Customer story: Themis & Freya
Themis and Freya both work in education and live in Southeast London with their daughter and two rabbits. They had their Sunsave Plus system installed in January 2024.
Written byCharlie Clissitt
Why did you switch to solar?
We switched to solar because we were quite keen to get off the grid, and to save on our energy bills. We just bought this house and we also installed a heat pump, which uses electricity and works really well with solar panels. We thought, well, if we can generate electricity using solar, we’ll save even more money and contribute to the environment.
Have you ever considered getting solar panels in the past?
We always wanted to get solar panels - it was in our initial plan for when we bought this house. But as various things started to become more and more expensive, solar was unfortunately one of the first things that had to drop off our plan because of the upfront cost.
Then, we learnt about the concept of a solar subscription, where there’s no upfront cost and you can pay monthly - it was the ideal solution. Without Sunsave Plus, we’d have had no chance of switching to solar.
Did you have any concerns about switching to solar?
The main concern was around the cost versus potential savings. It was very important for us to receive a detailed breakdown of this, so that we could be confident that we’d be generating and saving enough for it to be worthwhile.
How did you hear about Sunsave?
When I was first looking to get solar panels, I was receiving lots of quotes and they were all for installations that would have had an upfront cost, but then I heard about Sunsave through my brother-in-law, who used to work with someone at Sunsave.
Having peace of mind with the Sunsave Guarantee was crucial for us. It’s a huge bonus to know that, should something go wrong with our system over the next 20 years, Sunsave will repair it.
Did you come across any challenges during the early stages?
We were a bit unsure about certain things, like how many panels and what battery size we needed, so we were looking for someone who could deliver a really well-thought-out, bespoke system that we knew would meet our needs.
We eventually went with 12 solar panels (a 5.2kWp system) and a 5.2kWh battery.
How did you find the Sunsave sales process?
It couldn’t really have been any easier from day one.
It started with a few calls to discuss the specifics of our property and energy usage. For example, we mentioned the fact that we’ve got a heat pump, and explored how that would have an impact on our electricity usage. So that was considered when our system design was being put together.
We were kept in the loop all the way through, we were shown various revisions of the design, and we all agreed on the final design when it was shown to us.
What did you think of the Sunsave proposal?
We were sent a proposal as part of the design process, which not only gave us a breakdown of the technology we’d have (e.g. the type of solar panel, the battery, and so on), but also a really detailed overview of how much energy we’d be generating and money we’d be saving for each month of the year.
It was really fascinating to see all of this laid out over the entire 20 years of the contract.
How important was the Sunsave Guarantee in your decision?
Having peace of mind with the Sunsave Guarantee was crucial for us. It’s a huge bonus to know that, should something go wrong with our system over the next 20 years, Sunsave will repair it.
I can’t say anything but positive things about Sunsave’s customer service since day one. At every step of the process, from the initial consultation right through to the design and installation, the customer service has been flawless.
How did you find the Sunsave installation process?
We were provided with the final installation design, and then we were told it was going to take about two days to install - but they managed to install it in just one day. They installed it really neatly, with the battery and inverter hidden away in the garage taking up very little space. And the panels are arranged really neatly on the roof.
The install was done with the utmost efficiency - it was really, really well done.
How has your system performed so far?
It’s been really fascinating to monitor the performance of our system and see how much energy we’re generating. So far, it’s safe to say it’s been overperforming against our expectations.
How much are you saving with Sunsave Plus?
We are now saving approximately £10 per month on our energy bills, although we’re confident this will increase over time as energy bills go up.
And the icing on the cake is that we’re largely off-grid now, so we’re also making a contribution to the environment.
How easy has it been to track your system’s performance?
It’s incredibly easy to track your energy generation and usage on the GivEnergy app, and it offers you insight into your usage that I didn’t previously have. For example, it makes you realise what times of the day you’re using the most energy, and which of your devices are using more or less energy than you expected.
At first, you check the app obsessively, but once you start to see what your energy usage patterns are, you check it maybe a few times a week.
How do you think the panels look on your roof?
I’m a bit biased because I love technology, but I think it looks really cool and sleek on the roof.
What do your friends and family think about it?
We’ve got quite a few friends who have considered getting solar in the past, so they’ve been very interested in how much we’re saving and how much it all cost upfront. Some friends were especially interested to find that there was no upfront cost, and maybe a little jealous too.
What was the best bit about your Sunsave experience?
I can’t say anything but positive things about Sunsave’s customer service since day one.
At every step of the process, from the initial consultation right through to the design and installation, the customer service has been flawless.
Would you recommend Sunsave?
Definitely. I think the combination of saving money from day one, paying no upfront cost, and switching to green energy is a no brainer.
Do you have any tips for people thinking of switching to solar?
Make sure that your system design meets the specific needs of your property, so that you’ll generate enough energy for it to be worth making the switch.
Written byCharlie Clissitt
Born in Yorkshire and now living in London, Charlie has been in the renewable energy industry since 2017, having worked as a writer and then editor of green technology advisor The Eco Experts. His work has focussed on educating UK homeowners about a wide range of residential power and heating solutions, including solar panels, storage batteries, heat pumps, infrared panels, and EV chargers.