@1001Hobbies
They paid $91,000 to SAVE ON ELECTRICITY COSTS!!!! How long would it take to use $91,000 in electricity so that they could break even????? These people are nuts.
@VintageSixPiece
The salesman was crapping himself when the reporter came out to confront him. This is good investigative reporting. We need thousands more just like you all over the world.
@magicmegan4290
I’m glad this news report helped that family get out of their contract and get those panels taken down.
@By-s
I really miss this kind of investigative journalism, especially these days.
@anthonyromo8684
It's astounding that none of the cited companies are being charged with any criminal violations.
@user-cp7fo7im1s
I like it when news stations get back to doing stories and investigations that actually help people.
@andyg806
Spending 10's of thousands of dollars, even as much as $100k, to save a couple hundred bucks a month! Solid thinking there.
@noelleonard2498
Yes, there are scammers out there, but paying 300+ dollars a month for 25 years just to pay for the system is insanity.
@richardgarrett3188
When I had solar put on my house, I entertained a couple of these company's sales pitches. What they didn't know is that I did enough research to know what the panels and inverters cost, how many I would need to achieve my goals, and the efficiency for different parts of my roof to fit 50 panels. I was quoted $45k-$65k total price for ~$20k in materials. They had no answer on why the costs were so high when I showed them the retail prices of the components used (exact panels and inverters). I ended up finding a contractor to do the install, purchased the panels and pulled the permits myself. My total cost was $28k before my 30% federal rebate. There are many people that seem to be against solar due to ignorance in the comments. In many cases, solar may not ever pay for itself. In my case, it will do this in < 8 years. I'm almost 3 years into this journey and have produced 57.4MWh in electricity on my roof. My average electricity bill was $260 and now I average $10/mo ($25 when the FU minimum kicks in). I did a time-lapse of my installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oquw-f5Wm8
@cklindo4646
Gimme me $91K and I will pedal the water-wheel to produce the power for the house.
@MrGregTrumpower
I've been using Bluetti AC200MAX generator with three 285 watt panels and my electric bill is reduced by 60%. Also, if I need to take the generator anywhere like camping, or to a job site for equipment all I have to do is load it in the truck. I keep the panels plugged in and it is running my TV, Stereo, Computer, living room lights, guitar amplifier, microphones. I'd never put on FIXED PANEL SYSTEM. Going Portable is the way to go. I haven't got the money to buy an additional battery yet but maybe next year. But when the power goes out...NOT IN MY HOUSE. Thank you Bluetti.
@bsusak09
"Saying our clients will save 100% of their bill is a fireable offense but we absolutely won't be firing him"
@elwoogie1963
Good report. I have a hard time with these companies..."we're going to replace your $260 electric bill with a $10 electric bill plus $348 monthly installment plan for the next 25 years." Not exactly the electric company getting screwed over.
@michaelsteen9396
That’s the CONTRACTOR’S fault ! As a framing and remodeling contractor I take it upon myself to check regulations in every area I do work as all places are different as to what permits you need, what they cost, or if they are required at all. Most homeowners have NO IDEA about regulations where they live unless they are some type of contractor themselves. Very unprofessional on the part of that company.
@bombbaby9870
“Retrained to tell more lies” & “Fired for telling the truth”
@fargoloomis3569
As a solar installer, this is infuriating! Salespeople can turn any industry into a money pit even if the industry as a whole has good intentions.
@ivanzepeda6216
These people don’t realize if your paying 90 grand for a solar system and your payment is 450 a month for the next 25 years and your regular monthly electric bill is only 200 doesn’t it make more sense not to get solar at all 😂
@Valkyrieslikemead
I am the woman in the report. After reading these comments, I am surprised at the amount of negativity we received from people we are trying to inform and help. I am aware that some of you feel superior and think this could never happen to you because you are so smart. I hope you are correct. But, when you are lied too and make decisions that affect your family based on those lies, you won't be feeling so superior. Randy did a wonderful job investigating this company. There is even a part 2 that reports about the federal solar tax credit that is also part of the company's lies. Even with all the exposure from Randy, there are more facts than he could cover on the limited time given for the report to air. So let me help some of you who are unable to understand how this could possibly happen. 1) my husband and I have a large home with a family of five as well as a hobby farm. Our power bill runs around $500 a month during the summer (We have two HVAC units), we run around $400 during the winter, and around $300 in fall and spring months. In 25 years we would have paid at least $120,000 to the electric company. So, $91,000 over the same time with only a $320 solar bill seemed like a better deal. 2) we were told our electric company participated in Net metering. This meant we would receive point for point return on what we give back to the grid. So, if we pushed 30 kwh to the grid, that would remove 30 kwh we might use from the grid at night or on cloudy days. Eventually we would not have a bill at all and we would be paid for what we produced. Our electric company does not participate in Net Metering. This was a lie. 3) we were promised a federal tax rebate for 26% of the purchase price. For us, at $91,000, the return should have been more than $20,000. We were told we needed to put that on the principal of the loan or after 18 months the interest would increase by about 1%. However, we would put that 26% on the principal of the loan, bringing the principal down to $71,000. Only, that too, was a lie. The 26% solar tax credit only lowers tax liability. We would have had to paid that much in to actually receive the credit. My husband is a disabled veteran and we have no tax liability. Therefore, we have no liability to lower. 4)Now add in that there were lies about the number of circuits per battery, how much we would produce, how long our batteries would last, and the fact that one inverter never even worked properly, we were royally scammed. We discovered the lie about how many circuits were given per battery after the panels were on the roof and the installers were asking which circuits we preferred. I contacted the salesman and he came out to look my husband and I in the eye and tell us there was a new type of battery being tested in Texas that would run the entire house except the HVAC, and once it was approved for Georgia, we would be the first to get them. This lie was backed up by a customer service person months later, only to be refuted by some repairmen who came to try and fix the inverter. Those batteries do not exist. They just didn't want us to stop the install. They also lied about solar production during cloudy days. At one point there was a video here, on YouTube, with Jayson Waller giving a testimony before Michigan congress stating these lies. Interestingly enough the video has been removed. Because of all these lies from this company, they have canceled our loan. There is no longer a $91,000 loan for us to deal with. We are still waiting for them to come get their equipment and repair our roof where they were placed. Others have been harmed even more than us. Some have had their homes burned down from bad installation. I have read the comments. I know many of you think we were just stupid suckers, maybe we are. But, we came out and told our story to save OTHERS. There are thousands of us who have been harmed. If laughing at us makes you feel better, then good. My husband is just a disabled veteran trying to save money and give something to our children with less reliance on the system. It will be their house in another 20 or 30 years. We want them to have little to no power bill. I HOPE that those who may have been considering Solar will go with smaller, local companies. Maybe those people will know what questions to ask. And even if you are promised a "year on them" if you sign up that day, don't. Get several quotes.
@RogerWilsonTodd
Solar is GREAT! Just like any home construction project, you have to be SMART enough to choose an honest, competent, experienced contractor.
@scottmyers909