ComplaintsforPurelight Power, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  07/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 10/15/21 *** from Pure Light power came to my home .WE came to agreement of ****** for solar panels depending on site inspection this might change. The next week was site inspection and was determined roof needed to be placed. They sent out a contractor the next week they inspected roof and left . *** contacted me said that replacing roof tpo and shingles would be ****** . I asked is this whole roof was told yes it is. I figured ***** whole seems fair deal average cost for **** sq ft roof. So I agreed to sign for ****** . On November 15 2021 I asked *** for break down of materials and labor cost for roof. No call all of December . Mid January get a call saying electrician will be out. he finishes. NO call rest of January , February, ************** of March I get email saying my loan contract was extended. No call rest of March , April or may . Memorial day I receive call saying roofers are at house I was in Tri Cities, asking where their materials delivered I said no. Can you be here tomorrow so we can start. So I left my vacation and came home. Tuesday May31 22, Roofers showed up and started roof they only were working on TPO roofing I told them this is being done for solar panels, and asked why they weren't working on the lower roof , they said they weren't doing it. I was not happy. . They finished Wednesday night. Pure light crew came out on 2nd and 3rd of June and installed meter. On 8th of June ********** came out said that the work roofing company did would not hold their panels and that they refused to install on lower roof . My wife called me and i had told them that the lower roof was suppose to have been done. The contract expired On June 13 22. I have been passed around not getting straight answers. Have requested several times for scope of work material and labor cost. Never received was just told 1 flat quote.. ***** for 400 sq ft of tpo roofing is bout 3 times normal price.

  

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  Please see below for our response to each point of concern.
  
  
  Customer complaint: On 10/15/21 *** from Pure Light power came to my home .WE came to agreement of ****** for solar panels depending on site inspection this might change. The next week was site inspection and was determined roof needed to be placed. They sent out a contractor the next week they inspected roof and left . *** contacted me said that replacing roof tpo and shingles would be ****** . I asked is this whole roof was told yes it is. I figured ***** whole seems fair deal average cost for **** sq ft roof. So I agreed to sign for ****** .
  
  Our Response: We apologize for what seems to have been a miscommunication. Per the bid we received from the subcontractor, the contract was for the single roof level.
  This work included:
  Tear off and disposal of 2 layers of the existing roof system;
  Inspection & repair of dry rot at $60 per hour plus material;
  Installation of slope insulation system;
  Installation of class b fire sheet;
  Installation of two new drains through ***** of the existing roof;
  Installation of new shingles (*********************** Duration brand) on the upper section;
  Installation 60 mil PVC roof system;
  10 year workmanship warranty;
  Final cleanup including magnetic nail pick up.
  
  
  Customer complaint: On November ******* I asked *** for break down of materials and labor cost for roof. No call all of December . Mid January get a call saying electrician will be out. he finishes. NO call rest of January , February, ************** of March I get email saying my loan contract was extended. No call rest of March , April or may .
  
  Our Response: Beyond the information above, a further breakdown of exact costs as a line item budget would have needed to be provided by the subcontractor. It is important to note that currently supply costs are in flux due to continued supply chain delays and interruptions. This is especially true of PVC roofing materials which have been in particularly short supply and take a while to source and get delivered.
  
  We apologize for the frustration the customer experienced due to what felt like a lack of communication. Once a project is in process we provide updates as we have them to the customer, and we do regularly warn customers that in instances where there is pre-work necessary prior to being able to install the solar panels, that can extend the waiting period.
  
  The delays noted here, in large part due to supply chain delays outside of our control, were exacerbated by a wait on having particular permits approved by the city, which is required for the type of roof being worked on here.
  
  We have several notes that our team was communicating with the customer during the waiting period, and had explained several times that the delay was due to waiting on supplies to arrive, and that we would need to do an updated credit run to keep the loan contract current and serviceable.
  Memorial day I receive call saying roofers are at house I was in Tri Cities, asking where their materials delivered I said no. Can you be here tomorrow so we can start. So I left my vacation and came home.
  
  This was an issue caused by lack of communication on the part of the subcontractor, who did not communicate to us, or with the customer directly about the change in delivery times for materials. We do apologize for their lack of communication, and have followed up with that subcontractor to communicate the issue. Unfortunately there is nothing that we can do after the fact about this. If the customer felt that this action by the subcontractor was unreasonable, they could have told the roofing company that they were unable to meet them due to being on vacation, at scheduled a time to receive the supply delivery when they returned from vacation.
  
  
  Customer complaint: Tuesday ********, Roofers showed up and started roof they only were working on *** roofing I told them this is being done for solar panels, and asked why they weren't working on the lower roof , they said they weren't doing it. I was not happy. They finished Wednesday night.
  
  Our Response: Per the contract the customer signed, the roofers were correct that the contract and scope of work only outlined work done to the *** roof area. While we understand that the customer does not feel the cost was what they would have expected, given the scope of work, current prices for supplies, and cost of labor, the $****** amount is considered reasonable. The customer did also sign the contract agreeing to this work well before the work occurred.
  
  We work with many subcontractors, and this cost is pretty standard for the scope of work, materials, and labor cost represented by a re-roof including the work outlined above, that was done in preparation for solar installation given current costs and market pressures.
  
  
  Customer complaint: Pure light crew came out on 2nd and 3rd of June and installed meter. On 8th of June ********** came out said that the work roofing company did would not hold their panels and that they refused to install on lower roof . My wife called me and i had told them that the lower roof was suppose to have been done.
  Our installers did come out and noted that the roofing work that had been done was not up to standard or ready for solar installation. We are in communication with the subcontractor about their lack of adequate work, and the customers complaints including leaving the space surrounding the roof work messy.
  
  Our Response: To avoid further issues due to a subcontractor, and to address the customers frustration due to the apparent miscommunication, if the customer decides to move forward then one of our in-house teams would be doing the roofing work for the full roof, not just the section the subcontractor worked on.
  
  But, per other demands communicated by this customer, we would not be doing that work for free. He would still need to be willing to uphold the contract he originally signed for $******.75 which includes the roof work, cost and equipment for the solar energy system, and the labor cost associated. That includes the $******.25 for the solar system ($22,707 for parts and labor for the system, and $1,200 for the main panel upgrade service to the homes electrical), and the original $******.25 for the roofing work for the whole roof, including fixing the subcontractors work.
  
  
  Customer complaint: The contract expired On June 13 22. I have been passed around not getting straight answers.
  
  Our Response: The customers contract was updated on our end and we reached out repeatedly to explain the process of the updated credit pull and contract extension in order to keep the project moving forward and active. The customer chose not to sign the documents necessary to keep the contract updated and active. This is easily remedied, but would require the updated credit pull and updated contract with signatures.
  Have requested several times for scope of work material and labor cost. Never received was just told 1 flat quote.. ***** for 400 sq ft of tpo roofing is bout 3 times normal price.
  
  As stated above, per current costs, which are impacted by inflation, supply chain issues, and the scope of work, the cost of the project is standard and reasonable given the bids we regularly receive from subcontractors.
  
  Please see attachment for email also sent to the customer outlining what was stated above. That email includes the two options available for moving forward:
   
  Option 1:
  Purelight will redo the roof that was signed for to bring it up to our standards. This would mean the customer would pay for all charges on the signed contract, $******.75 plus financing. In addition, in an act of goodwill Purelight will also complete roof work on the 1st level with no charge to the customer. Once this is complete, we would continue to install the solar system, pass the final inspection, and submit for Permission to Operate with the utility company. Next steps will begin upon the customer's signature of new financing docs. If the customer chooses not to resign docs, payment will be made in cash.
  
  Option 2:
  Customer chooses to cancel the contract with Purelight Power. Per Purelight contract, the customer may cancel at any time prior to midnight of the seventh day after the effective date. If this agreement is canceled after the 7th day, the customer is responsible for any and all costs incurred by us through that date relating to the work, including but not limited to finance and transaction costs, administration costs, engineering and permitting costs as applicable. After 18 days of the signed contract, the customer is responsible for paying the greater of 3% of Contract Price or the actual costs we incur in connection with the Work. This means that if the customer chooses to cancel the contract, customer is responsible to pay the following:
  $1,200.00 Main Panel Upgrade
  $******.75 Roof Work
  $110.28 Electrical Permit
  $126.53 Structural Permit
  $250 Site Survey Fee
  $250 Engineering Fee
  $4,700.00 ************************************* Cost
  $19,755.56 Total
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The salesman for this company told me that they would be getting back up batteries. I told him I did not want to spend $50,000 and not be able to use it when the power went out. He said they dont have it right now but they were going to get trained on it and offer it. Five months later They installed the panels leaving mud all over the sidewalk that I had to clean up even though I have a bad back. Tracked mud in the house after I told them to wear booties. Told me they dont plan on doing back up batteries.Told me they would hook up a tesla charger if I went and got the wire which I did and now they say they wont install it. Two of my plug-ins in the house now do not work. Would not recommend this company for solar.

  

  Business response

  04/29/2022

  Regarding the issue of mud, we've already been in contact with this customer and have scheduled a carpet cleaning service to come out at our expense to clean the carpets. That service is scheduled for this Saturday, 4/23at no cost to the customer.
  
  Regarding the battery issue, that seems to be an issue of unclear communication and misunderstanding. After our team explained to the customer at the beginning that we do not install and connect batteries to our solar energy systems, and would not be offering that service within the timeline necessary for the homeowner's, one of our electricians who was employed with us at the time apparently chose to work with the homeowner privately and separately to see about helping get the homeowner's battery system connected. That was not done under the umbrella of our services, and was not a service or arrangement through or managed by Purelight Power.
  
  That electrician no longer works for our company as of December 2021. It sounds like perhaps the electrician the customer was working with in a freelance, private capacity made some promises they are now not following through on. But given that that arrangement was always separate from the project work Purelight was contracted for, and given that the electrician is no longer working for our company at all, we cannot be held responsible for any promises or guarantees made by that person in an outside capacity.
  
  The only work we did on our part was to verify that the inverters we use for our solar panel systems are compatible with a system hooked up to a battery. That was not a promise to install the battery, but our due diligence on the part of the customer to ensure that his system was designed to the specs he'd prefer, based on his intention of independently hooking up the battery to his system.
  
  We are very clear before beginning any part of the installation process that we do not currently work to install solar batteries, and our contracts for all work done within the scope of the project would never include any promise or guarantee to work on a battery system.
  
  We understand that the customer is frustrated by this lack of clarity around the issue, but our installation contracts do not currently and have never included any agreement or guarantee to install battery systems, whether sourced by us (which we don't do currently) or purchased separately by the homeowner. We do sometimes work with homeowners to install generator switches to allow them access to a generator back-up on a case by case basis.
  
  Currently, as a company we are exploring the possibility of expanding our services to include battery systems, but that is not solidified, and would be at minimum 1-2 years out from today's date if at all.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We purchased a solar system from Pure Light Power in Feb of 2020, *************************, our sales person promised us repeatedly that we would receive a $10,000 dollar rebate from the federal government when we did our taxes in 2021. ***** assured us that our rebate would come in the form of a check. ***** told us several times that we would be able to use the rebate any way we wanted, we could put in savings, take a vacation, buy anything we wanted or pay down the loan on the solar. When we did our taxes in 2021, we were told that there is no government rebate and there never was one and we would not be receiving our $10,000 dollar rebate. We would however receive a $10, 000 dollar credit that we could use to offset any tax liability. This credit would be good for 3 years. The problem is we are retired and have no tax liability. When we notified ***** that there wasn't any such thing as a tax credit, he stated he would make good by installing more panels to make up the difference of a tax rebate. We had also been promised a 99 percent solar offset basically zeroing out any power **** that we would get from Pacific Power. The offset was not the 99 percent promised in writing, this was another reason ***** offered to install more panels for no charge. We have been in contact with ***** for over a year with no results and recently he will not answer any of our texts. If we can't resolve this matter soon we may seek other action against Pure Light Power LLC and *************************.

  

  Business response

  03/18/2022

  We have reached out via a phone call, and discussed ****************** concerns about the 9 panels on Friday, March 18. We are working internally to come to a resolution for all parties involved. ****************** is encourage is also encouraged to reach out to us directly at ********************************** regarding any additional questions or concerns regarding this issue. We appreciate his willingness to work with us to find a resolution to his concerns.
  
  While we do our best to thoroughly explain tax incentives like the solar investment tax credit, and the possible savings when claiming the solar ITC, we do state in the contract every homeowner signs that we can't make any guarantees surrounding what a homeowner would receive when claiming that incentive, as well as advising homeowners to reach out to their tax specialist to learn more about their unique situation in regards to claiming tax-based solar incentives.

  Customer response

  03/21/2022

   
  Complaint: 16861060
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We cannot at this time except because Pure Light Power and ourselves have not reached any kind of an agreement. I did speak with **** from Pure Light on the phone. She has assured us that Pure Light does want to reach a solution and settle our disagreement and dissatisfaction with the company as soon as possible. She led me to believe that a solution can be reached in a timely manner. She told me she would be speaking with her Manager *****, and they would get back to me shortly. We are hopeful that this is true, and we can finally reach a solution after waiting over a year. As of 3/21/2022, we are waiting to hear back from **** and ***** of Pure Light Power.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** And *************************

  

  Business response

  03/25/2022

  After initially reaching out to ******************, we were able to come to an agreement that he will receive the necessary panels for free to correct the issue and resolve his complaint. Per the conversation our team had with ******************, we have sent a contract stating the details of the panels ****************** will be receiving and are waiting to receive that contract back so that we can move forward with planning that project to expand the size of the system originally installed on ******************' home.
  
  Barring ****************** refusal to sign or any other unknown issues arising, to our understanding this issue has been resolved.

  Customer response

  03/28/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  We have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. We have signed a contract to move forward with installation of an additional 8-9 solar panels to resolve this matter. WE hope that the company will expedite the installation as it has taken some time to reach this final solution. We are happy to have reached a solution, and wish to quickly bring this to a close.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** And *************************

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