We purchased solar panels, hot water tank/heater and AC unit last year from Tropical Solar Energy and were under the impression that we would see a decrease in our electric bill with Duke Energy. WE HAVE NOT! This system cost us thousands of dollars and have yet to see anything positive regarding our purchase. If it were possible, we would have Tropical Solar Energy come and take back everything we bought from them and get our money refunded! We are very, very unhappy with the "promises" made to us.
We had just found out that Tropical Solar put a lien on our home. We were told that part of the tax incentive would be held until we filed our taxes. We got a bill every month with the tax write off amount and it says to pay nothing. Well little did we know that they did not care if we paid because they has already put the lien on it. We have never seen them again even though the day of installation we asked to have one of the panels replaced because it was dented during the installation and the response we got was why its working. We had to sign off on both items going in as they were finished and we inspected it and we refused to sign one of them because it was not done to our expectations. Do not know How they got away with getting paid without that unless they forged the signitures. Don't believe them about any incentives or special services because they lie and it does not happen. This did not make us look good for remortgaging our home to be so BLINDSIDED.
I guess I was a lucky one. Their telemarketer called and set up an appointment for 1PM today. I came home from work at noon so I would be here for the 1PM appointment. At 1:30 when no one had arrived I called their office and was told that they had tried to call me in the morning to confirm the appointment. They said that since I didn't answer the phone they did not drive all the way to my home. I checked my answering machine and they had not left a message. So if I couldn't get a salesperson to come I can only guess how a service call would be handled. I told them to take me off their last and not to call again. Any recommendations for a reliable solar company?
Our panels were installed in May and not turned on till late June. Our july bill was 177+ which was a particle month which I can kind of understand our 2nd month was 122+ and 3rd month was 144+ and now our 4th is 122+. So when do the savings begin? we are pay 200 a month for our loans and still 100+ to Teco.
This complaint is written, because we were mislead and lied too!!
The following is a list of events and reasons for my complaint.
1. The first thing I'm complaining about is the fact that the solar panel and attic fan were installed when no one was home! (I told the sales rep we were going away for the weekend and I would call him when we got back, that statement was totally ignored!!)
2. My husband and I were very surprised when we returned home from being away for the week-end to find that the Solar panel was installed on the roof. We thought we had the weekend to think about having the work done, as we didn't want to rush into such a major purchase. We knew that in the state of Florida, we had 3 days to back out if we didn't want to proceed. I'm sure that is why the sales rep went ahead and scheduled my installation, disregarding the fact that I said I would call him when my husband and I returned. Permission was never given for the installation.
3. I asked for a "breakdown" of each item, which I never received.
4. We were told by the sales rep we would save about $140.00 a month on our electric bill based on what our monthly bill was. He also told us the pool pump alone should save us 80% of the cost of running the pool.
The most we have saved on our electric bill was 62.00 for 1 month, nowhere near what we were told by the rep. I called our sales rep in September and told him we weren't even saving $100.00, and he said, "give it another month". In the meantime he would send someone out to check on the equipment installed. A tech came out on October 5th with the owner of American Solar, Ed Taylor. I was told everything was running properly. When I told Mr. Taylor that the sales rep told us we would save about $140.00 a month on our electric bill, he chuckled and said that was not realistic for various reasons.
My question to Mr. Taylor, realistically, why would someone, such as myself purchase a solar system that cost a lot of money and would not really save me anything, but add to an extra monthly payment that totals more than my past electric bills? To me that does not make sense. I told him what we paid for our system and Mr. Taylor said that his company American Solar doesn't charge that much and that the sales rep worked for Tropical Solar Energy and they makes up the prices. I was told by our sales rep that he worked for American Solar, to which Mr. Taylor told me he doesn't. (SOMEONE IS LYING) He also suggested if I have any issues to go after Tropical Solar energy that he was not responsible for what they did or said.
5.January 6, 2016 I called the sales rep again to find out who the owner of Tropical Solar Energy was, so I could proceed with my complaint. He gave me a name (Chris Mazzone) and when I asked him to spell the last name, he told me he didn't know how to spell it. I asked him, how do you not know how to spell your bosses name? He became agitated with me. I also asked him if he was working for American Solar and he said yes. Again he became more agitated with me and said "I have nothing else to say to your after the things you have said about me", and hung up on me. His attitude towards me really surprised me, because I have never said a bad thing about him. As a matter of fact he was always good at returning my calls.
At this point, there are "red flags" coming into play, and my husband and I feel were are getting the run around from Mr. Taylor and our sales rep, someone or both are not being truthful with us.
6. We have a hot water Solar system, pool pump and attic fan, which basically is not doing the job we were told it would do and our electric bill along with our solar equipment bill combined are costing more than our total electric bill was costing us before the equipment.Mr. Taylor is happy, he got his money, Tropical Solar Energy are happy they got their money. As for my husband and I we are NOT happy! The bottom line is, we would never have agreed to the purchase of these items if we were not going to save at least what we were paying
In December, we signed an agreement to purchase a solar system for $15,230. After hours of sales man pressuring us we agreed only after he guaranteed in writting that if we found a cheaper system that they would match the price. The next day they installed the system to only find out it was not the same system we were sold. We expected that the system would eliminate our electric bill but it only eliminated our hot water heater. The electric bill didn't go down and we found out that we could have gotten the same system for $7,000 or $8,000. We have been contacting the company and spoke with the vice president Charles about a refund of the difference or take the system out and now him or the company will call me back. Watch out for these guys. I will continue trying to contact them, the bbb, and attorney general.
Tropical Solar Energy, LLC. Reviews
We purchased solar panels, hot water tank/heater and AC unit last year from Tropical Solar Energy and were under the impression that we would see a decrease in our electric bill with Duke Energy. WE HAVE NOT! This system cost us thousands of dollars and have yet to see anything positive regarding our purchase. If it were possible, we would have Tropical Solar Energy come and take back everything we bought from them and get our money refunded! We are very, very unhappy with the "promises" made to us.
We had just found out that Tropical Solar put a lien on our home. We were told that part of the tax incentive would be held until we filed our taxes. We got a bill every month with the tax write off amount and it says to pay nothing. Well little did we know that they did not care if we paid because they has already put the lien on it. We have never seen them again even though the day of installation we asked to have one of the panels replaced because it was dented during the installation and the response we got was why its working. We had to sign off on both items going in as they were finished and we inspected it and we refused to sign one of them because it was not done to our expectations. Do not know How they got away with getting paid without that unless they forged the signitures. Don't believe them about any incentives or special services because they lie and it does not happen. This did not make us look good for remortgaging our home to be so BLINDSIDED.
Lucky
I guess I was a lucky one. Their telemarketer called and set up an appointment for 1PM today. I came home from work at noon so I would be here for the 1PM appointment. At 1:30 when no one had arrived I called their office and was told that they had tried to call me in the morning to confirm the appointment. They said that since I didn't answer the phone they did not drive all the way to my home. I checked my answering machine and they had not left a message. So if I couldn't get a salesperson to come I can only guess how a service call would be handled. I told them to take me off their last and not to call again. Any recommendations for a reliable solar company?
Panels
Our panels were installed in May and not turned on till late June. Our july bill was 177+ which was a particle month which I can kind of understand our 2nd month was 122+ and 3rd month was 144+ and now our 4th is 122+. So when do the savings begin? we are pay 200 a month for our loans and still 100+ to Teco.
Theresa Beveridge
This complaint is written, because we were mislead and lied too!!
The following is a list of events and reasons for my complaint.
1. The first thing I'm complaining about is the fact that the solar panel and attic fan were installed when no one was home! (I told the sales rep we were going away for the weekend and I would call him when we got back, that statement was totally ignored!!)
2. My husband and I were very surprised when we returned home from being away for the week-end to find that the Solar panel was installed on the roof. We thought we had the weekend to think about having the work done, as we didn't want to rush into such a major purchase. We knew that in the state of Florida, we had 3 days to back out if we didn't want to proceed. I'm sure that is why the sales rep went ahead and scheduled my installation, disregarding the fact that I said I would call him when my husband and I returned. Permission was never given for the installation.
3. I asked for a "breakdown" of each item, which I never received.
4. We were told by the sales rep we would save about $140.00 a month on our electric bill based on what our monthly bill was. He also told us the pool pump alone should save us 80% of the cost of running the pool.
The most we have saved on our electric bill was 62.00 for 1 month, nowhere near what we were told by the rep. I called our sales rep in September and told him we weren't even saving $100.00, and he said, "give it another month". In the meantime he would send someone out to check on the equipment installed. A tech came out on October 5th with the owner of American Solar, Ed Taylor. I was told everything was running properly. When I told Mr. Taylor that the sales rep told us we would save about $140.00 a month on our electric bill, he chuckled and said that was not realistic for various reasons.
My question to Mr. Taylor, realistically, why would someone, such as myself purchase a solar system that cost a lot of money and would not really save me anything, but add to an extra monthly payment that totals more than my past electric bills? To me that does not make sense. I told him what we paid for our system and Mr. Taylor said that his company American Solar doesn't charge that much and that the sales rep worked for Tropical Solar Energy and they makes up the prices. I was told by our sales rep that he worked for American Solar, to which Mr. Taylor told me he doesn't. (SOMEONE IS LYING) He also suggested if I have any issues to go after Tropical Solar energy that he was not responsible for what they did or said.
5.January 6, 2016 I called the sales rep again to find out who the owner of Tropical Solar Energy was, so I could proceed with my complaint. He gave me a name (Chris Mazzone) and when I asked him to spell the last name, he told me he didn't know how to spell it. I asked him, how do you not know how to spell your bosses name? He became agitated with me. I also asked him if he was working for American Solar and he said yes. Again he became more agitated with me and said "I have nothing else to say to your after the things you have said about me", and hung up on me. His attitude towards me really surprised me, because I have never said a bad thing about him. As a matter of fact he was always good at returning my calls.
At this point, there are "red flags" coming into play, and my husband and I feel were are getting the run around from Mr. Taylor and our sales rep, someone or both are not being truthful with us.
6. We have a hot water Solar system, pool pump and attic fan, which basically is not doing the job we were told it would do and our electric bill along with our solar equipment bill combined are costing more than our total electric bill was costing us before the equipment.Mr. Taylor is happy, he got his money, Tropical Solar Energy are happy they got their money. As for my husband and I we are NOT happy! The bottom line is, we would never have agreed to the purchase of these items if we were not going to save at least what we were paying
In December, we signed an agreement to purchase a solar system for $15,230. After hours of sales man pressuring us we agreed only after he guaranteed in writting that if we found a cheaper system that they would match the price. The next day they installed the system to only find out it was not the same system we were sold. We expected that the system would eliminate our electric bill but it only eliminated our hot water heater. The electric bill didn't go down and we found out that we could have gotten the same system for $7,000 or $8,000. We have been contacting the company and spoke with the vice president Charles about a refund of the difference or take the system out and now him or the company will call me back. Watch out for these guys. I will continue trying to contact them, the bbb, and attorney general.