Homeowner upset with solar company despite ‘tremendous dip’ in power bills

CHARLOTTE — Ronnie Robinson says he agreed to pay $63,000 for solar, but didn’t get everything promised. Now, he’s not sure what to do.

He says a company called Solar Air and Energy installed the panels. He says they work well, and that he’s seen a “tremendous dip” in his power bills.

But he says they promised him -- verbally -- a veteran discount of $1,000 and a special hot water heater, but that a logistical issue with the heater popped up.

“He said, ‘We’ll just add three additional solar panels to the rear of the house to compensate,’” Robinson said.

Robinson says he never got the discount, water heater, or extra panels.

“I feel misled. I feel frustrated,” he said.

In the meantime, he says he found out the financing company he was using, SunPower, declared bankruptcy. He says Solar Air, the installer, offered to buy out the contract from SunPower, take over the loan, and drop the price to $35,000 if he paid cash.

“I gave them a check for [$]35,000,” he said.

But Robinson says Solar Air was having trouble getting in touch with SunPower. He lost confidence the new arrangement would pan out. So he asked for his check back and says Solar Air gave it to him. He says he still has to pay the $63,000.

“Since I don’t have everything promised... I shouldn’t have to pay the full amount.”

Another company, SunStrong Management, took over a lot of SunPower’s business after the bankruptcy declaration.

SunPower emailed Action 9: “Thank you for sharing this inquiry. From our review, the customer’s concerns appear to be tied to confusion with the former SunPower Corporation (“Legacy SunPower”), which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 5, 2024. On September 24, 2024, our company acquired certain assets through the Bankruptcy Court’s Section 363 Sale Order. This included the SunPower and Blue Raven Solar brands, but the purchase was made free and clear of Legacy SunPower’s prior debts, liabilities, or claims. We understand how these transitions can create confusion for customers, and our goal is always to help direct them to the right resources. In this instance, the customer’s lease is owned and serviced by SunStrong Management, who remain responsible for administering and supporting that agreement. I’ve already reached out to SunStrong for their review, and it looks like you may have contacted them as well. At this point, SunStrong is the appropriate party to respond directly to the customer and resolve the matter."

SunPower’s website provides customers some information about the bankruptcy and merger, whether they purchased or leased their system.

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SunStrong emailed Action 9 and said Solar Air “may have miscommunicated” Ronnie Robinson’s options, that they don’t have any record involving a water heater and that the number of panels “on the home match” the contract. SunStrong also says Robinson could have rescinded the agreement, but that the window on that had closed.

SunStrong’s full statement: “Thank you for reaching out and for your ongoing advocacy on behalf of consumers in our market. I’ll be stepping in as the media contact for SunStrong Management for the time being. SunStrong is committed to ensuring that customers receive timely and effective service so their energy systems perform as designed. As you may know, SunPower filed for bankruptcy last year, and its assets were subsequently acquired by a group of investors who retained SunStrong Management to oversee and service those assets. Because of that transition, SunStrong has access to only limited data tied to legacy SunPower accounts.

It appears that the Robinsons may have been working with the independent dealer Solar Energy and Air, who may have miscommunicated the customer’s options.

Regarding the $35,000 cashier’s check, there is no record of payment to SunPower on the customer’s behalf. If the dealer still holds the cashier’s check, I strongly recommend the customer request its immediate return.

To support the customer going forward, I’ve asked our technical team to review the site and confirm whether any installation or repair work remains. If so, we’ll work directly with the Robinsons to prioritize that work to ensure the system functions as intended.

I have also reviewed the claim regarding the water heater and/or additional panels. Unfortunately, I see no record of any transaction involving a water heater. I also see the panels installed on the home match the panels included in the finance agreement. The water heater or additional panels appear to have been a verbal agreement or something between just the Robinsons and the Solar Energy and Air. The customer is receiving the product specified in their contract. Additionally, the contract provided for time for the Robinsons to rescind the agreement, but that time has passed.

Lastly, Launch Servicing was mentioned in the customer’s complaint. Launch is a third-party loan servicing company contracted by SunStrong to process payments and manage customer service. They operate on SunStrong’s behalf in those specific areas."

Action 9 tried to reach Solar Air and Energy, but they didn’t respond in time for this report.

Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke says Robinson will be the first to point out some lessons learned, including getting promises in writing and making sure you know what the contract says about getting out of the deal.

And three things for anyone considering solar:

• You don’t have to use the financing your installer recommends. Shop around.
• See if your loan comes with a lien against your solar system. This can make it hard to sell your home until you pay off the panels.
• Some insurance companies offer policies that cover solar panels.

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