change. If you have specific mortgage or insurance conditions, check them with your provider before signing — we can supply the equipment details you would need.
- Is the income taxable?
- Payments for hosting equipment are income and should be declared in the normal way. HMRC's rules on property income are set out at gov.uk; if your situation is complex, speak to an accountant. We cannot give tax advice.
- How long does the process take?
- Checking your postcode takes under a minute. If the area is a match, the stages are review, survey, approval, contract with Netmore and then installation. Timescales vary with survey availability and network rollout in your area.
Find out what your roof could earn
The postcode check takes under a minute and there is no cost or obligation. If your area is a match we will come back to you with next steps.