ComplaintsforGoldin Solar, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased two Powerwall batteries from Goldin Solar on 6/19/2019, with a ten-year warranty.On May 2, 2024, I contacted Goldin because the Powerwalls aren't working.An electrician came to the house and determined that the Backup Gateway needed to be replaced.Tesla (the manufacturer) shipped the Gateway to Goldin, and I was told it was received on May 17, 2024. I was also told it would cost $3,350 to do the replacement. When I asked why the work isn't covered by my warranty, the answer was that "Goldin is not going to lose money on this".Since then, nobody has contacted me about getting the Powerwalls to work. I have left messages on Goldin's website and voice mails for the service department, but there has been no response in over a month.I have since been told that the original owners sold the company, and I suspect the new owners don't want to honor my warranty.I have two Powerwall batteries in my garage, for which I paid $19,800. They worked for almost five years, but are now inoperative until Goldin installs the new Backup Gateway.

  

  Business response

  07/10/2024

  Dear ***************, 

  
  We have received your inquiry request. Please note the replacement of the backup gateway requires a utility disconnect/reconnect. That means that the utility is required to deenergize power at the meter so that the work can be safely performed. The reason is that the work with the Backup Gateway has to take place upstream from the main breaker, and there is no disconnect that can be shut off by our technicians to work safely. While other companies might do it faster by pulling the *** meter off so that the home is deenergized, it is not permitted by *** and therefore the only way to work safely on the home, upstream from the main breaker is to coordinate with *** to be onsite to deenergize at the pole. That requires a permit and coordination between the utility and the building officials. For that reason the process takes longer. I know it's frustrating, but this is an aspect of the installation that is out of our control. 
  
  We appreciate your patience as we track the process through the necessary channels with *** and the building department. 
  
  Please hang in there with us, we will let you know when it is approved for the disconnect, and we will reach out to you to schedule the work.   
  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  07/11/2024

  The company contacted me yesterday via phone and promised to complete the work for $2,000. I would prefer to keep the complaint open until they complete the repair, as we have no time estimate nor guarantee that the price will not change.

  Customer response

  07/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 21877023
  
  The company contacted me yesterday via phone and promised to complete the work for $2,000. I would prefer to keep the complaint open until they complete the repair, as we have no time estimate nor guarantee that the price will not change.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  02/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In February of 2022 I got solar panels installed by Goldin Solar. In October of 2023, my inverter had an issue and was not producing power to my home. I was told I would get an alert through the app if an issue presented itself. I realized something was wrong when I received a power bill. I contacted Goldin Solar from the ********** location. An employee contacted the service department and advised me the inverter had an issue possibly from a power surge and it was in terms locked. She advised she was able to fix it remotely so they did not have to come in person. After a few weeks since the initial issue, I received another power bill of almost $200. I looked at the app and it was showing the equipment was not working for the past couple weeks. I reached out and after a couple weeks of me calling and texting I got a call back. They advised that the inverter was not working and it was locked due to it having two issues back to back. They advised they had to send someone out to look at it. Due to that they were gonna charge $200 for them to just come out plus any parts if necessary . I advised the equipment had warranty and they advised it did not cover everything. Also for the first time they advised of a sim card needing to be replaced every 5 years costing around $600. They advised I can pay to replace it with the wifi version and it was good for ever since the sim car version was having issues. In the middle of the phone call the service technician said he had another call and would call me back to fix the issue. I never received a phone call back. I have called and texts for months and I still have not received an answer. I have been paying my panel bill and light bill for months since it is not fixed. My issue is the communication and not being called back. My next issue is being charged to get something looked at when it has warranty. They knew it had an issue when they unlocked it the first time and it was their fault they unlocked it and it broke.

  

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  
  Dear *****, 
  
  I noted that you have disputed an amount that is greater than your entire contract amount. According the BBB file, you are disputing $26,000.Your entire contract amount is: $25,568.60, financed with Sunlight Financial.To be clear, you have received 100% of the scope you purchased from us in full.I don't understand how you  are disputing an amount larger than the contract, given that you have all the materials and labor installed on your home. 

  
  Regarding service: we have extended communication on record between you and the service team, notifying you that if you want service with the company, there is a fee for a diagnostic visit. To be clear, that is different from the warranty. The warranty covers labor for the replacement of a faulty part under manufacturers warranty. For us to perform labor under that warranty section, there must first be identified a part that is under manufacturer warranty via a RMA from the manufacturer for a faulty part. At this point, it is yet to be determined if there is a faulty part, and there is yet to be an RMA given by the manufacturer. You are free to connect directly to the manufacturer and go through the trouble shooting steps with then. If they determine that you will receive an RMA, kindly let us know, and we can schedule the work to replace the part. Otherwise, if you are unable or unwilling to perform the trouble shooting required by the manufacturer to get to the point that they authorize an RMA, we can provide that service for, which will come with a fee, as the trouble shooting itself, is not part of our warranty. 

  
  If we go out there for the trouble shooting, and identify that the problem is workmanship, meaning related to work we performed, then you will be reimbursed. However, if it turns out the problem is related to failed hardware, then you will not be reimbursed for the cost of the troubleshooting with the manufacturer. 

  
  I have noted from your profile with the company that you have reached out to numerous different people at this company trying to get the service work for free. Note: doing things like that, make it hard for a company to function, and they increase the service cost and time for you and everyone.Our policies are consistent. If you would like us to service your system, a trouble shooting fee will first have to be paid. 
  
  Regards, 
  
  ***** Goldin 

  
  

  Customer response

  03/19/2024

  I have reached out numerous times to try to get them to come work on the solar panels. When I brought up $26,000 it was an approximate price. I didnt put the exact number. When I referenced that price it was to state I paid that amount of money and I cant get a call back. The way you talk to your customers is unacceptable. I have called the main line and the number to the service department and have left messages and I still have not got a response. I called the number the service tech had called me on last November and advised he had another call and would call me back but did not call me back. As you can see in the pictures I have texted a couple times along with calls and I still have not got a response. I would like a phone call to speak with management. Being told I will call you back because I have another call and not being called back is definitely not my fault. Also for you to state that on the notes it states I am trying to get free service is ridiculous  because I have never stated that. Do you think if I wanted to go a cheap route I would have paid $25,568.60 ( This time I put the exact amount for you) for solar panels? I want decent service when the machine is failing to perform as intended. 

  Customer response

  03/19/2024

  I have reached out numerous times to try to get them to come work on the solar panels. When I brought up $26,000 it was an approximate price. I didnt put the exact number. When I referenced that price it was to state I paid that amount of money and I cant get a call back. The way you talk to your customers is unacceptable. I have called the main line and the number to the service department and have left messages and I still have not got a response. I called the number the service tech had called me on last November and advised he had another call and would call me back but did not call me back. As you can see in the pictures I have texted a couple times along with calls and I still have not got a response. I would like a phone call to speak with management. Being told I will call you back because I have another call and not being called back is definitely not my fault. Also for you to state that on the notes it states I am trying to get free service is ridiculous  because I have never stated that. Do you think if I wanted to go a cheap route I would have paid $25,568.60 ( This time I put the exact amount for you) for solar panels? I want decent service when the machine is failing to perform as intended. 

  Customer response

  03/19/2024

  I have reached out numerous times to try to get them to come work on the solar panels. When I brought up $26,000 it was an approximate price. I didnt put the exact number. When I referenced that price it was to state I paid that amount of money and I cant get a call back. The way you talk to your customers is unacceptable. I have called the main line and the number to the service department and have left messages and I still have not got a response. I called the number the service tech had called me on last November and advised he had another call and would call me back but did not call me back. As you can see in the pictures I have texted a couple times along with calls and I still have not got a response. I would like a phone call to speak with management. Being told I will call you back because I have another call and not being called back is definitely not my fault. Also for you to state that on the notes it states I am trying to get free service is ridiculous  because I have never stated that. Do you think if I wanted to go a cheap route I would have paid $25,568.60 ( This time I put the exact amount for you) for solar panels? I want decent service when the machine is failing to perform as intended. 

  Customer response

  03/19/2024

   
  Complaint: 21282269
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I have reached out numerous times to try to get them to come work on the solar panels. When I brought up $26,000 it was an approximate price. I didnt put the exact number. When I referenced that price it was to state I paid that amount of money and I cant get a call back. The way you talk to your customers is unacceptable. I have called the main line and the number to the service department and have left messages and I still have not got a response. I called the number the service tech had called me on last November and advised he had another call and would call me back but did not call me back. As you can see in the pictures I have texted a couple times along with calls and I still have not got a response. I would like a phone call to speak with management. Being told I will call you back because I have another call and not being called back is definitely not my fault. Also for you to state that on the notes it states I am trying to get free service is ridiculous  because I have never stated that. Do you think if I wanted to go a cheap route I would have paid $25,568.60 ( This time I put the exact amount for you) for solar panels? I want decent service when the machine is failing to perform as intended. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  03/20/2024

  I am willing for them to come service the system. If they can please get in contact with me. 

  

  Business response

  04/02/2024

   

  
  Good afternoon ********************, 
  
  I have researched your service case, and see that you are unwilling to pay the service fee. This service request requires an onsite diagnostic, which you will have to pay for. I have attached a screenshot of our system showing conversations between 3 of our staff members trying to serve you, but we're all waiting for you to pay the simple diagnostic fee. 
  Clearly, this isn't a case of us not responding. This is a case of you electing to not pay for the diagnostic fee, and then resorting to BBB complaints as though BBB can somehow cause of fee to go away. This is very simple, if you would like service from a company, you need to pay for that service. That will not change. However, we reserve the right to increase that fee if unpaid for extended pre-service review. The time and energy you're now asking multiple administrators to exert to service you goes beyond the territory of processing your request, and into the territory of spinning our wheels. I will eventually be forced to assess the amount of added administration time you are demanding of us and factor that into our cost of service. 
  We recognize that you have a warranty, and we at no point dispute that. But, as stated previously, that warranty covers labor to replace a part under manufacturer's warranty. That is only in effect if there is an RMA from the manufacturer. Since your system is not communicating with the internet for the monitoring, an RMA cannot be received virtually, and a site visit to perform the trouble shooting and diagnostic is necessary. The warranty does not cover the diagnostic, only the labor to replace the part. We will work with the manufacturer to get you an RMA, but you need to pay for our diagnostic process. 
  Please pay the diagnostic fee, and lets move on if you want to get your system up and running. It doesnt make sense to delay that, because at this point, the cost of the diagnostic is lower than the value of energy you would have saved had you moved forward with the diagnostic months ago. 

  Customer response

  04/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I would like to be contacted so we can get the service scheduled and I can pay the $200 service fee.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  04/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I would like to be contacted so we can get the service scheduled and I can pay the $200 service fee.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  04/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I would like to be contacted so we can get the service scheduled and I can pay the $200 service fee.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  04/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I would like to be contacted so we can get the service scheduled and I can pay the $200 service fee.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  04/10/2024

   

  Thank you for notifying us, *****. 

   

  I will have the service team reach out to make arrangements. 

   

  Regards, 

   

  Daren 

  Customer response

  04/10/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  35 panel system installed Feb 2023 by Goldin Solar and loved it the first few months. by ******, **** went up by multiples with no increase in usage, and for past several are as high or higher than before install. system went offline and I tried to contact Goldin but got only a site, which didn't help because I can't open any of the equipment to follow instructions. emailed 12th dec tried again via their CS website and awaiting a response. thus system is offline, bills are no better than before install and I don't know if I'm producing power. Goldin was terrific thru entire process until install was completed. (PS I have a monitoring program with Goldin)

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  as Goldin Solar has not replied to BBB either, I contacted the salesman I worked with, whom I found very good at the time.  he is trying to help.  I also contacted SUN (Solar ****************) who recommended Goldin last year and they gave me a website for contact (the same one I used), saying that Goldin would reply to anything received there.  they haven't.

   

  but indeed the Salesman may help and I'll let you know what happens from here

   

  many thanks for your help, *****************

  

  Business response

  02/09/2024

   

  Dear ***************, 

  Thank you for being a Goldin Solar customer, and for expressing that you were happy with the system at the beginning when it was installed. I'm sorry to hear that you have concerns with it now. 

  Let's clear a few things up: 

  The solar system will produce energy when the sun is out. Some days there is more sun resulting in higher energy production. Some days there is less sun resulting in lower energy production. The same is true seasonally. Energy production will change month by month based on the length of the day (longer days in June means more sun time, and shorter days in December, means less sun time), as well as the weather. Rain reduces solar production, as do clouds and overcast conditions. 

  Solar will produce energy, and that energy that is produced by solar will either be used by your home in real time, or sent back to the utility grid to give you credits, which you use later when you consume energy when the sun is down. While solar can offset your bill, there is no guarantee as to how much your bill will be as consumption of energy, and solar production of energy will vary.  

  Each month you are responsible for covering your utility costs, which are essentially, the amount of energy that you used, minus the amount of energy that was produced by solar, that went to offset your consumption. From your initial complaint, it sounds like the bill was low in February and high in August. That makes sense. It doesn't mean that solar didn't work, it means that your energy consumption was higher relative to energy production. The reason it makes sense is that the highest energy consuming device is the air conditioner, which is naturally used substantially more in summer months than winter months. In addition, since we're in *******, we have a lot of summer rain, which lowers your solar production. 

  I have looked up your solar system, and can confidently say that it is working, and that all individual components are working. You have a SolarEdge system, which is actively producing energy, and monitoring the performance of the solar system, and is successfully connected to the SolarEdge cloud via the internet. For your convenience, I have attached screenshots of different displays in the SolarEdge monitoring platform. One of them is of the panel layout, which shows solar production of each panel individually. That means that we can see that not only is it working, each individual solar panel is working as expected. The other screenshots show production of days on a month, and months on the year. It looks like the system has worked consistently without interruption.  

  You mentioned that you have monitoring, and indeed you do. That is how I was able to monitor your system and pull these screenshots. You should have access to this monitoring platform as well, which is how you can review the system's performance and also know that it is working. The system has never been offline. Just look at the screenshots.  

  If your bill is higher than you would like it to be, you can do what you can to reduce your energy consumption. However solar does not guarantee to produce all of the energy you need. It will produce what it can produce. We just make sure that it's working, and I can tell you 100% for certain, that it is. Please feel free to reach out to me direction if you want help understanding how to interpret the data in the monitoring platform. My cell is: ************. You can call, or text if you cannot get through. 

  Furthermore, because expectations of customers are extremely important to us, we make sure that our representations at the point of sale are realistic, and reasonable. I have reviewed that as well. When you received a proposal form Goldin Solar, which is also attached. According to SolarEdge, the system that monitors the performance, the annual production is: ****** kWh. Your proposal estimated annual production to be: ******** kWh. So, please give us credit that the energy production of the system is so close to the modeling that we used to estimate the energy production. In fact, the actual energy production is even higher than the estimated energy production. 

  If there is anything further that I can assist with, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

   

  Regards, 

   

  ***** Goldin 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Since the initial purchase and installation, the inverter has failed consistently, averaging a breakdown every six months. This situation has gone on for far too long, and I demand a solid resolution. My decision to invest in solar energy with Goldin was rooted in the belief that I was choosing a reputable provider committed to delivering reliable and efficient solar solutions. However, the reality has been quite the opposite. The recurrent problems with the inverter have severely disrupted the benefits of my solar system, and Ive been left questioning the quality of your products and services. Despite numerous attempts by your team to rectify the situation, the fundamental issue leading to these recurring failures remains unresolved. This is simply unacceptable. It is clear that there is a flaw either in the product itself or in the installation process, and I refuse to bear the financial burden of these ongoing repairs. I expect Goldin Solar to uphold the terms of our warranty and service agreement. Given the numerous service calls and the inability to provide a lasting solution, it is not reasonable or justifiable to even charge me for repairs. I have emailed the company and even text the tech repair person and have not gotten any replies back. All I want is to get my system up and running and for my solar panels to actually work for a few months with out them needing replacement parts or tech support.

  

  Business response

  11/09/2023

  ***********, 

   

  I'm sorry to hear that our experience with Goldin Solar has been less than optimal. 

  I have reviewed your complaint and I am happy to address everything you brought up. You mentioned that the inverter needed to be replaced every 6 months. Let's be real. That is simply factually incorrect. You inverter has been replaced 3 times since May of 2018. That works out to a replacement every 18 months. Now, that isn't ideal. Ideally, the inverter should hold up longer (your other inverter looks like it never needed replacement), however, it's important that we are factual in our interaction since it would only be fair to each other and those reading this to deal in facts, not hyperboles. While I understand that inverter failure makes you angry with Goldin Solar, please understand that it is the issue with the equipment, not Goldin Solar, the installer. That said, we have always been responsive, evidenced by the fact that we have never failed to follow through, get you a replacement inverter (at not cost to you for the hardware), and get it installed. You may say, that if the equipment is that unreliable, it's our fault for specifying it. Note, according to CNet, which is a popular magazine for technology, SolarEdge was ranked the Best Overall inverer: *************************************************************************************

  So, we had no reason not to specify SolarEdge, and still feel that it is an excellent product. Sadly, sometimes equipment does fail, and it is more failure prone in ******* due to our high temperatures and humidity. 

  You claimed that you emailed the company and not gotten replies back. In fact, our logs show you having conversations with the service personnel. However, you simply failed to sign the service agreement that would have triggered us going out to perform the service. It's not acceptable to refuse to sign the service agreement in attempt to claim that you are being ignored to later demand special concessions. The process we are following right now is completely consistent with your contract with us. Your demand that we uphold the terms of the warranty is exactly what we are trying to do. You will simply have to sign the Work Order Authorization, which is consistent with the warranty terms. 

   

  We searched our records and we see that there is a pending Work Order Authorization for an inverter replacement, that was received and seen on 10/2/2023. We also received an email from you rejecting the charges the service.
  We are unable to deploy technicians to the site to perform the work without your written consent and applicable charges. We are committed to honoring the terms of our warranty and service agreement with you. As per our agreement, the manufacturer of the inverter provides a warranty on the product, which covers the defective part itself. However, the labor rate on manufacturer warranted materials outlined in your installation agreement is $45/hour for the replacement, as reflected in the Work Order Authorization we sent via DocuSign that you have not yet signed. We cannot proceed with the replacement until you sign and return this document to us.
  You expressed "I expect Goldin Solar to uphold the terms of our warranty and service agreement" yet refuse to proceed with precise those terms.
  You also expressed " It is clear that there is a flaw either in the product itself or in the installation process". You are correct that there was a flaw in the product itself; this is the reason the manufacturer has approved the **** The manufacturer does not ***** an RMA for failed equipment unless they have determined that it is related to a manufacturer's defect.
  We truly do understand the frustration, but in terms of product selection, please know that the model you have, the SolarEdge HD wave solar inverter is rated rated a top inverter by several independent sources, such as *****
  *************************************************************************************#jumplink1

  I have attached the screenshot of the service request. It took a month from the time that you opened it to when it was signed. The stage that the  WO is currently in is "Material Ordered". 

  You will be contacted with updates. 

  Customer response

  11/14/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  Although my complaint was made before I was able to finally get a reply from your FB page to clarify once I refused to sign the work order because I found it unfair to get charged a service fee for a faulty part that had failed numerous times since it was installed. Not once did your company make an attempt at to resolve the issue, they simple ignored me. I emailed no response, text ******* no response, emailed again no response. So why would I sign an agreement if I didnt agree with getting charged. You are correct maybe my frustration, lead to a incorrect expression of how often the inverter has gone bad, but it hasnt been the only thing to go bad so the accumulation of these issues lead to the inaccuracy of my statement. I take fault in my errors but lets be 100 transparent you guys did not answer my emails or text and I also have the receipts until I wrote you all via ******** messenger. The person I spoke to was super professional and explained the policy to me and how the inverter was still under warranty because of a known issue with them but the install was not. At that point I did agree to move forward with the repair and finalized the work order. The inverter finally arrived a few days ago and I informed ******* so we can move forward with the repairs. I may not have been the easiest person to deal with due to my frustration, and Im a veteran with severe PTSD but just ignoring an issue is not good customer service practices. Here is some of the dialogue I had via FB over a referral i never received a referral bonus for that I was supposed to also get a response for and is also now getting ignored. That is what I mean. Something I never complained about or brought up until now as evidence that Im not one to cause issues, i usually let things go. Along with other pictures, i was unable to add more pictures due to a size limit. I would like honest dialogue and my inverter issue resolved, even if that means i have to pay for it, but Im not delusional and was blatantly being ignored and thats not good customer service.
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  *********************
  Complaint: 20769420
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Due to hail damage I needed to replace my roof (solar panels OK). Apparently this scenario has never been thought about. Goldin Solar informed me that to uninstall and then to reinstall the panels would be over $10,000 of which I had to pay half NOW (6/20/23). My roof was completed July 18th roughly, but due to issues with the ************************** (they too had never thought about this possibility scenario) they did not confirm with me the roof had passed until 8/7/23. I immediately informed Goldin Solar that my roof had passed inspection (they would not schedule me for reinstall until after roof passed inspection) that day, 8/7/23. They informed me on 8/8/23, that scheduling would take 2 to 3 weeks. As of today, 9/1/23, I have not been placed on the schedule and they are unable to tell when that might happen. So, I am paying for panels that are sitting in my garage and receiving no benefits from them at all. It would seem to me that they are in no hurry to assist a customer, that being **** do have emails to confirm what has happened to date.

  

  Business response

  10/17/2023

  Dear ******************, 

  The system has been completely reinstalled. The system is back up and running 100%.  So far, it has been operating perfectly for each and every solar panel. I have attached the screenshot of your monitoring layout at the module level and at the system level. 

  I apologize for the slow response to your complaint. I had missed the email. 

  I understand that while your solar system is not installed, waiting to be installed, it does not produce energy and does not save you money on your utility bill. However, it is not our policy to pay customers for the value of the energy the system would have produced while the system is awaiting reinstallation. But, the good news is that it's up and running 100% right now! 

   

  Regards, 

   

  ***** Goldin 

  Customer response

  10/18/2023

  What I asked for was reimbursement for what I pay for the panels each month, not what the panels save me towards my electric bill. I asked for that amount because once ******* was completed it took well over a month for Goldin Solar to reinstall the panels. Plus, when they reinstalled them they failed to install all of the skirting. Then, once they eventually came out to finish the skirting I still ended up having to fix one stretch because one end was not placed in the runner/channel to secure it.

  Customer response

  10/18/2023

   
  Complaint: 20554813
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I did not ask for reimbursement for the power the panels would have generated, I asked for the monthly payment I make for having the panels (I currently pay $102/month for the panels no matter where the panels are, on the roof, in my garage, producing power or not). I asked for this amount for 2 reasons: 1) after my roof was completed and passed inspection it was still over a month before the panels were reinstalled, 2) because it was very difficult to actually talked to anyone (even through emails and text), it appeared to me that Goldin Solar cared very little about me as their customer. This being demonstrated by the lack of communication and the delay and workmanship of the final product (installed panels without all the skirting; then, once that was done, I still had to fix one of the skirting pieces because it was not placed in the runner/channel; therefore, it was loose, I could pull it almost completely off).

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  It has been 2 months since my inverter broke for the 2nd time since 2018 when the solar panels were installed. Their customer service is a joke. They have 1 person to answer calls and 100% of the time have to leave a voicemail. We call and call and never hear back but maybe 1 out of 6 times. I was sold a lie from the beginning, a perfect sales pitch. They do not save any money. I pay more for it and now for the 2nd time I am stuck paying for a loan and an electric bill. I was told that I would get back 30% on the purchase as a tax credit, which in turn I could refinance the loan and would make my payment cheaper. What I was NOT told and seems to still be their pitch on line, its based off your earned income, so that was more like **** to **** a year until it was up to the 30%. I am pinned up against the wall. TWO months is beyond absurd for a PART to be delivered. At this point, the bottom line is that they provide unreliable and faulty products or use a vender that does as well as you are non-responsive. I want the inverter fixed now and they should be responsible for paying my electric bill due to their faulty products. I am writing BBB due to their lack of communication and handling this an urgent situation to get fixed.

  

  Business response

  06/19/2023

  Dear ***********************, 

  
  I have reviewed your complaint. After further review, I find your complaints to be slanderous and simply untrue. To your claim: " I was told that I would get back 30% on the purchase as a tax credit, which in turn I could refinance the loan and would make my payment cheaper. What I was NOT told and seems to still be their pitch on line, its based off your earned income, so that was more like **** to **** a year until it was up to the 30%." 

  
  Besides the fact that it seems obvious that a tax credit is based on income tax liability, we required you to initial that you consulted with your accountant about your eligibility in order to enter into a contract with us. 

  
  Note: You were specifically told: "The solar ****************** Tax Credit (ITC) grants a 30% credit against an individuals or business federal income tax liability. Eligibility for this tax credit will vary on a case-by-case basis. Goldin Solar does not give tax advice and makes no guarantees as to your eligibility to this tax credit. Initial under this paragraph to confirm that you have consulted with your accountant and understand your eligibility to the federal ITC." 

  
  I have uploaded both your contract, and a copy of that disclosure initialed by *********************************, the party that entered into a contract with Goldin Solar. 

  
  Goldin Solar is a construction company specializing in Solar Energy. As any solar provider, we present available incentives for solar. It is common for any solar provider to show the amount of money that could POTENTIALLY be received in the form of a tax credit, for people who pay their taxes. Note, we are not tax experts, nor did we at any point in time evaluate your in come, your tax liability, or your deductions.

  Those are simply items that are in no way related to the scope of work of construction professionals. To that end, prior to entering into a contract with you, we required you to initial a disclosure stating that you understand that Goldin Solar does not give tax advice, and does not make any guarantees to your eligibility to the tax credit. You further agreed, by virtue of initialing the disclosure, that you have consulted with your accountant and understand your eligibility to the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC). 

  
  If the statement initialed in our contract is in fact true, then it couldn't be the case that we told you what your tax credit would be. 
  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  06/27/2023

   
  Complaint: 20184294
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Slander? What I am saying is untrue according to you  because I have no proof it was said. I absolutely was told that. I am not an idiot and I comprehend very well. The issue is that I initialed and signed a very well thought out and planned contract from your company  to avoid any and all issues from a-z that a homeowner could face once you sold your product without reading all 15 pages word by word. I failed myself for that because i put my faith into the proposal and wonderful spreadsheet made for me to only show the best of the white picket fence with hidden thorns but after speaking with numerous attorneys, I know I am not alone because all attorneys said my complaint is the exact same as everyone else. Transparency being the biggest issue. This is only one of the issues at hand. I gave already came to terms and submitted to my failure because I am stuck with this electronic junk on my roof. The biggest issue is your absolute lack of communication and 2 months waiting for a part to come in that has broken 2x in 4 years , a joke for something that is warranteed for 20 years. With every phone call made, 1 out of 6 may have been returned. You completely ignored us. We were told the part would be delivered to my house...waiting weeks called back then told that it would be delivered to my house the next day and once we get it to give you  a call and someone would cone out to install it. Weeks later after calling over and over again and no response, I finally used the automated system to be routed to your sales team which they said was sitting in your warehouse just waiting to be scheduled for installation. You can sing to the mountians that im slandering your company with copies of the contract because obviously its signed. It comes down to that's your word against mine. A little side note, contracts are signed every day by millions of people but that doesn't mean a company was honest and the buyer knew what they were signing. As a mortgage processor for years, everyone knows how many people signed closing documents within the truth spelled out in it so the government had to change the way documents were disclosed and completely reformat closing breakdowns. They used to be called "Good faith estimate" now its a "loan estimate" because so many fees were hidden into other fees and people were decived. Mortgage companies are held responsible now for undisclosed information and have to eat any fees over 1/8 of a percent if not disclosed correctly so dont try to sound like a hero waiving a contract around saying well she signed it. You would have to be living under a rock to think these things dont happen but what calls you out on your lies is how fast the repair was scheduled and the inverter was installed once I started filing complaints. If that's what it took to let you know that you cant keep me at your mercy then my complaint is completely  worth it. Up until that point it was crickets for two months. While on the topic of throwing paperwork in my face as proof, prove I'm lying about my continuous calls and emails that fell on deaf ears as well as the phone calls since your call system states your calls are monitored and recorded. You would then have proof of that right? It goes both ways. You have ripped me off 2x just in regards to repairs alone. I have been stuck with months of electric bills in total due to your lack of importance to fix you garbage products that you sold to me so well. Your ethics are disgusting and I am the one that had to suffer, not you by far so tell me I slander your company and ill say in return you left me stranded for 2 months, no calls and any calls that were taken, provided me with inaccurate information. I have paid almost ****** a month between my electric bill and solar panels that were supposed to save me so much money. Let me add they don't. I still pay $40.00 a month and have never seen a ***** from FPL. But we won't go down that path as I'm sure you will say you told me something about that too even though my proposal says it's to cover 100 percent of my electric bill minus FPL connection fee. I'm ****** and you're in the wrong. Try to act like the victim to the world because in the end you and I both know who the real victim is. You should be ashamed of your scams and it should keep you up all night knowing you are taking money out of people paychecks to put it in to your wallet and then do us dirty when the aftermath kicks in 
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Planned defect , Warranty is for ten years, planned defective parts only have a four year lifespan! That is why they aren't covered in Costumer's warranty! Buyer beware!!!!! We received a charge of $630.30, For a communication problem to the monitoring company, we still received credit from the electric company for solar electric our system produced!If I didn't have the repair, the ****************** wouldn't be able to monitor our system! But, we still receive credit for the solar electric sent our electric. Don't make the repair!

  

  Business response

  04/03/2023

  We have been accused by the customer of installing equipment with a "planned defect" a.k.a. designed obsolescence. In reality, we strive to always provide our customers the best equipment that the market has to offer. Unfortunately, it is the case here that there are simply facts that were unknown to us, or to the manufacturer about the future of the 3G infrastructure. When we install solar systems, we are not only installing equipment that can produce clean energy with sunshine, we are also installing equipment that can connect the solar system's hardware to the internet to allow us (Goldin Solar), and our customers to monitor the performance of the solar system. The common method we typically used at the time this system was installed was a cellular card that connects the 3G network. The 3G network device does have a warranty, however, this case is not covered by that warranty as the 3G device itself did not fail. What happened is that the 3G antennas (i.e. the infrastructure) have been removed from towers and buildings to clear room for 5G antennas. ****************** was made aware of our rates for our technicians, when he signed the work order authorization attached. 

  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I sign a contract with Goldin Solar on 2021-10-27 for design, procure and install 24 solar panels brand REC TP (365w/panel)modules (***** Total *****) grid tied photovoltaic system utilizing SolarEdge inverter with HD-wave technology and built-in RGM and consumption monitoring for a total of $27,328.40. We paid cash in three installments in accordance. The project was finished on July 2022 and the consumption monitoring worked until July 30, 2022 and then it STOP. Upon requesting service under the warranty I was informed by Mr. ******************* that my request was not covered by the warranty and if I wanted it fixed I had two options: Option 1 for $995 and Option2 $150/hour with a minimum of $300. I find insulting that after spending over $27,000 that the company claims that the consumption monitoring is not covered by the warranty.

  

  Business response

  02/06/2023

  Good afternoon **************, 

   

  Thank you for being a Goldin Solar customer. I can understand your frustration, I can see why it would be frustrating to be charged for work, while you are under a warranty. I have had a chance to review your file and learn more about your project. I have understood that while you have a warranty for certain hardware, and for workmanship, system communication (i.e. the inverter's ability to communicate with the internet), and by extension your and our ability to track energy performance is not something that is covered by the warranty. Furthermore, maintaining proper communication with the solar system is necessary for the warranty on the equipment to be utilized so that we can remotely identify what the issue is with your solar system. You were invoiced for the work of reconnecting the system to the internet for proper monitoring. Hence, you were charged for an item that is not considered under warranty. I am able to see that as of the time of writing this response to you, your solar system is connected to the internet, and working 100%. 

   

  If you have any further needs in the future, please feel free to reach out to me directly anytime; *********** (that is my cell phone so feel free to call or text). 

   

  If for service, it's best to reach out to us at: www.goldinsolar.com/service 

   

  Best regards, 

   

  ***** Goldin 

  ************************************************** 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩