Complaint Review: Solar City - Nationwide

In August of 2015 my wife and I made a decision to go solar for our home.  We encountered a very nice man by the name of Chris Williams in Tucson Mall manning a kiosk.  We eagerly exchanged numbers in hopes to learn more of the product.  This gentlemen Chris Wiliams approximately a week or so later met with us at our home.  He frequently bragged of his extensive involvement in the LDS church.  I've never considered myself to be very niave when it came to dishonest sales people but this man stuck it to me.  He thoroughly had my trust!!!  My wife and I stressed that our time in this home would be short lived estimating 4-5 years on the long side. I stressed that I would not be interested in a product that could save me a small amount of money and then a monster bill when I move in 4-5 years.  

Chris Williams proceeded to tell me that when I move the solar equipment stays with the home.  If the new home owner was not interested in the solar equipment despite  a 99% success rate they would remove their equipment after 2 months of missed payments with no recourse to me.  THIS WAS ALL A VERY BIG LIE! 2nd Chris Williams stressed to me that installing the panels came with a 10 year roof warranty gifted and purchased by Solar City.  He made specific examples such as if my home was 60 years old and long out of warranty it would still gift me a full 10 year warranty. THIS WAS ALL A VERY BIG LIE!!!  Prior to installing the equipment Solar City sent out a roof surveyor/inspector.  The inspector said that the roof was in great shape as was the attic and should forsee no problems.

2 days after installation I had 4 buckets in my living room and kitchen catching water.  Living in Tucson we have extreme monsoons.  My home went from never seeing a drop to buckets of sometimes pouring water.  When I contacted Solar City I was told on the phone that they did not do it. They insisted on sending out the installer and big surprise he said that there was no leak at all. Solar City sent out a licensed roofer at my request (Economy Roofing) that they assured me they had a long standing relationship with and were very thorough.  

2 weeks later a kid in a pickup pulled up at my home with no business name on his vehicle, shirt or business card. The roofer Gama said that they had only dealt with Solar City for 2 weeks and were very happy to have established a relationship with them. The roofer Gama told me immediately after inspection that the roof had some issues that should have been identified prior to installation.  Gama told me that the area was likely weak and 7-8 guys on my roof installing panels likely disturbed it causing the leak.  Gama told me that the leak was very bad and impossible to miss.  The leak was most obvious where the roof meets the fireplace approximately 2 feet from the panels.  AFter reporting back to his work and relaying this information with Solar City I recieved a call from Solar City clearly telling me that they were in no way responsible for the leak per the roofer.  THIS WAS ALL A VERY BIG LIE!!! LAst major complaint was that the sales person had sold his product by bashing our local electric complany TEP.  He told me that rates were certain to continue to increase and I could protect myself by having a very reasonable fixed rate for 20 years or as long as I owned my home.  We discussed a fixed rate of $119 and signed agreeing to this amount.  

After installation took place I spoke with a friend at work and he seemed as though the rate was low.  He asked if I had the rate that increased or the fixed rate.  I told him that I only knew of a fixed rate.  I shortly after this conversation contacted Chris Williams to confirm that I had the fixed rate as this is the only thing that we had discussed.  He told me that he made the personal decission to put me on the "accelerator plan" because of my short time in the home.  This rate he signed me up for does increase 2.9% per year.  This was NEVER discussed and he absolutely lied.  

After all of these issues I was connected to Gabriel Duran the regional manager out of El Paso.  This manager is not a decision maker and was merely bounced around and lead nowhere for a few more weeks. I have sent 6 requests instructing him to remove the equipment from my home.  He at this point has bounced me back through the 800 number customer service people where nothing has been done.  Everybody at Solar City simply bounces me to another to hear the sob story and do nothing. I have turned the information over to my attorney to deal with but we are holding off briefly in hopes that they answer my plea and make a deal right.  I will deal with my roof troubles even though they share responsibility but I will not lose 25k in equity on my home so that they can bank my rebate check from the government.  I am very likely to go solar but not with this very dishonest and misleading people. My strong advice is to avoid SOLAR CITY at all cost! Any company is capable of trouble but how they have dealt with it or lack there of is quite shameful.

Thank You

Mike