Solar panel repairs and maintenance

A system that is working properly needs very little from you: an occasional look at the app, and someone to call when a number stops making sense. This page covers the faults we see most, what we check during a System Check, and what to do if your installer or your battery maker has stopped trading.

We do not publish repair prices here because every fault is different until someone has looked at it. Book a System Check and we will tell you, in writing, what is wrong and what it costs to put right before any work starts.

My inverter is showing an error, or has stopped working

The inverter is the part of your system doing the most work, converting the direct current your panels produce into the alternating current your home uses, so it is also the part most likely to need attention first. The Energy Saving Trust puts the expected working life of a string inverter at around 12 years, with 10 to 15 years typical, and a 2024 Which? survey of over 2,000 solar owners found inverter problems were the single most common fault reported.

An inverter past that age, or showing a recurring fault code, is usually cheaper to replace than to keep nursing. If you are due a battery too, replacing the inverter with a hybrid unit at the same time means you are not paying for two visits and two sets of isolator work.

My battery will not charge, or will not hold charge

A battery that charges fine but drains fast, or that has stopped charging altogether, can be the battery itself, the inverter managing it, or the settings controlling when it charges and discharges. We check all three rather than assuming the most expensive one. Batteries from Fox ESS, Sigenergy, Sunsynk and Powervault carry a manufacturer guarantee of up to 12 years, confirmed in your original handover pack, so the first thing we do is check whether the fault is still covered before we quote you for anything.

My monitoring app has gone offline, or I can't see my generation figures

This is usually one of three things: your home wifi or router has changed, the inverter's own connection has dropped, or (for some brands) a change to what the manufacturer includes for free. GivEnergy, for example, now splits its monitoring into two tiers: local monitoring, including current power flow, battery state of charge and meter totals, stays free, while remote access away from home and the full history visualised since your install date sit on a paid Premium tier at £4.99 a month (GivEnergy pricing page, read 5 September 2026). If your monitoring has gone quiet, we check the connection first, since that is the cheapest fix, before assuming anything is broken.

Birds have got under my panels

Pigeons and other birds nesting under panels is a problem worth sorting outside the bird breeding season: an active nest is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so clearing one and fitting mesh waits until the birds have finished with it. Which?'s 2024 survey of solar owners found that birds and squirrels nesting under panels "can cause damage, as well as soiling your panels", so it is worth checking under there rather than leaving it. We fit bird mesh as part of a System Check visit where it is needed.

What does a System Check cover?

One visit, one named engineer, one written report you keep whether or not you go on to book any work:

• Inverter age, fault history and output against what your system should be producing
• String and insulation testing
• Battery condition and charge behaviour, where you have one
• Roof and mounting inspection, including bird and debris checks
• Monitoring and app status, and getting it reconnected where we can
• Your export and tariff set-up, so you know it is still working for you

We will tell you the fee for this when you book.

My installer has gone out of business. What now?

A number of installers and equipment makers have stopped trading over the past couple of years, and it leaves owners unsure who to call. GivEnergy Ltd went into administration on 9 April 2026, with its administrators confirming no further hardware warranty, user support or software support from the company (Energy Solutions Association, 15 and 17 April 2026). GivEnergy Software Ltd, a separate company, is not part of the administration. Local monitoring stays free; remote access and full history are now on a paid Premium tier, £4.99 a month (GivEnergy pricing page, read 5 September 2026). If your installer has closed too, there is nobody to go back to for warranty work, which is exactly the gap a System Check is built to cover: we assess what you have, tell you honestly what is and is not fixable, and quote for a replacement battery or inverter from our current range if that is the better option.

This is not a reason to panic about an existing system. A battery or inverter that is working now generally carries on working; administration affects support and warranty, not whether the hardware switches off.

My inverter needs replacing. What's involved?

We isolate the system, fit the new inverter, test the string, and set your monitoring back up before we leave. Where your existing panels and wiring are in good condition, this is a one-visit job. If you are also adding a battery, a hybrid inverter does both jobs from the same visit, so you are not paying for the work twice.