Solar Distributors Inc.

We met with at least three residential solar panel companies in the Palm Springs area and decided to go with Solar Distributors, Inc. based on pricing, the fact that they were one of the only local companies (at that time) that could use Sunpower PV panels (which are American made and offer a higher overall generation efficiency). We paid Solar Distributors, Inc. $1,000 as a "deposit" towards the entire agreed upon price for our system. We actually also decided to opt for the full 20-year prepaid lease, instead of a 20-year monthly lease or an outright purchase of the entire system. We were told that we could expect the installation to take place within about 30-60 days. The proper system design had to be done and the permits had to be obtained, along with the agreement from Southern California Edison to begin accepting the power in a "net metering" type of agreement. Time started ticking by. We stayed in communication as best we could with Solar Distributors, Inc., but they were always slow to respond, to emails and calls. We signed and returned all agreements and rebate applications the same day they were sent to us. We were always cooperative, friendly and patient, and, for the most part, so were the contacts we had with Solar Distributors, Inc.,--up until that point. It took Solar Distributors until September to actually complete the installation of our system--four months! We missed the entire summer season when we would have been generating the most electricity to offset the highest air conditioning usage. And it's not until after the system installation is completed that the final notifications can be given to the utility, Southern California Edison, to await SCE's final approval so the system can actually be energized and used. We did not start generating electricity and begin saving on our electric bill until November! And that's the same time that Solar Distributors, Inc. really started falling apart. First,the sales agent with whom we had worked all these months suddenly left. Then all of the office and administrative staff with whom we had a relationship also started to disappear. We would call one day with a question or issue, speak with Veronica, for instance, the accounts manager and controller, and then when we called back a few days later to follow-up, since we had not gotten an answer to our billing question, we were told that Veronica also suddenly is not working with the company any longer. We were then informed by former employees that Solar Distributors, Inc. was having serious financial problems and was not meeting its commitments. We made our full pre-paid lease payment directly to Sunpower leasing a few days ago and, we had always been led to believe that we would then receive our $1,000 deposit back. Sunpower pays its local agents when it gets paid and we, as the customer, get our initial deposit back. To be clear, we were told that entire the cost to us of the whole system, installation, etc. would be around $22,000. (The taxes were estimated as they cannot be known in full until the actual charges are made and calculated.) We received the anticipated bill from Sunpower leasing for about $22,100, which we paid. I called Solar Distributors, Inc. to request the return of our deposit, was told Veronica no longer worked there, that the only person I could now speak with was Carmen, the administrative assistant to the owner, and that the $1,000 was actually an administrative and permit fee that I had to pay, in addition to the whole system cost. Carmen flatly told me that the $1,000 deposit I had made was a fee owed to Solar Distributors, Inc. and that it was not going to be repaid. Fortunately, I made my $1,000 deposit using my credit card and, given that this was an installation job with a time for later time for the system to actually be turned on, I am still within my time limits to dispute the charge. So I am actiively disputing the charge, hoping I may receive the $1,000 back through that route. I may have to go to Small Claims Court. I also contacted Sunpower today, the solar panel manufacturer and lessor, and was told that they had other similar calls and disputes on file now with Solar Distributors, Inc. and were aware of a problem with that dealer. I also then tracked down the gentleman who was our sales agent and primary contact with Solar Distributors, Inc. and he confirmed that, yes, indeed, the deal he represented always assumed the $1,000 deposit would be returned once the full payment to Sunpower was made. Otherwise, he said, you are double-paying that portion, that it was included in the overall cost of the system and lease. Bottom line: Stay away from Solar Distributors, Inc. They are obviously having major problems and are now losing most of their best staff and not able to meet their financial obligations. Sunpower told me that if Solar Distributors, Inc. does go under or files for bankruptcy, that Sunpower still stands behind its lease and equipment and that another dealer would take over the account, if service is ever needed. Save yourself time, hassle and money and choose a different solar installation company.