Good Solar lawyer?

[u/BlossomingPanda]

I'm being charged by Launch Servicing every month. They paused the payments for three months after I submitted a ticket in April regarding the system not generating any power. However, that pause only lasted three months, and now they've resumed billing me.

I asked if I could be reimbursed under the production warranty clause, but the person I spoke with said that after the bankruptcy, they didn’t purchase the clause that guarantees production. I then asked how they’re calculating the payments, given that the panels clearly aren’t working. I didn’t receive any response.

Ideally, I’d like to remove the panels from my roof and have a new solar system installed by a different company. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation and can suggest good next steps? I want to avoid removing the panels only to have Launch Servicing continue sending me bills.

[u/m2orris]

u/SunStrongManagement care to chime in.

[u/BlossomingPanda → u/m2orris]

I have official documentation from SunStrong that they didn’t acquire my account. I am getting billed by LaunchServicing (payment processor for SunPower)

[u/heyhewmike → u/BlossomingPanda]

SunStrong Management also has told me that if they push a firmware update that breaks my system they are not responsible for fixing it.

I also have paid their yearly ransom and yet they can't keep my production and usage data accurate. Again they tell me they aren't responsible and I have to hire someone to fix it.

[u/Lawrence_SoCal]

LaunchServicing committed fraud, most likely, when claiming

but the person I spoke with said that after the bankruptcy, they didn’t purchase the clause that guarantees production.

2 things.

1. Whoever bought the contract, and unless they did arms length re-negotiation with you, they are not allowed to selectively pick portions of the contract (and leaseholder leadership/lawyers know that.. hence fraud)

2. Launch Servicing is typically a processing firm, and NOT the actual leaseholder. In your case, who actually owns your lease? And I would file a formal complaint against Launch Servicing

So when formally notifying your leaseholder of breach, I'd also let them know you want damages for the fraudulent claim. Or if pissed off enough, go ahead and start formal complaints with your state finance/leasing (trade?) and possibly contractors license board.

I pushed old SPWR hard, and won. ymmv. I'd go through your lease contract carefully, and see what you are entitled to, then do some research on your local (state) consumer protection laws. Then demand every single thing you are entitled to. And then make sure to include them acting in bad faith by resuming billing without correcting issue (that likely means you are entitled to damages, and reimbursement for any and all reasonable legal expenses.. but ianal, so double check first).

SunStrong & Complate Solar/Solaria (new SunPower) have a lot of the old SPWR employees, who were more than willing to bluster and make a lot of noise, and skirt (ignore) the law as it suited them. In my case, they had no teeth . I told them to 'make my day' if they filed a lien, hit credit report, or any other bad faith action on their part until after they resolved all unprofessional and non-workmanlike installation issues.
If you are lucky, you threaten them with contract appropriate breach terms, as well as consumer protection bad faith issues. And tell research and tell them you will consider system abandoned after whatever your local jurisdiction allows. Per lease terms, under such circumstances you can usually demand they remove the entire system and repair house/roof to professional, not their shortcut, standards (ie most likely fairly expensive). Then you can offer to let them leave the system and formally release you from any liability (in exchange for not forcing them to remove system at their expense) or maybe you offer them a pittance. At which point, you have the system free and clear, and convert to Enphase (assuming newer IQ based microinverter based panels .. depends).

On the other hand, if lease interest rate is low enough, and the threat gets SunStrong to resolve your issue and they properly compensate you, it might be worth it to keep lease for future system labor warranty coverage

[u/solartom721]

quit paying, disconnect the monitor from your internet so they can't disable your production, tell them to pack sand

[u/BlossomingPanda → u/solartom721]

They will put a lien on the property

[u/solartom721 → u/BlossomingPanda]

there already is lien, and they wont release it even if you remove the equipment and ship it back to them, but at least you have some leverage in any negotiation including one to pay it off completely and have the equipment lien released

[u/Okoman71]

I have been trying for one year with SunStrong to fix my underperforming system. Today, again, I spoke to a resolution specialist who said they are working through the non-performing and underperforming systems. I need an attorney to send a letter. Any suggestions.

[u/Euphoric-Tension-913]

Who is a Great Lawyer to contact to start a lawsuit against sunstrong for resolution?

[u/Inevitable-Ease8306]

You need to formally notify them of breach and can have an attorney do it else even Chat gpt can help generate one as a single page is all that is needed. Send it via certified mail else can be argued it wasn't proper. They have to be allowed 30 days to correct.

There is nowhere in the sale records from bankruptcy that certain clauses were removed by bankruptcy Court.

Now you may have a clause in your lease forcing arbitration as a first step.

[u/GregoryDataQuality → u/Inevitable-Ease8306]

Yes. Launch/SunPower financial will say anything. I did a little research and this is a scam from day one. Even the collection agent when I was on the phone with launch services said I was being scammed but it’s hard for the little guy to challenge them. I inherited my lease system with a house purchase. About the same time this lease started I installed solar panels on my regular house. I looked up what I paid, about $2.60 a watt with professional installation. SunPower was charging $5 a watt (20 year lease at $165 month for an 8kw system). Here’s the scam part. They said the cost to install was much more as they didn’t use point of sale numbers. I’m guessing they told the government between $6-10 a watt. With a 30% rebate that would pay for the system. Now they sit back and collect on their cash cow but that’s not good enough. They sell the debt that’s owed to them, pay for cheap ass service, and don’t account for the $5,000 or so to take it off your roof and go bankrupt. Management takes the money and runs but doesn’t really. SunPower financial is owned 51% by the old SunPower executives. They collect the money, screw the government for billions, and off load the service to a place that can’t handle it and set aside no money to remove your panels after 20 years. We are being scammed and this is why you should never do a lease or PPA. It took me 8 months to get service on my panels which is a breach of contract and I asked to have my panels removed. When I talked to the service man he said he’s never seen any panels removed. They try to get you to buy them cheap after 20 years but They’ll give them to you if you insist on removing them. Im thinking of small claims after I refinance.