Solar4America

At the end of June, 2019, we entered into a contract with Petersen Dean to install a new roof and solar panels on our house in San Mateo. Petersen Dean advertised that it could install the system in 2019 to ensure that we would be eligible for a 30% tax credit on the solar panels. This was a material representation upon which we relied, and which we discussed with Petersen Dean's sales people, and which was factored into the total cost of the system presented to us. Through numerous errors, omissions and delays caused solely by Petersen Dean, which we can elaborate on in great detail and which evidence both incompetence on the part of Petersen Dean's operations team and an attitude of indifference toward our concerns about the mounting delays, Petersen Dean failed to install the solar panels until February of 2020, and as a result we are not able to claim the tax credit for the 2019 tax year and the tax credit for 2020 installations is reduced to 26% instead of 30%. We had reminded Petersen Dean numerous times in the summer and fall of 2019 that we expected the system to be installed in 2019 and that it would be a material breach of our agreement if it were installed instead in 2020, but their operations team not only ignored our pleas but was hostile and rude throughout the process, and they even suggested that we commit tax fraud by claiming the system was substantially completed in 2019 (saying they would 'allow' us to pay early to evidence this) even though it was patently false. Finally, when the system actually was installed, their installers damaged our irrigation system by driving a grounding spike into the water distribution system. They have offered a mere $55 reimbursement of the cost to fix the irrigation system in exchange for a full release of all claims, which is wholly inadequate to compensate us for the damages incurred by their delayed installation of the solar panels. These damages are not indirect or consequential in nature -- the 30% tax credit for the 2019 year was expressly contemplated as part of the price of the system and advertised as a reason to contract with the company when we did, with the guarantee that the system would be installed in 2019. The total solar cost was about $17,500, which means that our losses caused by their delays are about $700 in the reduced tax credit, plus the lost time value of the tax credit we should have received now but now cannot claim until tax year 2020. We proposed a settlement of these claims in the amount of $1,000 plus the $55 reimbursement, and the company has offered only the $55, which is itself an affront to the good faith efforts we have made to resolve our valid concerns. What's more, our final payment for the system was not overdue, but the company already filed a lien against our property and threatened a civil lawsuit to enforce the lien, even though we have a good faith dispute about the amount of our damages that we have the equitable right to offset against our final payment, and we have not refused to pay the balance less our damages. In fact, we have paid all but the disputed amount, to ensure that we are not in default of our obligations under the contract. But their attorney says they will bring a civil lawsuit immediately to foreclose on our property if we don't pay even the disputed amount. We view this as an effort to bully us, with threatening letters about forced sale of our property, into waiving their breach and paying more than we should rightly owe under the contract. This company has been abusive all along, and the pattern continues.

We signed our contract in February and service did not begin until September. We lost one of two inverters and it took over 1 month to get it replaced. I asked about micro inverters prior to signing and they told me that their product was much better. They also stated to me that they would monitor production and they would know if the system was not working properly. They did not, and then told me they do not monitor the system. I had them replace my roof as well, and that seems to be fine. Currently, I would not recommend their services to anyone.

Irregardless, you have a legal contract with your customer where progress payments are clearly defined and agreed to by PetersenDean. There are reasons/protections for the customer to have progress payments. Those terms should of been honored. As for other disappointments there are several: 1). Superintendent backs truck into garage wall and drives away without saying anything (later fixed) 2). Equipment layout didnt take into account A/C unit and window 2a). Agreed with superintendent that crew could move A/C to accommodate PetersenDean mistake but it wasnt moved. Customer had to move it to pass inspection. 3). Was sent someone elses layout diagram and pricing info by mistake. 4). Harassed by lender for weeks about final payment even though contract CLEARLY stated final inspection had to occur first. 5). Your explanation (excuses) clearly misses the customer point of view. Something else to be disappointed with and youre management. Sad. Obvious customer satisfaction is not your number one goal.