The method of performing maintenance of an elevator is performed by unlocking and opening a landing door at a lowermost landing manually, activating a first stop button in the shaft, whereby a safety circuit of the elevator is opened so that operation of the car is completely prevented, entering into the shaft, closing the landing door, climbing down from the lowermost landing to the pit, turning a drive switch in a maintenance control unit positioned in the pit into a maintenance drive mode, whereby the first stop button is by-passed so that the car can be driven from the maintenance control unit upwards and downwards in the shaft.