Elvy's operating guarantee: what happens if the heat pump, battery or solar panels break down

One of the most common questions we get is simple and fair: what happens if something breaks? Elvy's operating guarantee is one of the most important reasons the model works in practice, but it is also what raises the most scepticism. If you did not pay for the equipment yourself, who picks up the bill when the heat pump stops working on a Sunday in February?

The short answer: we do. This guide goes through what is included, how a service request actually works, and what happens in the scenarios that worry prospective customers the most.

Repair, spare parts and labour are included. Measures that affect heating are given especially high priority during the winter.

Replaced at no cost to you. Because the solar panels do not produce without an inverter, the fix is prioritised.

Monitored continuously and addressed when the degradation affects your setup. You pay nothing extra.

The control system is updated and troubleshot remotely. You rarely need to do anything yourself.

All replacement of parts during the contract period is paid for by Elvy. The main thing you notice is that your monthly cost does not change.

The subscription and the operating guarantee can be taken over by the next owner. The new owner gets a working system from day one.

The operating guarantee covers all the equipment Elvy installs in your home: the heat pump, the battery, the solar panels and the associated control system. That means repairs, spare parts, labour and any replacement of components cost you nothing extra throughout the entire contract period.

In concrete terms, this means that if an inverter stops working in year 12, or if the compressor in the heat pump gives out in year 8, it is our responsibility to fix it. You pay the same fixed monthly cost as before. No extra invoice, no spare-parts costs.

The reason is simple: when Elvy owns the equipment, it is also Elvy that carries the risk of keeping it working. That is the difference between owning a heat pump yourself and having an energy subscription.

Most faults are detected before you notice anything yourself. Because the system is connected and monitored continuously, Elvy can often see that a component is starting to behave abnormally and book a fix before it drops out of service.

When you do notice that something is wrong, you contact Elvy's support by phone or email. We are open weekdays 9am–6pm and weekends 9am–1pm. Troubleshooting always starts remotely together with our support team, since many faults can be resolved or diagnosed without a technician having to come out.

When a visit is needed, it is Elvy's installation partner who comes out and carries out the repair. We coordinate the contact and cover the cost — you do not have to chase down the right technician or compare hourly rates yourself.

That is one of the points of the model: responsibility for the equipment working does not rest with you.

This is the scenario that worries the most people. A heat pump that gives out in January is not primarily a technical problem, it is a comfort problem. The house gets cold, fast.

Measures that affect heating are given extra-high priority during the winter half of the year, so that the time without heat is as short as possible. The exact handling depends on the situation and which equipment is involved, and under certain circumstances it can include a temporary heating solution. The principle is the same: Elvy is responsible for the house working, not just for the equipment being in place.

Normal use is always covered by the guarantee. That includes wear, component faults and problems that arise over time without anyone having caused them.

Damage caused by obvious mishandling, careless use or interference by unauthorised persons is not covered. In practice this is rarely a grey area. Ordinary household use sits comfortably within what the guarantee covers.

This is a fair question and we take it seriously. The energy sector is young, the model is new, and it is legitimate to wonder what happens in the worst case.

If Elvy as a company were no longer around, your energy installation is not affected physically. It stays put on the roof, in the boiler room and in the electrical panel, and keeps working. The difference is that you, instead of paying via the subscription, take over the costs for heating and household electricity directly. At the same time you take over the energy system's revenue streams, for example from selling surplus electricity.

Service and repairs continue to be handled by the leasing company that owns the equipment. You can reasonably expect a similar net cost for your energy, but with somewhat greater variation over the year.

The operating guarantee is not an add-on package or an insurance you can opt out of. It is part of the whole idea behind Elvy: that you pay for the energy in your home to work, not to own the equipment that happens to deliver it.

That is what makes the monthly cost predictable throughout the entire contract period, even when the technology is eight years old. And that is why the question of what happens if something breaks has a short answer: nothing, for you.