MikeL | Danville, California | 10/06/2024
RUN!
First it took just short of a year from contract to be installed. No feedback from sales or project manager for the delays. Then after install our oven started smoking, went out to shut off the breaker but couldn't find it. After removing the panel cover I find that they moved the oven breaker to install their breaker, but never removed the knockouts fron the panel cover, jamming the breaker. They disconnected the ground wire from the gas main pipe, didn't reinstall. they mistakenly punched numerous holes in our roof and caulked them with silver caulking (brown/green roof. Crushed an attic vent. At the first rain we had 2 leaks which they at least sent someone to fix (as opposed to the other issues). The area they worked in looks like they held a dance, composition roof is destroyed. Wasn't my cheapest bid, but they promised all kinds of "service".... Must have a different defininition than me.
Al | Saratoga, California | 09/11/2024
Terrible company poor performance always in vacation
Delays and excuses they are fast to charge but don’t complete the work to get the system installed
Bob | Safety Harbor, Florida | 08/27/2024
scammed
Boy was I sold on lies. Thought I would no longer have an electric bill: false. Thought solar panels would add value to my home: false. They said the large oak tree in my backyard that hangs above my roof wouldn't interfere with the production: false. Less than two years after installation I had a roof leak from shoddy brackets, and while they were responsive to come out and fix it, they have been impossible to reach since i've been asking for them to uphold the warranty and reimburse me for all of my damages/expenses. They just keep sending me around this "customer service" circle where each person i talk to refers me to someone else and says they will "pass along this information". Totally unacceptable customer service for nobody to give me any answers. They have me feeling completely scammed and regretting ever getting solar in the first place. They don't care about me as a customer at all. They only care about someone until the sale and installation is complete. Looking into selling my house and all I am hearing is that solar panels add ZERO value to homes and people get scared away because home insurance companies won't cover the roofs anymore. I've been advised I have to pay off the loan in order to sell the house and just cut my losses and be done with them. Getting sold on solar by Better Earth was the worst mistake of my life!
Vance | Sloughhouse, California | 08/27/2024
Increased PG&E Bills
My first complaint is with Salesman Cooper Murphy. He told me that he would be available to answer any questions. After 3 voicemail calls and 2 emails without any response I gave up. He didn't give me a copy of the contract that I signed. He didn't tell me that the $136.29 payments for the Solar System would increase to $200.40 in November IF I hadn't paid anything towards the principal. I am 88 years old and I was always under the impression that the monthly payment would be applied to the Principal and Interest. NO, these $136.29 payments were ONLY Interest payments, so since none of the $136.29 was applied towards the principal payment, I was being penalized for not making principal payments and therefore my new payments would be $200.40. I was told that IF I could make a principal payment of $8000+ before a certain date my payments would return to $136.29. I live on a fixed retirement + Social Security Income, so how in the hell am I supposed to come up with $8000+ in order to lower my payments back down to $136.29? IF there was some way I could have my Solar System removed I would jump at the chance, because I am Very Unhappy with this whole Solar experience. My PG&E bills before installing Solar Panels was averaging $250 per month. NOW with Solar Panels installed PG&E is averaging $300 per month PLUS the Solar $200.40 installment payment I went from paying $250 per month for electricity to over $500 per month total for electricity. Saving with Solar is a bunch of BS!
Christopher | Naples, Florida | 08/22/2024
Better Earth was so professional, and the work experience was phenomenal
Dan G | Rotonda West, Florida | 08/22/2024
Better Earth is hands down the best
I’ve contacted multiple companies in the past and every single one had scheming sales reps. Once I sat down with Christian Ayrer from Better Earth, he thoroughly explained the PPA/Lease program to me and did not pressure me once. He explained the benefits and brought my bill from $345 all the way down to $201 per month every single month. The project manager Tracy is amazing she goes above and beyond for us homeowners. Truly excellent company from the Sales guys, Project Managers, down to the install crews. No sub contractors at all. Would 10/10 recommend Better Earth to anyone looking into solar but hasn’t came across a trustworthy company yet. This is the one!!!
Doug | Lady Lake, Florida | 08/22/2024
Honest and professional from start to finish. Team was on time and very communicative thought site survey and install. Highly recommend Better Earth!
Michael G | Petaluma, California | 07/23/2024
Smoke in Garage after Install; No Panels Facing East
First, we woke to smoke in the subpanel and fire smell throughout our garage the morning after their electricians put a breaker in our sub-panel. Then, they said they said we must pay them $1,000 to have their electricians (that nearly caused a fire last time) install a breaker in a new sub-penal when we chose to switch to a larger one. If we had our own electrician take the five minutes required to do this, then the warranty would be voided on the entire solar system. Any statements they make about caring about their customer are hypocrisy. Second, what kind of reputable solar company places no panels on the unobstructed Southern facing roof? They showed us how the panels would be placed optimally with half on the fully unobstructed South roof and half on the unblocked half of the East roof. They then changed the design and placed all facing East. The roofline begins blocking all the panels just as the sun reaches its multiple hours of peak afternoon sunlight. The monitoring app shows how the production begins to decrease as the bright afternoon sunlight begins.
Mad as hell | saint petersburg, FL | 07/17/2024
terrrible
Before Better Earth installed my solar panels my light bill was running about $300 in the summer. After months of anticipation finally we go live. My very first light bill with solar was $600 only to be followed by another $600. Every since we went solar it has been a real nightmare. I had experts come out only to tell me i got the Shaft. They claim I was sold crappy panels at above expensive panel prices. They claimed that this is a common practice in the afro-american community. Grandma always told me anything to good to be true probably is. And Better Earth is just that.
Omar Zohni | San Diego, California | 06/25/2024
Leaking roof from solar installation
I'd give them zero if possible. I live in a 4 unit condo, it looks like a large house here in San Diego. Last year 2 of the tenants decided we wanted to go with solar, I was one of them. We contacted some companies and decided to go with Better Earth. Better Earth told us that since our roof was old (25+ years) they wouldn't warranty the work if we didn't replace the roof. None of us had any leaks, but we were considering this anyway, so Better Earth suggested a roofing company to work with. We had the roof replaced, no issues, no leaks. About 2 months after that the two of us started our solar projects. Upon completion, the next rain storm we had our 2 units started leaking, the two without solar didn't. We contacted Better Earth, they sent a team out that admitted it was a solar issue for my unit and they thought it was a mix for the other unit. Then the decided to deny that it was their fault and said it was the roofers. So, we contacted the roofers and went back and forth for 2 months, at which point I disputed the charge on my credit card, because the roof continued to leak, the roofers did everything they could, but they couldn't remove panels or it would void warranty. After disputing the charge, magically Better Earth came back, they still denied responsibility, but they worked with roofer, after about 6 back and forths, countless visits, us paying for an independent roof inspection (twice) they agreed it was their fault and let the roofing company handle the fix. Since then it hasn't leaked. In the months this took after disputing the charge they turned off my solar for 2.5 months. After it was resolved their support person said he was going to talk with finance to get a concession and turn the system back on. Now we've had $3,000 in damages, $1,000 in roof inspections, 2.5 months of electric bills because they turned it off and just the utter hassle of dealing with their "chat" only support, unless they want your money, you're dealing with a chatbot..... The concession he came back with $1,000 off, needless to say we said come remove the panels, which they won't do. We expected them to offer a reasonable concession that covered all these costs, the concession should have been $5,000 - $6,000, they offered $1,000. They decided again yesterday to turn of the system.... I would NEVER work with these people again, they're absolutely awful to deal with! And their incompetent, the amount of issues the roofing inspector identified that was a result of their crappy work was absurd. Random punched holes in the roof that weren't filled in, garbage and litter, just terrible professionalism. Omar Zohni