ComplaintsforBetter Earth Solar

• Initial Complaint

  05/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Better Earth committed to installing solar panels and connecting them to the home's power grid. We entered into contract on 3/9/2023 and installation was dependent of acquiring permits to go through with the installation. ****************** approved the installation on 4/13/2023. The installation took place on June 19, 2023 and there were at least 3 issues I identified following the installation. The ditch dug for installation was mishandled and the dirt eroded (they have fixed this), the panels have large scratches on them, and the major issue is that the conduits to the utility grid were not installed properly, rendering the solar panels non-usable. I have reached out over 10 times via telephone calls for many weeks requesting Better Earth to come back to the property to make the appropriate repairs to the solar panels. I have paid them over half of the balance totaling $30,000 USD. My last call where a human answered was in March 2024 with the Finance Manager, ***********************. His response was that there was nothing that he could do to get to a resolution until I paid my balance.My goal is for Better Earth to repair the solar panel issues in order to get them up and running. If they don't want to meet me halfway, I would like a refund and for the company to come remove the panels from my property.

  

  Business response

  05/20/2024

  Hello ********!

   

    Better Earth is committed to providing an excellent experience for each and every homeowner, and it certainly seems like we missed our aim here. We will be looking into these issues and will have someone call out shortly to discuss the necessary actions to take so we can make this project work for you. Thank you for your feedback and we'll be talking to you soon!

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  05/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Hi ************~Our upper management team came back with their findings, they are as follows:No $500 truck roll fee is needed here for a site visit to continue. We will not be reimbursing the invoice due to the following findings:If you look at the site survey photos, it's pretty telling that we never touched the ** breaker. There was never a 35amp breaker that feeds the **, and we didn't remove it or use that breaker for the solar. It would have failed the solar inspection. The plans called for a 40 amp and that is what was installed. The solar breaker installed at the top of the panel is a 40 amp.This is a response from better Earth upper management Notifying me of their refusal to take responsibility for their installer stealing my 35amp breaker off of my ** slot, to use on their solar panel.then they confess that they only use 40 amp breakers for which they should've failed code inspaction.I had requested reimbursement for the ** starter that broke As a result of the wrong 20aMp breaker being placed on the ** unit. So, last week i replaced that starter.plus reimbursement for the 35aMp breaker that I must replace for my ac breaker,both of which were denied By betterearth upper management. Also by their own admission from their response, The 35 AMp, which they state should be 40amp is not up to code by their own admission. Will be reported to code enfenforcement.

  

  Business response

  05/20/2024

  Hello Uriah!

   

    Thank you for the feedback and for the opportunity to address your project's issues. We see you are in contact with our escalations manager and he will surely help you solve any outstanding issues swiftly. We will make sure he updates you shortly on a resolution path so we can make your experience better. Thank you and talk to you soon!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  05/21/2024

  This picture does not validate anything. It shows the same exact positioning of the breakers as we have seen them in all the other pictures.

   besides which your installation of the panels is still out of code as all of the solar breakers are not 40 amps As your team has already admitted.

   

  i sent this message to their administrator, &there's been no response.  t

  betterearth staff continue to claim deniablity based on repatative photographs that show the same electric box with the same breakers in their postions, leaving their denials without merit. 

  

  Business response

  05/21/2024

  Hello Uriah!

   

    The picture sent is important because it shows the breaker that caused the damage was not moved by Better Earth. The picture we sent was taken at site survey on June 20, 2022 long before Better Earth touched anything on your property. The circled red pic shows the breaker in question that caused the damage was there already, so there is no way Better Earth could switch this out. 
  
    Nevertheless, this is not the customer experience we want you to have, and we will have our escalations manager reach out asap to discuss what more we can do here. Talk to you soon!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  05/24/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Better Earth improperly installed solar panels onto the roof of our home, using the wrong mounts for all of the panels. The installation was done in the summer of 2022. That negligence led to a roof leak at the end of March 2024.We had noticed a water leak in our ceiling, and called a trusted local contractor to come check it out - not knowing what the cause of the leak was at first. He determined that the damage came from the faulty solar panel mounts. Better Earth declined to reimburse us for our contractor expenses ($299) related to their improperly installed solar panels which caused damage to our bedroom ceiling. So to summarize - they botched the install and used the wrong mounts for our type of roof. That caused a leak. We paid out $299 to verify the cause of the leak, not knowing at first that it was Better Earth's improper install, and when we asked for reimbursement for that expense they denied our claim.

  

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  Hello *****!

   

    We appreciate you bringing your experience to our attention. We have looked into this and see that you already received assistance and resolution with our escalations manager. If any other issues come up, communicate with him and he will surely assist in any further needs. Thank you!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  05/03/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Back in May 2023, residents from 1078 ******************* had an agreement to move forward with the solar panel project. The solar panel system was not actively working until March 2024. Per the paper work, customer, whoever paid the financing payments before system is up, should get reimbursed. However, I kept asking from November 2023, December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024, the Better Earth represents keeps make up with "policy change" without providing any policy proof or documents about the change. The company is not trustable, and it's not providing any useful customer service as listed in the agreement. Customer are getting none services with hundreds dollars bills. This company is not reliable and trustable.

  

  Business response

  04/21/2024

  Hello ******!

   

    Thank you for sharing your experience and it is true that up until recently we tried to reimburse any homeowners as much as we could if the delays were caused by Better Earth. It is important to note that this policy was an instance where Better Earth was going above and beyond our contractual obligations and there is nothing in your Installation Agreement that promises these reimbursements. Better Earth remains committed to upholding every word of our contracts and we apologize for any inconveniences we have caused. But we certainly promise to uphold our contract and your warranties are still in tact. We will be ready to deliver a 5star customer experience if any issues ever arise with the functionality of your system. Thank you for your feedback and for holding us accountable. We promise to stick to our word and to deliver for exactly what you signed for. 

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  04/21/2024

  I would like to upload the Installation Agreement to BBB confidentially if BBB agree to keep it themselves. Meantime, we are reaching out to legal assistance towards this breaking contract issue. 

  

  Business response

  04/24/2024

  Hello!

   

    I am not sure that BBB can accept a confidential uploading of our installation agreement, but rest assured you can share it here and we will stand by every word of it. 

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  04/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Signed contract in Dec 2022 for 3 10Kw systems on 3 different properties that we own. The price was good but everything else was AWFUL!Unit 1 - installed 2/2023 - left holes in my roof , damage shingles on my BRAND NEW roof , didn't clean up , didn't hook up the sub panel to the main panel and didn't hook up the inverter. Reported all the above, they sent a crew to look at the roof. I went and re-checked and still holes in the roof with no silicon and damaged shingles. Finally hooked up the sub panel 6/2023. As of 6/2023 still don't have the permits yet (even though they installed the panels 4 months ago!!!)*let them know that I would be inspecting the next intall if they wanted to do the other units since the first install was soo crappy Unit 2 - installed 3/2023 , much better install everything was finished at time of install. *** finialized 6/2023 *however got my solaredge montioring access and noticed the inverter is clipping. They installed a 7.6 inverter on a 10K solar system! :( The contract doesn't specify what make model of panel or inverter. Shame on them!!!!!!Unit 3 - installed 3/2023 , shorted me a solar panel , fought me tooth and nail telling me I can't count :) They wanted to come back , I said take it off the bill. They deducted it and we moved on. Similar to unit 1 .. As of 6/2023 still don't have the permits yet (even though they installed the panels 4 months ago!!!) Finally got *** on 10/20/23 , It is now 4/17 and I still don't have the money they owe me for bills that I incoured waiting for the *** to be finalized.Save yourself the time and headaches and go with another installer.

  

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  We wholeheartedly appreciate any homeowner that entrusts ** with multiple projects on multiple properties, and we are thankful for you sharing your experience here. We have checked the status for each of your projects and see that you are now activated at each site... despite several headaches that you shared here. We acknowledge our mistakes and pride ourselves on being one of very few solar companies that takes full accountability for their actions, and we see several thousand dollars in reimbursements sent your way while you were waiting on us to bring you to activation.
  
  At this point, we have honored our contracts and will continue to honor them as we embark on our 25yr warranty on your systems. Thank you for your feedback! 
  
  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  04/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  During year 2023, due to the equipment failure, from 4/14 to 9/13, 5 months, there has zero power generated. The company owns responsibility monitoring and ensuring the equipment's working condition, however they failed badly. Until 08/08, when I found out the abnormal behavior of the system and called the technical to troubleshoot. Even so, it took them another month to fix the issue.The financial damage cost to me is over $400, since the company compensate the missed electricity rate is much lower than utility company charges. This is complete contrast to their sales promise though they now claim none liability.

  

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Hello ******!

   

    Thank you for your feedback. Looking into your project, we certainly see that your system was down and that you've had a conversation with our customer success team. Our database shows that we will be reimbursing you for the shorted kilowatt hours of our system with a check this Friday, as well as spent thousands of dollars replacing your inverter at no cost to you to assure that this will not happen again. We understand the frustration of having a system down and we will continue to provide you customer service and honor our warranties for the coming years if any issues arise again. Thank you again for your feedback and we know your system is set to produce a ton of energy this summer!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  04/12/2024

  Better Earth,
  I do not accept the resolution, nothing has changed since our initial communication. 
  The lengthy downtime could have been prevented if you have NOT failed monitoring the system. You should learn from this incident to correct your process or personnel. Its not a fare business practice making a customer paying the penalty for your mistake?
   To response to your quotes,
  1. "we certainly see that your system was down, because I found the issue, not you. You may have still leaving it down.
  2. "youve had a conversation with our customer success team, but there was no success. Your success team dont want to admit the failure of monitoring the system. Dont use how you honor the warranty to cover up the root cause. Dont use your paying the electricity shortage as if you have paid my loss.  I kept paying 5 months payments for your down equipment and full electricity bill.
  3. "We understand the frustration then please instead of blank words, show people on the Earth youre a responsibility corporation.

  

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Hello ******!

   

    Better Earth strives to be a responsible company and will honor every word of our installation agreement. We will continue building our teams and monitoring software so that instances such as yours do not sit idly for lengths of time. We appreciate your feedback and for holding us accountable, and we will continue fulfilling our 25yr warranty if any other issues come ** in the future. Thank you again for sharing your experience!

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  03/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed a contract with Better earth solar back in June 2023, until now the installer has not completed the contract, meaning they only installed the panels without the battery and no ************* get them up and running. I called several times to Brighton (installers) to complete the job and they told me that the battery was not in stock yet, then they said no payment was received from the finance company to them, so they decided to abandon my house. I called several times, and they ignored my calls and messages. Now that I want to sell my house, I found out that I have a lien on my property. Never received anything from finance or a call from installers. The salesperson created a DocuSign from his computer with an email that doesn't belong to me. Therefore, the contract was not completed so i believe they shouldn't collect any money yet, so I don't understand the lien. At this point I want them to remove the panels take everything down and cancel the contract and remove the lien. I don't trust them anymore. Can you help?

  

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  Hello ********!

   

    We would like to assist here in any way we can. In our database it does not show we have installed yet. Did you get solar with another installer? Please reach out to: [email protected] and one of our team members will help in any way they can. Thank you!

   

  -Better Earth

  

  Business response

  04/08/2024

  Hello ********!

   

    After reviewing your complaint and the issues you've provided, we don't believe we are the installers on this job. We are Better Earth, and we have a fully integrated installer company, so Better Earth would have installed your system, not "Brighton". Further, it does look like at one point you began a solar project with us in June of 2023, but we never installed, and called out this project as needing a reroof. If you believe we are mistaken, please email: [email protected] and someone will reach out asap to discuss further. Thank you!

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  02/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Job was never finished. Contractor never contacted me back.getting billed out of bank account every month for solar panels that were never finished or properly installed. Failed inspection contractor has not bothered to come fix or contact **** am in contract for a service that was never provided.

  

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  Hello ****!

   

    Thank you for providing us an opportunity to address your project here! We are aware that there are pending issues on your project that need resolution. We have reached out to you many many times over the last several months, promising to take on all costs needed to move your project forward. Until now, you have been unwilling to allow us back on your property. Better Earth will reach out again today to once again offer our assistance and perform the necessary work to bring your project to activation. We will also happily provide the BBB all evidence of our outreach as it is our goal to bring you to activation as quickly as possible. We appreciate the opportunity and will reach out again today in hopes that we can move your project forward. Talk to you soon!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  02/13/2024

  Inspection was failed. 
  
  Better Earth Has Never Called Back Or Reached Out Until I Contacted BBB.

  i No Longed Want Any further Buisness With Better Earth And Need The Panels Removed Off My Home.

  inspection was failed , my main priority Would Be My Family , And A Safe Home. Please Remove The Panels That Failed Inspection , They Have Never **************** It has been months down the road, And Contractor never finished. I will push for a breach of contract , and Fear The safety of my family due to failed Inspection Of Solar Panels On The Roof. 

  

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  Thank you for following up, ****!

   

    Since this response, we have put you in touch with our Director who has worked solely on providing resolutions for you. We hope he will continue to provide assistance and resolve all issues moving forward. 

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Better Earth caused damage to our roof upon installing solar panels which led to water damage in two rooms of our home. We have documentation of them admitting fault. Once the water damage was discovered, Better Earth sent out employees to fix the roof, told us they fixed it, only for us to find the leaks were actually worse. They then sent another employee to fix the leaks and were seemingly successful in patching the leaks. It is at this time we conveyed to Better Earth that we don't trust their company is adequately trained and asked them to stay off our roof until we got a professional roofing company's opinion. The professional roofing company stated the damage done to our roof justifies the need to replace the side of the roof which the solar panels were installed. They reported there were still cracked tiles on our roof around the solar panels as well. Better Earth then asked after the roofing company's report if they could "inspect" our roof. We agreed, but witnessed them working on our roof and they then reported they "fixed" the broken tiles, without our consent! We explicitly asked them to do no work on our roof. Better Earth claims "they fixed our roof" whilst the professional roofing company reports they only "patched" our roof, but haven't repaired the full range of damage done. We have lengthy documentation of all of this information exchanged via email with Better Earth if needed to resolve this issue. We would like for Better Earth to pay a third party, professional roofing company to do the repairs to our roof that the properly trained roofing company reports needs fixed. Communication with this company is also slow and we are tired of working so hard to have them fix the damage they have done.

  

  Business response

  01/19/2024

  Hello *****!

   

    We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to look into your project and see if there are any issues that still need to be addressed. In notes from our last visit to assess the roof work needed, we were granted permission to go up on the roof, and we did not do any work to repair or fix any tiles... no broken tiles were found. We have these notes from ************** on site: 

  "Spoke to the homeowner through ring camera
  He said we cannot come inside but can go on the roof
  We went up and checked all of the roof planes
  No broken tile found
  Checked under arrays found one tile that had some M1 on it but it was not cracked or broken just lifted about 1/4 -1/2 inch because of the footings
  We lifted tiles on separate roof planes to check paper and plywood
  No visible damage or moisture on roof paper"

   

  If there are lingering issues or leaks on your roof, we will certainly do everything necessary to address these. As it stands now, we did not see any cracked or broken tiles on site and are not aware of any leaks ongoing. If anything here is inaccurate, please share any pics you might have to show otherwise and we will address these swiftly. 

   

  -Better Earth

• Initial Complaint

  12/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The company installed 20 solar panels and on activation, found one of the panels is not working and doesnt produce any energy output. Better Earth doesnt give you access to view your solar production till activation. ***** was able find the installation problem only after activation. A ******************* request was placed as of 11/20/23 and multiple calls to customer support post that. The sales person doesnt pick up the calls anymore, no response from the install manager as well. Its been a month now, no production from a newly installed solar panel and Im still waiting to hear from Better Earth on ETA to fix the issue.

  

  Business response

  01/12/2024

  Hello *********!

   

    We are looking into this immediately and will provide the necessary support to ensure that your system is functioning exactly as promised. If a site visit is needed, we will organize that at once!

   

  -Better Earth

  Customer response

  01/12/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************************
  
   
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩