Texas families take on Houston-based solar company in arbitration case

Following an I-Team investigation, Sunnova Energy is facing legal action from nearly a dozen Texas families.

[@richardgomez5008]

Solar companies are exploiting Texans. There are a lot of Texans under these contracts. Once under a contract, little can be done. Solar companies' contracts will have higher rates than other consumers. Once in a contract, your electric bill and loan from the bank will be more than free solar.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@sightline4004]

Scams are funny?

[@hardybuzz3592]

No the peoe who keep falling for it are... The proper tech is years off. If you don't have the batteries your electric goes off. Also it's not an electric car. The car doesn't make electric. It's a battery operated car. Most likely chared by coal... Yet doofs keep falling for it. That is what's funny/ to me hilarious

[@user_19860]

It’s a gimmick. If you’re not doing this early into your life and home purchase, it’s not cost effective for you. You get a 15-20yr loan paying $4-500/month. You’re not seeing a return until 15-20yrs later. By then you’ll need a new roof for repairs due to normal wear and only a certain company can remove the panels and of course cost you money to do so. By the time you pay your loan off, there will be new technology and these companies will probably be under a new name so no warranty.

[@rl8571]

More specifically the elders.. this Texan has rejected a lot of solar sales going door to door. An elder couple i know was ripped for $100k filling their roof with panels facing all directions. Solar literate people know there is only one optimal direction solar panels should be pointed to.

[@tscoff]

Door to door salesmen always raise red flags with me. I tend to distrust those sales reps by default.

[@steven.h0629]

Before you give them a chance to open their mouth ask "Who do *you* represent!" then follow with "No Thanks" and close the door!!

[@ronbennett7885]

Legal action is often a waste of time and money, since it's easy for such companies to close down and rebrand as something else. Likely have few if any assets to go after. It's truly buyer beware and don't trust anything. And don't expect the government to help, since consumer protections are lacking. Even outright fraud is often considered a civil matter and not criminal.

[@yfzjoe]

While the solar companies often use dishonest sales tactics... this also sheds light on an even bigger issue. Investors buying homes. This is what's killing the markets and hurting families. A normal family would've bought this house. Since it was an investor... they knew they could get a lower price from a desperate seller. Solar companies need to be looked at and held accountable.

[@mikeerin5031]

If owner occupier wanted to buy the house, they could have. The difference is investors can typically move much faster. I’m sure this family would have liked to sell for more, but in the end had time constraints. The solar contract likely pushed away potential owner occupiers.

[@gw62112009]

that's not what was said in the video. The investor in the end bought it as they were desperate but lost 30k off value of the house.

[@frankcoffey]

Roofers are replacing roofs like crazy around me North of Dallas and the houses are only 6 to 10 years old and don't need a new roof. For some reason the insurance companies are not pushing back. Again it's door to door sales, these homeowners are not having issues and didn't as anyone to look at their roof.

[@USMC-Goforth]

I actually went through my insurance and replaced my roof, although this was in 2018 and the roof being replaced was laid down in 1964.

[@frankcoffey]

@@USMC-Goforth That's the correct way to do it, not door to door sales taking advantage of people.

[@steven.h0629]

Before you give them a chance to open their mouth ask "Who do *you* represent!" then follow with "No Thanks" and close the door!!

[@jluu6r]

business must be booming for the roofers. They are all driving brand spanking new trucks.

[@frankcoffey]

@@jluu6r I noticed that also.

[@lakeratatouille]

Never finance your energy costs

[@dwightmurray9763]

Listen y’all solar been ripping people off for years back in 1985 me my wife fell for this and after they said this wasn’t going cost us a penny. We was gonna save money on energy bills then after install the panels and they left all we had was another bill. I started complaining to the company and I got no help from anyone they said that I had a lien on my house and there was nothing I could do except pay bill. So I quit paying for it 6 months later the company went out business me my brother removed panel from my house never heard from them again…..don’t mess with that because it’s a scam….

[@RandomGuy-k7m]

Isn’t preying on the elderly like a major crime in america?

[@jaychong12]

That's why I have put a mean gun sign for solicitor.

[@Tewthpaste]

*NO. because Uncle Sam does it too. when you retired and living on your 401K or Social Security, you still get taxed. Preying on the elderly for tax money.*

[@chechnya]

Another case of people signing contracts without reading it.

[@africanqueen1655]

Greed, Greed, Greed & CORRUPTION that’s how CAPITALISM STRIVES. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@funwithpliers]

Man, there’s no way I’m putting solar panels on my roof in Houston. The likelihood of damage during a storm is just too high.

[@MiguelY22]

Someone needs to go to jail for tricking people into these very expensive loans! Also, dont buy solar if you need a loan to pay for it. It's a luxury for people with extra money. Just pay your city light bill, its cheaper

[@steven.h0629]

My average City Bill is $400/month. Rarely goes below $200 and peaks over $700

[@sitechca70]

@@steven.h0629 If your electricity rates are high, the only option that guarantees a ROI is non grid-tied, self-consumption solar. Only requires a building permit and no interconnection agreement with utility. So you're not a solar backfeeding customer and thus they can't stick you with new fees in the future. Then you can calculate your payback period reliably and decide if solar is worth it or not. Most payback periods calculated by solar companies have too many assumptions that can change.

[@JeffreyFullercad]

Thats nothing new. All solar panel companies rip all their customers off.

[@valeriebreeden9291]

I'm in the same boat with Top Tier Solar. We were sold them under predatory lending.

[@DanielLy1200]

I dodged a bullet with these sharks last year. They had me convinced I would save a ton of money on energy bills but I wisened up and never signed that contract. These companies are ruining solar because of their predatory practices.

[@samvimes7446]

Im in sales, and this makes me sick. Predatory tactics give people like me a bad name. Not all salespeople are evil.

[@jaychong12]

I told my elderly parents not to talk to any sales rap, period.

[@CurtisJon]

Sunnova, is no damn good. I’m in Connecticut. Thinking I was doing a business with a Connecticut. Thinking I was getting a contract financed with the said company. Just to find out , that I was being financed by Sunnova.!! Classic bait and switch

[@audreyplaysnice2086]

Those panels will take longer than 25 years to pay for themselves in whatever they save on the electric bill.

[@nathangandara9607]

And by that time they'll need to be replaced 2× to keep them In service

[@sitechca70]

Only true if you got them with a PPA. Mine paid for themselves within 5 years. Needs a lot of homework to know what you're getting into.

[@huddunlap3999]

I have heard the that it won't cost me a dime too many times.

[@johnperry3130]

Yeah a door to door salesman was trying to sell me on solar in NC. THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL

[@steven.h0629]

@johnperry3130 Before you give them a chance to open their mouth ask "Who do *you* represent!" then follow with "No Thanks" and close the door!!

[@GordonHolland-m5r]

To hell with abutration. Create a class action lawsuit against them and watch how quickly the company folds and dissappears

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

Nowadays most contracts include an "arbitration" clause. You are simply NOT allowed to sue them in court. You must "arbitrate". This way the company chooses the pretend judge (not necessarily qualified) , who sits in a pretend court. It is all held in secret and there is no appeal. The results are kept secret through "non disclosure agreements" that they force. "Louis Rossmann" on KZbin, a computer repairer, often talks about forced arbitration clauses in contracts. Sometimes the arbitration clause is written on the outside, or the inside, of the carton a product comes in, like a fridge, and the company will argue that acceptance of the item, indicates acceptance of their arbitration clause.

[@steven.h0629]

Before you give them a chance to open their mouth ask "Who do *you* represent!" then follow with "No Thanks" and close the door!!

[@blakeaaron5698]

I don’t see how Sunnova did anything wrong here.

[@habu9489]

Word advice don’t buy Solar, it’s very hard sell your house.

[@cyclemadness]

Good job local news! However, it’s people that make a company, who’s the CEO, who are on the board? People make these decisions.

[@r0llinguphill483]

Arbitration need to be illegal and all of them nullified. They serve companies not people. Companies are not people, they are things that exist to serve us.

[@66gtb]

I put pencil to paper for years trying to make the numbers make sense on solar. They never did and they still don’t today. You’re either going to pay the electric company or the solar company, but it’s going to cost about the same either way. And the solar system has repair and maintenance costs too. The only way I could get the return on investment down to a reasonable seven years or less is if I purchased used solar panels and did the installation myself. I installed 144 used panels on an 80x40 single slope shed and now pay the minimum electric bill. Our previous bill was $700-$1,000 a month. It was a tough 5-6 days of installation and I still need to get up there and clean them a couple times a year but it’s worth it.

[@LivinlifenFL]

Yeah I count my lucky stars I almost got involved of the situation and when you sign a contract you have a certain amount of time to back out of it and I called him the next day and I said no we’re not doing this and finally came to my senses and immediately pulled out but I saw sweated someone showing up one day to put on my panels thank God it didn’t happen.

[@B1ryan23]

Everyone is weirdly blaming solar energy, but how much do you want to bet that the investor firm that bought the house is also under the corporate umbrella of Sunnova. It's a pretty good grift, sell a lie that makes it impossible to sell the home without a significant loss or struggle to sell it for months or years, and now the investor company can buy the house for a deep discount and then resell it for a higher mark up with "solar upgrades"

[@johnthomas3842]

I live in Nevada. There for a couple of years, sales people would come by every couple of months. Their main pitch was, the state is paying for it. The power company did respond telling everyone this is false. Do your research, nothing is free. If a house is under contract for a solar system and is for sale, the new owner must assume that contract or the seller has to pay the contract off. Be aware, when a solar system is installed, they punch holes in your roof. If you get a new roof, the system has to be detached and put back on.

[@andrewshepherd5249]

My neighbor went solar. He told me to never do it. It's a scam. His electric bill is higher

[@antster7]

nothing is free folks but their state AG should be taking the case instead.

[@solskengroupllp2758]

You'd really blow a fuse if you know how little the panels cost, that they are outdated tech, and how much they then charge for them.

[@fremontpathfinder8463]

I am in the high desert in California in a one story wonder years home. Neither solar nor central air are worth it. I have a wall swamp cooler in the main room along with a regular window unit as a failsafe and in two other rooms have two window units. It keeps the house perfectly cool. Solar can be a rip off depending on where you live.

[@ab6318]

Get a private loan to buy panels or pay cash.

[@gunnsmoke357]

Yeah, it’s a scam

[@tommycollier9172]

Best of luck too all

[@brianh.4185]

The Texas AG could not care less. The Texas AG sides with companies/corporations 100% of the time. Good luck, you’re on your own in Texas.

[@steven.h0629]

Paxton is a criminal himself.

[@darwinjina]

you do not realize that these solar contract sales terms are country wide?

[@brianh.4185]

⁠@@darwinjinaYou realize this was a story about Texas, right?

[@darwinjina]

@@brianh.4185 and I realize that you are citing issues that are country wide. and the issues are often with out of state companies. been there, done that. good idea to remind people

[@darwinjina]

@@brianh.4185 Simply, the most profitable companies would prefer the homeowner to enter a contract than a cash buyer. There is a good supply of homeowners that will sign up and not even think about the ROI or the financials. (they are already convinced they are saving the planet)

[@ucruci]

Solar companies are often shady. Regulations are confusing. It is expensive and loan can trap you for years. Why I stay away from doing roof solar.

[@mikeerin5031]

ALL the solar companies use these same tactics. Unless you do a ground mounted array, I would not recommend solar to most people. OR, if you plan to live in the home forever.

[@jar145022]

It’s the electric bill contracts that suck. I generate almost twice the electricity than I use but AEP has a monopoly here so it doesn’t matter what contract I get they then mark it up for their cut through fees.

[@krazyntx995]

I hate government regulations for any part of our lives. However, in cases like this there needs to be regulation to make sure that potential buyers are aware of the total costs, the potential impact on their homeowners insurance policies, whether or not they can sell any excess electricity back to their power company, and at what rate per kwh. Many electric utility companies will not buy solar energy from individuals and some insurance companies will not insure a home with solar panels.

[@hardybuzz3592]

Its funny people are still falling for this.... Unless you have the batteries it's worthless.. Also it is not an electric car. They do not make elect ric..... It's a battery operated car!!! Derrrrrrr

[@darwinjina]

batteries are not cheap

[@rogerclark3]

Once upon a time the Consumer Protection Agency represented the people... They now support corporations... That's about to change. Trump 2024...

[@DaveBuildsThings]

Yea. Like Trump will protect you. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rogerclark3]

@@DaveBuildsThings the bureaucracies are going to now have to behave. The Chevron Doctrine has been ruled on. You know the drill.