Living with your heat pump: a one-page sheet for owners and tenants

I started from my own handover. I was shown the controls, the outdoor switch-off, the cylinder and its pressure gauge, and the app. But the induction was brief, and the rest was a large document. I could ask questions, but I knew not everyone feels able to.

I used AI to help me understand the common guidance across four heat pump suppliers. It showed me what is normal and what to do. Where figures differed, I used the more cautious one. For example, the sheet says to turn down by 2° at most.

I wrote the headline as the question people actually ask: "Worried it’s broken? These are normal". My first headline did not ask it.

I laid the sheet out as one A4 page in print and one column on a phone. It covers what is normal, and what to do and avoid. I added fill-in fields for settings, advice for going away, the best time to heat, and when to call. It can be completed with the installer or housing provider.

I made it brand-neutral, in colour on screen and black and white in print, with the same icon style throughout. An approximate readability check found it much easier to read than a supplier’s handover text.

I shared the idea on Nextdoor. Another user agreed that the handover was the worst part of their installation. They said great installers are not always great teachers or communicators, which leaves owners to figure things out.

A Cosy owner replied, confused by an app message about smart heating. I added a note: "Got smart heating? Leave it on."

I also sketched a companion checklist for installers to complete alongside the sheet. It has four sections: shown in person, done and recorded, questions asked, and sign-off. I wrote the sign-off so it records that the person understood, not just that they were happy. I also added a log for their questions, in their own words.