Customer story: Ajith
Ajith lives in Buckinghamshire and switched to solar with Sunsave in the summer of 2023. We checked in with him after a few months to see how his system was performing.
Written byCharlie Clissitt
What sparked your interest in solar panels?
Firstly, I wanted to reduce my energy costs and be more independent. I was also considering the environment and wanted to make a change. Obviously I’m not going to save the whole world, but I wanted to do whatever I could so that my son doesn’t live on a planet that’s going to hell, basically. As soon as I bought this house, I thought: I’ve got to have solar panels.
I know the financial benefits are fairly long term, so in the short term I just want to make sure I’m doing what I can for myself and the future of my son.
How did the energy crisis affect you?
Well it made me start to think: why should I depend on somebody else for my energy? The sun’s energy is free, so why not use it?
It seems like every solar installer follows the same process, but you are one step ahead.
When you started considering solar, how easy was the research?
There’s plenty of information online, it’s all over social media. In fact, I actually think there’s far too much if somebody doesn’t quite know what they’re looking for. They will probably get a bit overwhelmed by all the information, which can cause problems.
It was a challenge to get the right information from the right people, as well as finding the right installer. I had to do lots of background research.
How was the Sunsave sales process?
It seems like every solar installer follows the same process, but you are one step ahead. I was a salesperson in the past, so I know how to make sales happen, and I could see that you guys know what you’re doing. I was given all the right details and information, and I don’t feel conned. The documents were very clear.
What was the installation experience like?
It was very positive - the installation took two days.
Once the guys came to do the installation, they were very informative about what to do and what not to do. The engineers were very helpful, too. I asked for each panel to have its own separate microinverter, so your installers did exactly that, and you also sent a Sunsave engineer to come round and make sure the microinverters were working correctly.
My wife and I were working from home that day, and we barely noticed any disruption. There was nobody knocking at our door asking us one thousand questions about this and that.
What has your experience with Sunsave been like after installation?
Once it was all done, you sent me a document which was very clear and precise in detailing exactly what you guys had installed.
I’m really happy that you’re speaking to me about my experience actually, as it shows you care and that you want to improve. I think other installers would have probably done the installation and said thank you very much, see you later - but that’s not happening here. For example, you recently sent through my G99 form, even though I’d completely forgotten about it. It’s really good to know somebody’s there.
And the system is working fine, I haven’t had any issues.
I feel proud to say that I’ve reduced my carbon footprint, and proud that I could do something for future generations.
What benefits has your Sunsave system given you?
I got my system three months ago, in July 2023. Since then I have already moved to Octopus and saved £400. This is without me even selling any energy to the grid, it’s just from using my solar panels at home. And this is especially good considering our high usage - I have a pond that’s running 24/7 with a water pump, a tank with a little turtle in it, and my wife and I also work from home.
When winter comes in, I want to see how that is going to change my savings. I’m fully aware that it’s not the sunlight that matters, but the daylight. So I’m sure that during winter I will have savings too. I wouldn’t expect £400, but at least £100.
On top of that, I feel proud to say that I’ve reduced my carbon footprint, and proud that I could do something for future generations. I’m obviously not going to move the whole mountain, but at least I can move a tiny little rock.
How would you describe your overall experience with Sunsave?
Brilliant. I didn’t feel that I was under pressure, and I didn’t feel that I was being given the wrong information.
Would you recommend Sunsave to a friend?
Definitely. There’s no second thought about it, because the experience I’ve had has been amazing. Also Sunsave clearly has a strong background, with good investment from venture capital funds, so you’re not a company who’s going to run away from its customers. You’ve clearly had sustainable growth.
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.