ComplaintsforSolar Source

• Initial Complaint

  01/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Solar Source invoiced for services not rendered.Company Name: Solar Source Service Date 12/4/2023 Invoice Number: 104767-2 Solar Source service technician (the owner's son) spent less than 20 minutes on my property for a return call. I am being charged for 60 minutes.Solar Source charges for time, if their technician spends beyond 30 minutes on your property for on a return call.I have been charged by Solar Source for services not rendered on 12/14/2023. The service technician (the owner's son) was on my property for less than 20 minutes; however, Solar Source has sent me a bill for $80 charging me for 60 minutes on 12/14/23. The service technician (the owner's son) was at our property on a second service call to repair a gasket leak that the first technician missed 6 days prior. I saw the service technician (the owner's son) walking on and pulling on the solar tubes. While doing so, he stated that he found another leak, and that it would cost $5 more to plug it plus $7 for the gasket. I took pictures and a video. He said there is another leak at the top and I told him not to fix it. He wanted to inspect the entire system and I said no. I told him there is no need because the entire system was already inspected by Solar Source 6 days prior on 12/8/23, and I have already paid the 12/8/23 bill in full, and do not want to incur any more charges for time spent on inspection. I need to keep this visit to less than 30 minutes. He climbed down from the roof to his truck and gave me the bill for $12.17. I paid that **** in cash, and he gave me a receipt. The $12.17 bill was for parts only. Solar Source charges for time, if their technician spends beyond 30 minutes on your property for a return call.

  Business response

  01/30/2024

  We apologize for the billing error, and have issued a refund. Thank you for your business!

• Initial Complaint

  10/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a quote from this company to have my solar panels taken down and put back up after a roof was installed. The quote was for 1631. As we shopped for roofers, one of them said they could take the panels down. I then called Solar Source to ask if the roofers took the panels down if it would be cheaper to just have them reinstalled. I spoke with the same lady that sent me the original quote for 1631 and she told me that I could just cut the proposal in half. I made a very costly decision based on that information. We had a verbal contract to have the panels reinstalled for half of 1631. After the roof was completed, I called to schedule the reinstall and was sent a quote for almost 1200. I explained the situation to a gentleman named Ryan who recommended I speak with a manager. I left multiple messages and emails for a manager named Dan. After a couple weeks he eventually called me just to say that not only would they not honor the verbal contract, but he also believes the 1200 quote was too low and we should be charged the full 1631. The only other option he provided was an offer to send a salesman to our home to quote a brand new system. Solar Source should honor their verbal contract and reinstall the panels at the original quote of half of 1631.

  Business response

  12/06/2023

  We are not aware of any "verbal contract" with an unnamed "lady" as referenced by the customer. It's possible that the customer communicated with our after-hours answering service, however there is no record of that, either. Our team members that the customer did mention by name communicated our pricing and policies in detail and in writing. All written communication with this customer reflected the full price. As a 39 year old company providing contracting services to consumers, we communicate all costs through clear written prices that are emailed to each client for their specific project, so that there are no misunderstandings or the need to try to recall a phone conversation. 

  In an effort to explain to the broader BBB audience that may be reading this, when an unrelated roofing company removes one of our solar systems from a customer's roof several things occur:

  1. Components of the solar system are often lost, damaged or destroyed. Many of these are site-specific and are custom-fitted to that particular installation (wire lengths, pipe lengths, mounting hardware, etc). This costs the homeowner hundreds or thousands of dollars to replace, which we prefer to avoid. 

  2. The roofer is not licensed or trained to perform work on a solar energy system. Depending upon the type of system, electricity and/or plumbing is involved. This can create extremely dangerous situations for both the workers and the homeowner. If an accident or injury occurs, the roofing company's insurance will not cover the claim because they were performing work that's outside of their licensed "scope". This puts the homeowner and their property at a significant legal risk.

  3. Multiple warranties are instantly voided on the solar equipment. When an unapproved, non-solar contractor dismantles and removes a solar system that's under warranty it provides all of the various solar component manufacturers with an easy out to deny any future warranty claims from that homeowner.

  It is because of these reasons and thousands of transactions with solar homeowners that we have developed our policies to protect our customers from the temptation of hiring unlicensed and unqualified workers to perform specialized solar contracting work while getting their roof replaced. The fact that we charge the full price of removal as well as reinstallation, even if the removal portion of the project was performed by an unrelated roofing company is a failsafe measure to disincentivize our customer from making a potentially costly decision. This is a policy we have maintained for decades.

  Any time one of our 60,000+ customers has a negative experience with our company, we take it very seriously. We will make sure to address this complaint with our team to see if there are any ways to better communicate this policy in the future.

  Business response

  12/07/2023

  We apologize for any miscommunication or misunderstanding you may have had during the phone call you reference. While we do discuss many different price ranges and potential work scopes with customers, we rely upon our standard written estimates that we email to customers for their approval so that this very situation is avoided.

  We have had the same pricing policy for over 20 years, with regard to the removal and reinstallation of solar panels during a roofing project. It’s impossible to quote work over the phone if a roofing company has removed our solar system – we don’t know which parts are still usable, missing, destroyed, etc.

  As you’ve said, you’ve done business with our company before without issue. In an effort to resolve this matter, we’re willing to discount the remaining work by $250.

  *Please bear in mind that we still do not know how many of your system components can be reused and how many have been damaged. It’s possible that there will be additional charges once this is determined. We often see things ranging from panels that have been cut in half during removal, to all of the installation and connection hardware being disposed of by the roofers. 

  Customer response

  12/08/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Around 8 years ago I purchased 24 solar panels, 24/optimizers and an inverter. The person who it to me was Nick a********. That solar company was bought out by superior solar and then solar source. Both panels and optimizers had a 25 year warranty. The complete electrical array was purchased for $24,000. In May 2023 I contracted solar source to take down my solar panels and reinstall them once the roof was re-roofed. One of their technicians noticed that one of the panels under warranty presented a hazard if reinstall and recommended a replacement. On 19 May 2023 I spoke to the first individual at Solar technical support to reinstall my solar array. She was going to get back to me. The next week I spoke to Ryan and told him I needed the array reinstalled and he was going to get back to me. No return calls by either. The next week I spoke to Shawn and he said he would get back to me and understood he had to replace a panel and reinstall the solar array. No call back was received I have attempted three times to speak to someone and was told each time I would receive a call back to no avail. I need my solar array reinstall and functioning to include my solar hot water panel.

  Business response

  06/14/2023

  This review is from the customer of a company called ********* Solar, which has been out of business since 2017. Some employees from that company were subsequently hired by another company called Superior Solar, and then in 2018 Superior Solar's assets were purchased by our company - Solar Source. We have purchased the assets of numerous solar providers that have gone out of business, and when we do that we attempt to assist their former customers with various manufacturer's warranty claims when they arise. 

  Unfortunately, this particular customer's solar panels were manufactured by a company called SolarWorld which has been out of business for several years. This, combined with the fact that solar panel sizes and wattages evolve over time means that it's very difficult to source a replacement panel, and often takes more time than one would assume is reasonable. While the customer has called us multiple times to inquire about the status of a replacement panel, our answer continues to be the same - we are searching for an OEM panel (hard to find, but not impossible) from multiple suppliers across the country. Additionally, the customer requested an estimate to add panels to his system upon reinstallation. He ultimately rejected that quote citing the price as "horse manure". 

  Our team will reach out to the customer today to reiterate the process for finding a replacement for his broken panel, and we will schedule the reinstallation of his equipment. 

  Our company has been in continuous operation since 1984, and our service team has assisted thousands of customers whose original solar provider has gone out of business or has stopped responding to them. As with all customers in this situation, we sympathize and understand their frustration, and will continue to work on solving this issue as quickly as possible. 

  Customer response

  06/14/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company is not making an effort to honor warranties from the company they purchased or previously did business under called ******** *****. I started noticing a brown spot in my ceiling near the end of 2022. Solar Source came out and reviewed the issue and noticed issues with the solar panels no longer being attached to the roof correctly. After going into the attic and taking pictures of water damage from the leaks that had clearly been happening for a long time, and telling me that someone would be in contact with me about having the issue reviewed for warranty coverage, I heard nothing back from anyone. I've called multiple times and spoke to the person's manager, who said he would be in touch with the warranty department and get back to me, and he has yet to call me back. The person I spoke with also said his reports showed that the solar panels were in good shape, though his employee told me the panels would have to be completely taken off and new panels put on because of poor workmanship and use of materials that should not have been used. It appears the only way to get these people to show some customer service is to get a lawyer involved.

  Business response

  03/06/2023

  We are looking into this claim and will reach out to the customer with a resolution immediately. 

  Customer response

  03/06/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. They have already contacted me and began completing the work.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In February 2020 I contracted with Superior Solar for the purchase and installation of solar panels on my residence. During the discussion with the salesman Nick A******** I asked about water leaks caused by the installation process. He proceeded to show me their statements of policies, terms and conditions to the contract which clearly states there is a 10 year warranty from the licensed roofing contractor who installed the system. We had not had a water intrusion issue to that point in time Installation proceeded without issue and the unit was certified for operation in April 2020. During the recent tropical storms we noticed water stains in our bedroom directly under portions of the panels. Their inhouse roofing company came out and quoted the repair at over $12,000. After informing me they could not assure me the repair would be covered by the warranty I contacted an outside roofing company who have surveyed the roof area in question and quoted a repair cost of roughly $5800. I have attempted numerous times to contact a Mr Shawn W****** at SolarSource who bought out Superior Solar and is doing business under their license. Mr W****** does not seem interested in resolving this issue and has not answered numerous emails or phone calls. I dont care who does the repair but upon scanning your website for this company a failure to provide remedy for roof leaks appears several times. I would like them to contact me in good faith and repair the damage which I feel was caused during the installation.

  Customer response

  01/04/2023

  Since this case was opened communication with the business has greatly improved. I have had a good rapport with SolarSource over the last several weeks and we are now on schedule to accomplish the work. Please close this case with my sincere gratitude.

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Company installed solar on 08/08/22 and completing 08/12/22, two weeks or so after heavy rain came through and I noticed a stain on my ceiling, they came out promptly to check my roof on 09/08/22 and found that two nails were removed causing the leak, they fixed the same day and stated that someone would be by in a few days to replace the dry wall. After asking multiple times between 3 different people my drywall still has not been repaired and the final answer when I asked how long is it going to be before someone takes care of it, their response was only "We'll keep you posted" it is now 10/06/22 and nothing has been done.

  Business response

  11/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/10/12) */ We are in receipt of this complaint, and will follow through to its resolution. We've had a challenge in scheduling a certified drywall contractor to complete this work, but the repair is now in process.

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a solar pool heating system from Superior Solar on 8/28/17. Solar Source later acquired this company and is honoring their warranties, including mine which is still in force and specifically covers roof penetration from rainwater. On 3/29/22 I called Solar Source to report that rainwater was penetrating through my roof near the solar panels. On 4/2/22 one of their employees went into my attic, took pictures, and told me he saw a lot of water damage. Throughout April and much of May I made numerous calls to follow up on what Solar Source would do to fix the damage. While they were dragging their feet my roof was still getting rained on so I bought a tarp and covered the entire solar system myself. On 6/1/22 their employee emailed me: "With the age of your roof being around 18 years old, the shingles are too brittle to do a repair, so a new roof is all we would be comfortable with doing." He quoted me $29,000 or so to reroof the house. To be clear though, no one from Solar Source has ever denied responsibility for the leak. And nowhere in my warranty does it say that repairs will not be done if the roof is old. The tarp that I placed on the roof in May lasted until early August, at which point it had been destroyed by the elements. On 8/4/22 I removed the tarp and the nails affixing it, covered the nail holes in the roof with tar, and additionally added tar to most areas where the solar system is screwed down into the roof. Upon close inspection I noted a few areas where screws were popping out of the roof and thus rainwater could enter. I am asking for the following: (i) an apology; (ii) all pictures taken and a copy of any reports or notes made by their employee as relates to his 4/2/22 inspection of my attic; (iii) a payment of $470.78, which will reimburse me $110.78 for direct expenses and $360 for my time; (iv) a promise to reimburse me for any wood that needs to be replaced due to water damage when I next reroof my house.

  Business response

  09/01/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/10) */ We have researched this customer's claim and will contact them immediately to resolve it. This was poor communication on our part. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/08/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) The company has agreed to do the required repairs and have set a date in the near future for this to happen. Assuming they fix the damage I will be satisfied with their response.

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Superior solar straight out lied to me. I was told by the salesman that the tax credit came as a check with my tax return. I was told I could do what ever I wanted with the tax credit. I could invest it, buy a car, or pay off my bills. Come to find out, one does not get a check sent with their tax return, but serves as a credit. I had minimal federal taxes last year and according to my estimation will take 10yrs to burn off that credit. Now they are requiring me to pay them &7000 or my bill goes up to 240/month. I didn't get solar to pay more for electricity. I feel like the tax credit was misrepresented. I feel like I've been taken advantage of. I have made efforts to communicate this to the manager even going so far as to have my accountant speak with him about how to qualify for the credit. I want my $7000 back without changing the amount or terms of the loan. Had I known when I talked to the salesman, I would not have purchased the system. Hopefully this will prevent this company from screwing anyone else over with their lies. I paid the $7000. Not very many people could handle a financial hit right now. This company should be ashamed for the way they treat people.

  Business response

  01/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/14) */ It is incumbent upon each potential purchaser of a solar energy system to confirm their specific eligibility and tax status with regard to the Solar Investment Tax Credit. We strongly encourage this, and have clear language on every client's contract advising them to do so. As mentioned by this client in their complaint, they have a personal CPA/tax advisor. We aren't tax advisors, nor do we represent ourselves as such. We do discuss various possible scenarios while explaining the general mechanics of the Tax Credit. In the end, only the client and their tax advisor can know how the Tax Credit will impact them. Additionally, this client chose to finance their solar system with a 3rd party provider, and the terms of the loan are set by that provider including the requirement to pay down the loan with the proceeds from the Tax Credit in order to maintain the current monthly payment amount. The finance company explains this, both in writing and in a recorded phone call to the client. They do this to eliminate any misunderstanding, and to avoid this exact situation. Because the solar-buying process often involves conversations with salespeople from several companies making various assertions, the Tax Credit disclaimers that are on our contract and that were provided to the client both in writing and in a recorded conversation by the finance company are standard practice in our industry. It is unfortunate that these important and verifiable communications with the client were ignored or forgotten by the client, and that the memory of a conversation with a sales rep in 2019 is the basis for this complaint. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/12/15) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This company can make all the accusations that they please. At the end of the day, if they are not tax experts, they should not be telling people that they will get a tax credit that will be sent to the buyers will receive. I was told by the salesperson that I would get the federal tax credit as a check to pay the finance company. This is a lie. This is why I purchased this system. Had I known that this was a big fat lie, I would not have purchased this system. I was lied to, in effort to make the sale. This company is very dishonest. It is poor business practice to lie about the tax credit and I would have never made this purchase had they been upfront and honest. This company even spoke to my accountant and lied to him as well. I am not happy with this there "resolution " as they have done nothing but lie to resolve this matter. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2022/01/05) */ Misunderstandings regarding eligibility for tax credits are a challenge that affects the solar industry, the electric vehicle industry, and many others that carry such government incentives. The only parties that can determine the eligibility and/or the effect of a tax credit for the purchaser is the purchaser and their tax professional. We have clear, written disclaimers on all of our agreements regarding this. The IRS has easily accessed information on their website. The finance company that this client used also provides this information as part of their loan process, as well as requiring acknowledgement by the purchaser in writing. And here is a clear explanation from this same page: "IF THE TAX CREDIT EXCEEDS MY TAX LIABILITY, WILL I GET A REFUND? This is a nonrefundable tax credit, which means you will not get a tax refund for the amount of the tax credit that exceeds your tax liability. Homeowners may get a tax refund at the end of the year due to the tax credit, if the reduction in tax liability means there was overpayment during the year. This can often occur when employers deduct taxes for employees over the course of the year. However, such refund is still limited by the taxpayer's total tax liability. However, you can carry over any unused amount of tax credit to the next tax year." Unfortunately, we cannot agree to the client's proposed resolution of paying him $7,000 for a tax credit that he is unable to claim as he would like. We continue to encourage all solar buyers to determine their own eligibility for any such credits. Consumer Response /* (4200, 13, 2022/01/05) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I agree, the federal tax credit should not be a sales tool. Especially when presented fraudulently. Your company straight out lied in order to get the sale. Your salesman specifically told me that I would get a check for the rebate. Your company made a tax assumption that was incorrect. You then presented false information on purpose, because now all the sudden you are clear on how the tax credit works. At the end of the day, you lied to get the sale. Your salesman told me that I would get a check for this tax credit. He told me that I could use it any way I wanted. I could pay off bills, buy a car, or take vacation with this refund knowing full well it was a lie. Being deceitful is not good business practice.

• Initial Complaint

  10/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 11/11/20 I hired Solar Source also known as Superior Solar to install solar panel in my home which is 4,155 sq feet they only install fourteen panel I told the saleman that the recomended amount was twenty-six panel he said that there panel should produce enough energy for my home .Before solar my KUA bill was about $245.per month because i live alone since then my bill has change very little now i am paying the finance company $163 per month and KUA as of september $183.61 am now in a worst position The president of the company said that they were going to add more panel but onJuly 28 2021 i receive a letter RE: Termination of offer and if I say anything to harm his company will be met with a vigorous legal defense as well as an assessmentof any damages we incur as a result

  Business response

  11/11/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/13) */ We will address these claims specifically and in detail. Regarding the sizing of the system: This solar electric system was sized to meet the energy demand that was claimed by the customer at the time of the sale. We were told there would be one person living in the home, away traveling frequently, and with limited guests during the holidays. Solar electric systems are carefully sized to meet the electricity demands of people, not houses. She was not able to produce a power bill for the system to be sized to, but used a bank statement showing a $140 payment for the month of August 2020. She stated that she believed that the power bill was artificially high, due to the fact that the doors were open much of the month for movers and contractors. The system was then sized according to this data provided by the customer by one of our most experienced salespeople, who holds both a Florida solar contractor license as well as NABCEP certification, personally. The calculations for this were clear and transparent, and were acknowledged in writing by the customer. Regarding the monthly payment: In addition to the solar electric system, the customer purchased a complete solar pool heating system as well as a new variable speed pool pump. The customer chose to finance all three products (solar energy system, solar pool system, and pool pump) in one loan, which determined the monthly payment...naturally higher than a payment on just a solar electric system would be. This has been explained to the customer, in person and in writing. Subsequent to the installation of the solar system designed for one person last year, the customer chose to permanently relocate from New York and live in the home year-round, as well as moving several other people into the home. The electricity demand increased dramatically. The customer suddenly became dissatisfied with the solar system and stopped understanding why the monthly finance payment for 3 products was more than the energy savings for 1 product. Regarding the response from KUA: Contacting the utility company to ask them if a small solar system should be providing the power of a large solar system resulted in the customer's desired answer. This is not a valid metric. In addition to all of the above, our retail solar contracts require the customer to sign/initial the calculation of the existing power demand, as well as the projected solar energy. This customer took several weeks after we provided our proposal to make a decision on the solar, so there was no pressure or urgency placed upon them by our company. If there was an opportunity to sell this customer a larger system for more money that would meet their energy demand...we would certainly have done that. It would be in our business interest to do that. This is simply a person whose living situation has changed substantially since the solar was installed, and therefore is consuming more power now. We offered to increase the system size in an attempt to appease the customer, but it became clear that they were not dealing in good faith so we rescinded that offer. Attached to this response is a copy of the contract that clearly shows the energy production (specifically initialed by the customer, so that there would be no confusion) of the system. Also attached is the offer termination letter. We trust that the reader of this complaint and response will understand what's going on here. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/10/15) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) None of what they said is true I moved from new york in 2017 and i lived at******************* alone in 2019 the house at ******************** went on the market which was across the street of family member that was the reason for buying such a big house i live on the first floor there none one living upstair the AC and lights stays of 90%of the time my children and grand children all have jobs in new york and only comes to visit me staying onyl a few days KUA said the house needs 26 panels and i told the saleman that but he said his panel powerful enough to supply energy to the house that was a lie Mr S**** said he would install four more panel then change his mind instead sent me a letter threatening to sue me this system cost $30,826.00 all the house in my area the roof is covered with panels my has 14 panels they need to fix it, it is costing me much more per month i sent a copy of the letter to the BBB,I also told the saleman I want a system that should run the house base on the size not how many people in the house and for the record I live alone Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/11/03) */ We are not able to assist Ms.********* any further. Please refer to our initial response which very clearly addresses each of the claims made. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (4200, 13, 2021/11/05) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) None of what Mr S**** is saying is true my home is a big house and i was very clear when i spoke to the salesman they screw up and now instead of fixing the problem he want to threating me sending me a letter from his lawyer please tell Mr S**** am not changing my story because it is true and my bills will speak for it self Solar is to reduce one electrical bill not increase it and i will continue to speak out because it is not right and what is happening to me am sure there are other people with the same problem

*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. ↩