George | Riverview, Florida | 04/12/2023
Deceitful
Buyer beware! The sales representative for Freedom SunPower Solar sold me a $99, 989.00 solar system but pulled a switch on my wife and I and sold us a Waaree solar panel system under SunPower Solar without our knowledge or consent. I signed the contract from Freedom SunPower Solar which listed the parts with the SunPower letter head unknowingly purchasing Waaree panels. I was never informed that there was a back order or problem with the production of SunPower Solar Panels and instead they switch panels without our consent or knowledge. The electronic brochure that my wife and I received From Freedom SunPower Solar does not even have Waaree panels listed within the brochure. Mr. Andrew boasted about that SunPower panels that produce 420 per panel which is the highest in the country. Up until I discovered I did not have the panels on my roof that I purchased, the representative was a great salesperson. But when I informed him of my displeasure and told him that I feel like I have been taken advantaged of he completely did a 180 degree turn and says “I am going to stop you right there, Dude you’ve been a pain ever since we started.” I had him on speaker and my wife is a former court reporter and she began typing his conversation with me which was totally unprofessional. I hung up and then called him back after thinking about it. When I called back, I said why have I been a pain? I then began to state the issues that we were having which were: He told me that his lender offered a 0 percent finance option. My credit was pulled and I was approved for 100k which the lender said that 100k was the max loan that they offered. Well, we were originally quoted a price over 100k, so it was not enough. Now, this is where it gets shady, without going through another lender the price mysteriously dropped just below the 100k so that the loan could be approve and we could move forward. I explained to Mr. Medberry that I have concerns about him selling us a 100k system and not know that his lenders loan criteria. He then explained that it was a new lender. Then he says that we cannot get the 0 percent interest but we could get a 0.99 interest rate and made an excuse for that and not because of my credit score which is very high. Then, the panels get installed and we failed the county inspections, 3 times. So, now we have solar panels on our house and the payment becomes due approximately 2 months after the panels were installed. Well, the payment for the solar panels becomes due but we do not have solar energy yet and our electric bill is due. So, we are paying for solar panels that we cannot use and our electric. I will say that Freedom SunPower Solar sent us a check after the fact for our electric bill. But we still have a prorated bill due for this month. But he says that I have been a pain. If I was a pain to you, it is due to your lack of knowledge of your company’s and lender(s) loan processes which made me fell taken advantage of and most of all your deceitfulness. Your deceitfulness by knowingly putting WAAREE solar panels on our roof without informing us and giving us the option of moving forward or waiting until the panels came in, we feel robbed and ripped off, and betrayed for 100k. The brochure that you gave us does not even have 400-watt Warree panels anywhere within the brochure. I even asked you before I signed the agreement how can I verify what we are paying for and you said “it doesn’t work like that.” My wife and I called SunPower and the representative that we spoke with told us that we should have been informed of the unavailability of SunPower Solar Panels and given the option to move forward, wait or seek other options. But you guys robbed us. I referred my neighbor to you guys and you put SunPower on his roof but WAAREE on mine. You need to make this right by replacing these panels with the SunPower Panels.
Mandy | Georgetown, Texas | 03/24/2023
Unlawfully threaten their customers
TL;DR- Threatened to break and enter on my property, threatened to file a lien on my property when all sent invoices were paid, forged signature, compromised customers data and privacy, failed delivery 5 times, deceptive advertising about cost savings, misrepresenting staff titles and credentials, refused reasonable accommodations for a communication disability, there is NO SUPPORT once they have your money. When you complete your solar project with Freedom Solar you will be mailed a photocopy of a hand written note from their CEO Bret. It states to contact him personally with any issues because he wants to assure that you are fully satisfied and happy with your new Solar System. Watch out! This one is a big lie! Do not even bother wasting your time reaching out to Bret. He cannot and will not be bothered to respond. Instead of working with customers to resolve disputes in good faith, he will enlist Cokinos Law to send you threatening letters. I guess in an attempt to use a business to weaponize the legal system against consumers. Super gross. Originally, I reported my experience with Freedom Solar to the FTC, SEIA, and BBB. About one month after giving formal statements to FTC, SEIA, and BBB in regards to Freedom Solars violations of Consumer Rights and deceptive/misleading information, I started to receive invoices that made no sense to me from Freedom Solar. They had the incorrect address, different amounts than I had paid before, and were listed as being for the “Start of Project”… and no new start of project was authorized at my home. I sought clarity from the Freedom Solar billing department and received no answers. I did not pay them, because I had no idea what they were for and I genuinely thought it was another one of their incompetent mistakes. I also have records of previous invoices that have all been paid, and I received a project completion statement from Freedom Solar showing that all balances were “Paid in Full”. About 8 weeks later I received a letter from Phyllis Hat Cokinos Law in Austin threatening to put a lien on my home and to break and enter to remove my system! I was shocked. After unfortunately working with Freedom Solar I knew they were prone to mistakes and a very unethical business, but I never imagined they would make an attempt to weaponize the legal system and make unlawful threats against a consumer in an act of retaliation. To make things even “better” the threatening letter that Cokinos law was full of errors, including- the incorrect date the project was completed and the incorrect address! Like you are threatening a lien and you can’t even get the address, correct? It’s literally embarrassing. Do they just go around trying to put fraudulent liens on the wrong addresses? So scary what people in power do to random citizens… They forged my husband’s signature on a document. The signature they have does not match his actual or digital signature. The document is not in his account where all signed documents are saved, request for signature is not in his e-mail, and in the contract that I have, which is finalized, is signed by myself and the person at Freedom Solar only. My husband’s signature is not on the finalized contract; the business does not sign the contract before the customer. However, the contract they gave to Cokinos Law has a “signature” stating my husband’s name. Watch you Credit Scores! On multiple occasions an employee from Freedom Solar sent me someone else’s personal information, including financial details! I was shocked and very upset that my personal information and financial details had been sent to another customer also. They claimed that this was not the case. I have honestly thought about contacting that person to let them know that Freedom Solar compromised their information so they can take legal action if they need to. I haven’t because I am not the type of person to do anything nefarious with another person’s information, but part of me is concerned that they might have sent their information to someone else, etc. Anyway, I have been keeping a close eye on my credit report, cards, email, etc…. very worried about that, they obviously have a total disregard for their customers data and privacy! They missed / rescheduled install dates 5 times! I get that things happen, people call in sick, parts are on delay, but, really, 5 times? If you are having such staffing or supply issues, get it together and then start scheduling appointments. I missed 5 full days of work because of this, it’s absolutely ridiculous. On the almost 6th missed install time, the sales person Alex e-mailed me and said the install was going to have to be rescheduled because the electrician had COVID and they needed to pour a concrete pad for the Power Wall….. However, no discussion of a concrete pad had ever been discussed, we requested the Power Wall be mounted as the previous one is mounted. I replied back to him with this information and to try to get a new install date. Within 2 hours, the guy who Alex S said had COVID showed up at my house to install the Power Wall. He was great- very skilled. I asked him if he had COVID and he looked at me like I was crazy and said no. I think that the people at Freedom Solar are so used to lying and making things up that they can’t even tell which is which anymore, Alex S couldn’t even admit to making a simple mistake through all of this. Freedom Solar uses deceptive advertising, misleading ads, and inaccurate data related to the costs savings of their Solar System in order to get people to buy in. When in reality our monthly power bill INCREASED after we installed solar. This is because most of the utility providers in Texas charge a (much) higher rate per kwh if you are on a “Solar Buy Back” plan & high Oncor Delivery Fees- which of course, Freedom Solar encourages you to sign up for. However, they absolutely do not provide education, support, or breakdowns of what type of plan you need to be on to get the “cost savings” they advertise. I believe this is not only due to incompetence, but due to very poor design of their solar systems in general. For example, we did not increase our electricity usage, in fact, we decreased, and our bill was still increasing. When consulting a real Licensed Electrical Engineer and speaking with Tesla, they confirmed that our ($45K) system was designed poorly and actually required TWO Tesla Power Walls in order to get ANY cost savings- and no the cost savings are not anywhere near what Freedom Solar advertises. We unfortunately bit the bullet and purchased an additional Tesla Power Wall. Our bill has decreased, but it has never even come close to the cost savings advertised. Freedom Solar Intentionally misrepresents unlicensed staff as Engineers / Electrical Engineers. This is super scary to me because these people are working on our homes! I am always so worried / paranoid about an electrical fire that I like to have record of who has worked on my home. This occurred on multiple occasions when I asked to speak with a licensed Electrical Engineer regarding questions with our system / plan and how it would work. For example, during an e-mail exchange, I asked to speak with an Electrical Engineer prior to signing a contract. I was then handed off to Nicole L, who is a “PV Designer and Sales Engineer”. When asking for her license number I was denied that information. When attempting to find a Licensed Electrical Engineer by that name in the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, no records were found. When seeking clarity, I was met with pressure to sign the agreement/contract in question and given ultimatums and threats instead of the education I needed in order to feel safe. If you’re wondering why I continued at this point- I had already paid $45,000 and in attempting to work with another Solar Installer, they all directed me back to the original installer because the system was less than 3 months old. I was just in too deep. It was awful. If you need any type of accommodation for a disability- DO NOT expect Freedom Solar to abide by the Federal Law. Alex S and Brice R failed and refused, multiple times, to make a reasonable accommodation for an effective communication method requested for a disability. Need help understanding your utility bill? Need help with the Power Wall app? Need advice on panel maintenance? Help with the Sunpower App? System is offline? A panel isn’t producing? You absolutely cannot rely on or expect Freedom Solar to help or provide any support for your system once they’ve cashed the check. They have your money and that’s where it ends. You will have to call a contractor or another solar provider to try to get help. It’s absolutely absurd that you could pay nearly $50K for something and receive absolutely no help or support (which they promise and advertise) afterward. All I can say is, don’t walk, RUN! RUN away from Freedom Solar. When you are making this tremendous financial investment in your home, you want to work with a company who is at minimum willing to abide by the law; and factually, that just isn’t Freedom Solar, they are about as unethical as it comes. This is a huge investment in your home and the company you work with to provide a solar system at should make you feel informed, safe, prepared, and be willing to work with you directly through any issue that arises. You will absolutely NOT receive that if you go with Freedom Solar. You will be lied to, price gouged, and thrown to the curb- and if you voice concern to an official governing agency, you will receive threatening letters from Cokinos Law.
Amanda Colorado | Littleton, Colorado | 03/13/2023
This company is a mess
We have been working with Freedom Solar for 10 months. We are still waiting for them to finish install. Every step and every time someone has come to the house there has been frustrations. The latest one being today. The electrician came out and cut the install wires too short so he can’t finish the job today. He also did not have the new electrical panel replacement we paid for on his “plans”. So our project is getting prolonged again because of two mistakes that were made today by their electrician and whoever writes the “plans” for the electricians project. It takes multiple phone calls to customer service to finally get someone to call me back that knows what’s going on. Freedom Solar has been a huge hassle to work with. Save your time and sanity and choose a different solar company.
Dan Morton | Boulder, Colorado | 02/22/2023
Great Service, Great Work
The team with Freedom Solar Power were fantastic, from start to finish. They helped us understand the features that were important to us, guided us through the process, were swift and extremely effective. The level of communication and explanation helped us feel informed and aware of what was happening when and getting the system installed was painless for us. Would highly recommend.
Chad Headley | Pueblo, Colorado | 02/22/2023
Great story, terrible ending!
When we decided to go with solar, massive amounts of research was done to find a capable company that shared our morals and ethics, but mostly to find a reputable company in a very dynamic industry of pop up solar companies. We thought that we found that company in Freedom Solar Power despite the hurdles that we experienced throughout the process of purchasing and installing our system. Fast forward almost a year and we’re attempting to expand our system and add a SunVault or 2. The amount of time and energy that we’ve spent on giving Freedom Solar Power more of our money has been utterly ridiculous. We have sent emails to the CEO of the office that did our install and have heard nothing back. We’ve sent emails to SunPower with no response. It seems now that we made a huge mistake in selecting Freedom Solar Power for our residential solar needs. We can only imagine how difficult it’ll be if and when we need warranty assistance. Buyer beware!!!! Since we haven’t received any type of assistance, our only option is to now post our dissatisfaction online. Maybe, just maybe, this will get someone to take our money and live up to what Freedom Solar Power claims their company believes in.
Art | Highlands, Texas | 02/20/2023
Under deliver
Freedom solar wasn’t able to deliver. My one requirement was to power overnights when the grid drops. That is too much for my system. Thankfully the grid hadn’t dropped because my power wall is empty by 3:00am and I’m sucking grid juice. 7 months of waiting for a 25% solution. The engineering and analysis seem to be more fantasy that reality. The installers were quick, when they finally arrived. I think I might have preferred when the were ghosting me for 7 months, the I had only lost 10k deposit and still had hope.
Dwind | Morrisville, North Carolina | 02/15/2023
Great support
Bob Nowoc Willie Ross Both of these two gentlemen have given me exemplary support during the preparation phase. Both are very professional, answer questions, return phone and email questions. Thanks very much Bob and Willie!
Robert | Killeen, Texas | 02/14/2023
Worst customer service EVER!
We made our initial purchase in September 2022. It is now Feb. 14th, 2023 Absolutely zero communication unless we reach out to customer service, told our panels finally came in.... Electrical appt and solar install scheduled for Feb. 13th and 16th, No show, no call on the 13th. Called support was told our new appt was March 9th. Good luck if you go with this company.
Keisha Layne | San Antonio, Texas | 02/01/2023
Freedom Solar has a great group of employees. From the beginning of my project til the end, they worked with me to ensure I was satisfied. My representative Brian Marley went above and beyond to assist me when I had questions. Anytime I called, texted or emailed, Brian was eager to assist me. I will definitely recommend Freedom Solar to my family, friends and co-workers.
Karen Wirthlin | Denver, Colorado | 02/01/2023
Freedom Solar Rocks
I decided to research Solar Panels in May 2022. After another rate increase by Xcel Energy, the hand writing was on the wall. Electric bills were only going to get more and more costly. I contacted 5 companies to give me estimates. Each company required my electric usage going back a year, pictures of my electric panel on the back of my home, and my expectation of the solar panels. I decided to go with SunPower by Freedom Solar based on two things 1) Maxeon Series 425 Watt Panels manufactured by SunPower and only sold through them - these panels are the best on the market and give the highest percentage of solar output for the longest amount of time 2) Mike Kasprzyk, sales representative for Freedom Solar. Mike presented his proposal to me and spent a couple of hours explaining and answering my many questions about the proposed project. This was a huge expense for anyone let alone a senior on a fixed income. Mike gave me his cell number and told me to call him if I had any further questions. After reviewing all the estimates and asking questions of all the providers, I went with Freedom Solar. When I signed the proposal acceptance and gave Mike my deposit, he promised i could call him anytime with any question about my project. And, believe me, I did. I was very nervous in the beginning and his support was unwavering. I need not have worried. From the moment I signed with Freedom Solar, I had the support and expertise of every single person associated with my project. Mike Kasprzyk 303-656-9342 was ever available throughout my project. Krista Vohs guided me through every single step of the process. I almost had no time to formulate a question or concern before Krista responded to me. The site assessment person, the solar panel installation crew, the electric installation person, the monitor installation person - every one were knowledgeable, professional, courteous, efficient, and understanding. I heartily recommend Freedom Solar for your Solar Panel System installation. You cannot go wrong with Freedom Solar. At least that has been my experience. Give Mike a call 303-656-9342 He will make sure your experience matches mine. By the by - even with the crappy winter weather we have been having in Colorado, I am seeing savings on my electric bill that make me very happy.