Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/08/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a system installed at the end of January 2023. During the installation, the installers damaged one panel, and a second panel never connected to the system. Since January through today (8 April 2023) I've had two damaged or nonfunctional panels. I have called, emailed, texted, and spoken to various Summit personnel about this numerous times. At one point, they sent out a drone operator to take pictures and confirm the damage (oh yeah - two installers fell off my roof while they were here doing the install and one of them pulled a gutter off that had to be repaired).Almost a month ago Summit finally sends out a repair tech. Even though Summit previously took photos of the damaged panel, and the Enphase application clearly shows which panel isn't functioning, the repair tech showed up not knowing that my system was roof mounted. He told my wife he was told it was a ground-mounted system. He didn't have a ladder, and wasn't prepared to go up. Nor did he even know which panels were damaged.Fast forward to end of March/first week of April after another flurry of emails and phonecalls between myself and Summit asking how much longer I'm supposed to wait to get a fully-functioning system, and I'm told that my issue was "elevated to the executive team" and that a tech would be at my home today, 8 April 2023. NEVER SHOWED UP. They will put forth a lot of energy and effort to get you on contract, but once they do, you're on your own. There is no way that the 524 ****** reviews are real. If you look at the supposed ****** reviews on Summit Energy's website pay attention: the time since posted never changes.Experiences may vary, but I have all the correspondence between myself and various Summit employees to corroborate what I've written here. Getting involved with Summit Energy was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/17/2023

  We apologize for the frustration you are feeling.  Our office staff worked tirelessly to ensure that issues have been addressed and solutions are presented. As you have stated our office staff responded to the damage caused to the gutters by allowing you to choose your preferred contractor and disbursing payment for the gutters to be fixed. As a company that works on roofs in the winter, accidents may happen. Summit ensures our installation team is following safety standards. We strive to establish that all of our customers are taken care of and treated fairly. Our service team has scheduled and completed work to get the scratched panels replaced as a priority above others in a time of high volume. Summit has sent out a customer ambassador to visit the customer as we strive to ensure that all of our customers are heard, and treated fairly. Numerous team members at our company have tried to the best of their ability to satisfy the customer and rectify the situation. We will continue to communicate any and all updates in regards to your completed service request to Summit Energy.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Summit Energy,

  Thank you for your response.  Unfortunately, I think that this is a broad oversimplification and inaccurate description of your efforts. Numerous people have NOT worked tirelessly to address my issues. There's Rose (who's not a service rep or project manager - she works in Sales), and ****** who also works in Sales.  Thank goodness for these two ladies, as they are the only ones who've made any attempt to communicate with me.  I have never received a single response to the questions or help requests I submitted on the Summit Customer portal - which YOU sent me the link to join after my system was installed.  What about the Service Department?  What about After-Sales customer support?

    Further, my system was installed at the end of January.  It is now April 17th.  The damaged/nonfunctional panel is STILL not showing as functional.  I called Enphase who remoted into my system and they confirmed that they have no read on the panel.  You did replace the scratched panel, but what about the non-reporting/non-functional/no-one-has-any-idea panel?  It has been over two months. I was told that a service team would come out two Saturdays ago (Easter weekend) by *********  I stayed home all day to be there. They never showed up.  While I understand your team not working on Easter Weekend, don't you think that someone should have informed me that they weren't going to show? No, no one did.  Communication between Summit and the customer is virtually non-existent.  **** claimed that she elevated this to executive/senior levels?  While I believe in her, what does that mean?  Who in charge is even making an attempt to remedy my system?  Why is it taking over two months to get my system functioning according to the contract I signed?  I didn't contract for Total Panels - 1.  I contracted for Total Panels.

     And who is this "ambassador" whom you claim personally came out to meet with me?  No one ever has.  Back in January prior to installation someone came by to pickup the permits, but no one has ever came by to meet with me and address my concerns.  That is a blatant lie.

     If this is Summit's idea of customer support after a transaction, then perhaps THAT is the issue.  I stand by my original comment: you were eager and fully prepared to get me on contract.  However, your after-Sales and maintenance support is an afterthought. 

    
  Regards,

  ****

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you have experienced throughout this process. We understand your concerns and would like to address each point you raised.
  Firstly, we apologize for any miscommunication regarding the team members involved in assisting you. We appreciate your acknowledgment of **** and ****** for their attempts to communicate with you. **** is the Director of Customer Experience and ****** is a Project Manager. Regarding the ambassador mentioned, we apologize for any confusion. We must clarify we have a record of our customer Experience Ambassador **** personally meeting with you. We understand the importance of having dedicated personnel to handle customer inquiries.
  It is our responsibility to ensure that all customer inquiries and help requests are promptly addressed. We deeply regret the miscommunication regarding the service team's visit during the Easter weekend. We should have informed you in advance about the unavailability of service on that specific day which should not have been scheduled. We apologize for falling short in this regard and will take immediate steps to improve our response times.
  We understand your frustration with the nonfunctional panel and the delay in resolving it. Rest assured we did address this problem and ensure that your system functions according to the terms of your contract. We will follow up with our service department to expedite the resolution and provide you with regular updates on the progress.
  We genuinely appreciate your feedback regarding our customer support. Your experience does not align with our commitment to providing excellent service throughout the entire customer journey. We value your feedback and will use it as an opportunity to improve our after-sales and maintenance support processes. Our goal is to regain your trust and provide you with the level of service you deserve. 
  Best regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/06/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/07/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 2/9/23 I was contacted by SUMMIT ENERGY for getting solar through them. They promised a ***** **** card if I make an apt with them. I sat through 2 presentations and I've reached out 3 times for what sounds like now is the fake **** card. They we much higher on install price than other companies and don't give the free gift promised. The best prediction of future behavior is past behavior. I'm so glad I didn't use them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2023

  We apologize for any inconveniences, we had reached out to this customer and offered them the gift card via amazon email for the sit appointment. This is a small administrative error but was able to be resolved very promptly. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/09/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had solar panels installed by Summit Energy Group located in ********* **. in February of 2019. The roof was inspected by the solar company and found to be acceptable. They said if any problems occurred with the roof they would take responsibility for repairs. In March of 2022 a leak in my kitchen ceiling occurred. The solar company came out and said it was caused because the chimney needed repair. I had the chimney repaired but the leak still continued. I called in a roofer who inspected the roof and said it was definitely the panels causing the leak. I called my insurance company and I also hired a private adjuster who both came together and agreed the leak was caused by the solar panels. The insurance company will cover the damage to my ceiling but said its the responsibility of the solar company to fix the roof. I have talked to the receptionist numerous times at Summit Solar. She always apologizes and says someone will get back to me. This has been going on for over two months. I still have a leak in my roof.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2023

  Dear ******,
  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced regarding the ongoing roof leak issue at your property. First and foremost, we would like to acknowledge the steps you have taken so far, including involving your insurance company and hiring a private adjuster. We also appreciate your persistence in reaching out to us. We deeply regret any delays you feel you *** have experienced. 
  We had originally taken prompt action to address the issues related to the roof leak and sent our teams to review  the leak's origin which was reported as stemming from the chimney. Our team of experienced technicians conducted a comprehensive inspection of the roof and solar system to identify the source of the leak.
  We have thoroughly reviewed your case and want to reiterate that we took the following steps to rectify this situation. 
  Roof Inspection and Repair: 
   The issue was found to be unrelated to the solar panels. We were still committed to ensuring that your roof was in the best possible condition. We provided a quote and allowed the customer to choose options in estimates to repair his chimney/roof. The **************** repair was conducted by the customer. 
  Clear Communication: 
  We understand that effective communication is vital during this process. To facilitate smoother communication, we assigned a dedicated representative to your case. **** was the point of contact with the customer and has logged regular updates as she promptly addressed concerns or questions. 
  The conclusion: In conclusion in late march all roof work was completed and a repaneling was conducted. An invoice was paid by the customer and all photos of the repair have been documented in the customers account. 
  Once again, we apologize for any frustration or inconvenience you have faced as a result of this situation. We understand the frustration you must be feeling but we want to assure you that we have tried our best to come to a resolution that meets your expectations. Please expect a call from our dedicated representative within the next 48 hours to discuss any other concerns that *** have been presented post resolution.