Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Top Tier Solar Solutions, LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Top Tier Solar Solutions, LLC

  1530 Center Park Dr Charlotte, NC 28217-2911

  
• 

  Top Tier Solar Solutions

  11923 Tramway Dr Blue Ash, OH 45241

• 

  Top Tier Solutions LLC

  8197 Euclid Ct Manassas Park, VA 20111

• 

  Top Tier Solar Solutions, LLC

  Garner, NC 27529

• 

  Top Tier Solar Solutions, LLC

  11080 Air Park Rd Ashland, VA 23005

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:10/24/2023

  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.

  Solar panels have not been producing nor reporting for about two months. When I notice my panels were giving an error code, I contacted Enphase to trouble shoot the issue. The error code stated the problem was an installation issue. I was not surprised because my utility company had to come out three times because the main panel was wired backwards. This went on for about two months before the issue was corrected. I contacted Top Tier to come and fix the issue. A tech came out and said the cord is too short and the panels aren't getting power, he did not have the equipment to fix the problem. Weeks went by and no one called to rescheduled, when I called the earliest appointment was not until November 2nd. After setting up the appointment, It was changed without talking to me to see if I was available, as if I don't work for a living. My original appointment that I agreed upon was cancelled, so I didn't have a choice. When I called a few days ago to discuss a refund or credit because now I am coming up on two months of paying two light bills, the manager was rude and said they don't offer refunds because the system had been working prior to not working. He also goes on to tell me it's a difference between not producing and not reporting. It's not doing either because it has no power, which my utility company confirmed they are not producing when I called. Not only I'm losing money by paying two light bills, I'm losing money from my utility company because nothing is being stored on the grid. The rude manager told me that they will do an assessment at the end of the year to see if any money is owed on their end, that doesn't help me in the present This has been a nightmare from installation and yes you are mislead on the tax credit, regardless of the disclaimer. The sales person paint a very nice picture on money you will never see. Veterans Beware! this is a veteran owned company that does not taking care of the veterans that support them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  We sincerely apologize to this customer for any frustration and inconvenience they have experienced. Our Director of Customer Support spoke with this customer over the phone on 10/24, and reassured them that their previous conversation is not ********* standard and that we absolutely will support their system cost while its out of commission. We believe that the previous representative they spoke to misunderstood the request for the refund, which is why they responded the way they did. However, we do apologize as that is not the appropriate answer and we do not condone any of our representatives being rude ever. The customer has since been issued a check to cover the September and October payments of their system. As for their service, we originally scheduled a follow-up for 11/2 but had an opening on 10/23, contacted the customer and bumped the service date up to complete the work sooner than anticipated. It was at that service that we determined some more work needed to be done in order to get this project fixed. We are now working on getting the breaker to derate this panel and just obtained the necessary permit. The individuals who performed the previous work causing the issues now no longer work for the company and this is being monitored closely by our Director of Service to ensure it's done correctly and efficiently. We have contacted the customer to schedule the final service.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/09/2023

  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 have reached out to top tier many times and have gotten no response or resolution on if I can turn my panels on or not.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/10/2023

  This customer spoke with their dedicated Customer Success Manager yesterday, October 9, 2023, in which they informed this customer that their system is just waiting on approval from their utility company. As soon as we receive that permission from the utility company, their system could be turned on. We also checked our records and did not find any incoming communication from this representative to our main line. But rest assured, this customer's account manager has spoken with them regarding this matter and updated them on the status of their account. As soon as permission is received from the utility company, the system can be turned on. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  As soon as I reported Top Tier to the BBB they all of a sudden started to respond. Its honestly ridiculous. They now have been responding because I complained to the BBB. What if I hadnt complained? How long would it have taken to get a response back? Its pathetic and shows that the company is shady

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  We are sorry that our actions as a company are being interpreted that way. That is never our intention as we value each of our customers and strive to provide them with the best possible experience. As we previously stated, we checked our records and did not find any incoming communication from this customer to our main line and showed no missed communications from this customer to their dedicated Customer Success Manager. If there was missed communication or someone "not responding", it may be because the customer was trying to contact the sales representative and not their Customer Success Manager who oversees their project at this stage. As such, we had no idea this customer had a problem as our records show that their Customer Success Manager has updated them on the status of their project and kept in communication regarding next steps of the process. When we received notification of this complaint, we immediately dug deeper into this customer's claim to ensure that the customer would become satisfied. This customer's system has been successfully installed and personnel on this project are working with the utility company to get permission to operate so this system can be turned on. As soon as permission is received from the utility company, the system can be turned on. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2023

  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.

  Around April *** payment was made for *** solar panels, a $147 monthly payment which I paid $882 as of right now and I'm still paying my electric bill ($500 I've paid so far) after I was told I didn't have to anymore when going solar. I called and texted ***m about it, and ***y told me I would receive a refund for *** trouble, but I never received one. They installed ***m quickly but took about 5 months to activate ***m. I called ***m and texted ***m about having ***m activated, and ***y would always say a date and when ***y would arrive, but no one ever showed up, and this happened more than 6 times. I believe that *** owner or co-owner (can't remember which) came by to do a survey, we mentioned our horrible experience so far with ***m, and he told us that what ***y did was unacceptable and someone would be in trouble for it, ***n he mentioned we should receive a call about *** who ordeal, and I never received a call.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2023

  One of the Senior Managers of Customer Support here at ********************** personally worked with this customer and resolved their issues. The conversation went extremely well and **** was able to resolve many of this customers concerns. This customers system was installed in January 2023, and received Permission to Operate in July 2023, which means the customer didnt get a power bill reflecting the solar until Septembers bill came for Augusts usage, which wouldnt reflect the full impact of the system. This customers bill has since gone down and her system is generating power but the system did need to be commissioned. Our Service Team was able to go out to this customer on 9/22/2023 to commission the system and get it connected to wifi. The system is now reporting through the app and we can see that the system is performing well. We believe that this customers issues have been resolved. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2023

  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.

  In December 2022, I signed a contract with this company for $32,901! Agent ******, who assured us that our monthly electricity payment would be between $12-$15 and that the Federal Tax Credit would reduce the cost of our credit 30% reduction or $9,870, plus we could receive a tax credit from the *********************** of $3,500-1 year, $3,500 -2 year, and $1,225-3rd year. As a result, we received a federal tax credit of $2,689 and an SC tax credit of $280. According to the terms of the agreement, if we do not return this $9870 next year, then our monthly payment will increase to $160. But unfortunately, I cannot return this amount, since I did not receive it and I have nowhere to get it! Yes, the contract states that you need to consult with accountant to find out whether we comply with this law or not. But it was not possible to do this at that moment, since not a single accountant can answer this question until he calculates taxes for last year! The installation of the panels was poor quality and there were huge holes in the wall and roof. ***** panels were activated but bills were high $105-$130. It turned out that the inspector did not see the panels turned off from 02/13 to 04/24. The company returned my money for 3 months. From May to September, the amount for electricity averaged $27-51.81, which is 3 times higher than the promised amount specified in the contract. But in the Enphase application, the panels produce more energy than we consume from ************ We ended up with a loan of $32,901 + $14,201 (2.99%) = $47,102 for a term of 25 years. Next year I will have to pay over $200 monthly, although before installing the panels my bill was about $100-$120! The company's agents manipulate potential buyers, luring them with a lucrative offer, but after signing the contract, big problems and bills appear, but the company claims that they have nothing to do with this. But this is a cunning lie. I want my money back and cancel the contract!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2023

  We apologize for any frustration or inconvenience this customer may have experienced. We have spoken to this customer multiple times and have properly refuted (with documentation) each of the claims made, just as we will do again here. In regard to the complaints surrounding the tax credit, this customer confirmed on a recorded call that she understood and acknowledged that Top Tier Solar Solutions and its representatives are not licensed or professional tax advisors and that the information provided regarding the federal tax credit is not guaranteed by Top Tier Solar Solutions or any of its representatives. The specifics of the tax credit are also laid out on page 7 of the agreement signed by this customer, where it again states: Not everyone is eligible for credits, incentives, or rebates or can fully use them. Please consult your tax professional or legal professional for further information. Incentives are subject to change. The actual amount can be higher or lower than what is quoted and may not stay at a fixed rate over time. It can also change based on the tax bracket you are in. We also have no record of a hole, or any damage done to this customers home. We have reviewed multiple photos from installation and, again, have no record of this occurring. Furthermore, we are not responsible for the amount that *********** decides to charge for a connection fee to solar customers. Duke has a minimum connection fee of $20-30 for each solar customer, and unfortunately, that is out of our control. While were sorry that that amount has gone up from the amount that was originally stated, that is something that is a concern to bring up with ***********. This customer spent time last week speaking with our Director of Customer Support, in which he found that the system was operating extremely well and fulfilling their energy needs. Overall, Top Tier Solar Solutions has fulfilled every contractual obligation to this customer.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/25/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because: the problem is that the agent of this company assured us that our monthly payment will be within the range of ***** dollars, which is indicated in the contract! And this is confirmed in the documents, it is also visible in my correspondence with this agent, where she confirmed that the payment would be 14 dollars. Also, the agent confirmed that we will receive a Federal Tax Credit in the amount of 30% of the total cost and if we pay it back next year, our monthly payment will not increase. Which also does not correspond to reality. The agent did not tell us that this company does not have an agreement with *********** and she did not tell us that prices could go up much more than usual. She presented everything in such a way that this was a very advantageous offer and that we would pay no more than we usually paid for electricity. She also looked at our monthly energy bills and said we qualify for this panel program! In reality, nothing he says corresponds to reality! Yes, the panels began to work, well, but only after I called customer service many times and said that my bills were very high, but no one paid attention to this until I went to the office, only after that the manager sent a technician who discovered that the panels were not turned on! The company refunded my money for 3 months while the panels were not working. Now the panels are working well, which confirms that we only use the electricity produced by the panels, and send a large amount of energy to ***********, but our bill is still 3 times higher than the agent promised us before signing the contract! In addition, more than once I called the company to repair a hole in the wall that the workers could not properly repair and the company lied that they did not have a record of it. The hole was repaired, but very poorly, so it is very noticeable. 
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  Top Tier Solar Solutions has attempted multiple times to appease this customer, but this customer remains unreasonable. The new utility bill is an estimation, and only that - an estimation - based on the solar savings. If utility companies decide to increase the minimum connection fee or if the customer uses more power from the utility company one month and is charged, that is completely up to them. Again, while we apologize for any frustration, nothing as it pertains to the new utility bill was guaranteed by Top Tier Solar Solutions and is outside of our control. We suggest you contact your utility company for those concerns. Top Tier Solar Solutions has fulfilled its contractual obligation to this customer and provided them with a fully functioning and operational solar system, even as stated by the customer in their rejection. Moving forward, Top Tier Solar Solutions will continue to honor our contractual obligations as it pertains to the functionality of the solar system. We have done all we can to try to make this customer satisfied, but unfortunately, this customer remains unaccepting and unreasonable toward any support or information we provide. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/06/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:Top Tier, through its agent, misled me and my family! They assured us that we would qualify for their program and that our payment would be approximately $***** for the electricity and $111 for the panel credit. In addition, we will receive a Federal Tax Credit, which we will be able to return and our loan payment will remain low, which did not happen, although the agent assured us of this. This company skillfully manipulated us, they offered us $1000 in cash and $2000 after installation if we sign the contract on that day, naturally they misled us and therefore we did not have enough time to think about everything and look for information about this company. They convinced our family that installing solar panels would be extremely profitable, but they did not say one word that they had no agreement with the **** electric company, and they also did not say that the minimum payment would probably be 2-3 times higher than specified in the contract! On the contrary, agent ****** assured us several times that the payment for electricity would be, as indicated in the contract, about ***** dollars, which is confirmed by my correspondence with her via SMS, I have attached a screenshot. My complaint is well founded! This company should have truthfully said that it does not promise or guarantee anything, neither in terms of the price of electricity or that we will be able to receive a Federal Tax Credit. All these important details were not announced at the moment before signing the contract!
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2023

   We apologize that this customer felt that the information was not transparent as that is never our intention. However, all of the concerns outlined by this customer are laid out specifically in writing in the contract, especiallty as it relates to the Federal Tax Credit. And again, as we can provide our customers with an estimated new monthly power bill, it is just an estimation and is not guaranteed as the utility company is a third-party who has full ability to update their policies outside of our business and that is outside of Top Tier's control. As we previously stated to this customer, ********************** has fulfilled its contractual obligation to this customer. We have tried multiple times to reason with this customer and get them to understand the truths about each of their concerns, but unfortunately, this customer remains unwilling to accept any information we provide. We value this individual as a customer, and are sorry that they are so frustrated as we strive to provide all of our customers with the best possible experience. Ultimately, Top Tier Solar Solutions has completely fulfilled its obligation to this customer and their system is working as it should be, which is the service we provide. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  ****** rang my doorbell at 7:00 PM on 9/16/23 (Saturday night), stating that he worked for Top Tier, and that I should have received notification from Dominion in my last March bill about renewable energy. I told ****** that I was not interested in renewable energy, yet he continued to try to hard sell me a deal with no money up front. He continued to ask me why I did not want renewable energy. I asked ****** for his credentials, and business card, and he said he had none. He continued to show me his iPhone referencing the *************** site, insinuating that his company was out on their behalf. This activity by Top Tier is deceptive and dishonest. I did not ask to be signed up for renewable energy. Top Tier is trying to confuse homeowners, by showing up at their doorsteps and trying to sell them a solar package under the guise of a program endorsed by Dominion. Elderly customers would be particularly susceptible to this sort of business practice.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2023

  We're sorry for any inconvenience or frustration you may have experienced. We work in conjunction with local utility companies all over **************, South Carolina and ******** to help our customers transition to solar energy. Our sales representatives inform homeowners of this when talking with them and do not claim to be from any entity except Top Tier Solar Solutions, but we apologize if there was confusion. We expect all Top Tier Solar Solutions representatives to uphold our company values and operate with the utmost respect toward all customers.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2023

  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.

  This company removed a tree from my property to install solar panels and demolished the side of my brick mailbox and it has not been repaired. Further more, I am not seeing any savings in my utility bills.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/29/2023

  We do apologize sincerely to this customer for any inconvenience or frustration that they may have experienced. We value them as a customer of ********************** and strive to provide all of our customers with the best possible experience. Personnel at Top Tier Solar Solutions has tried to contact ******************************** via phone and email in regard to her complaint about her mailbox. As was detailed for her via email and over voicemail, Top Tier Solar Solutions is more than happy to get her on our schedule to have a service technician come out to repair the mailbox. Alternatively, we are happy to reimburse her for the cost of the repairs of the mailbox if she would prefer to have another party conduct the repairs. While Top Tier Solar Solutions still believes that the mailbox was damaged prior to our work on her home, we are willing to support this customer in regard to the repairs to help demonstrate our commitment to bettering her experience. This solution still extends to ********************************, and we would love for her to contact us as soon as possible with her choice so we can act on resolving this matter. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  (1) I had solar panels installed, with the system being turned on on 5/12/2023 and I am not seeing any savings on my electric bill. (2) The tree removal crew knocked down one side of my brick mailbox that has not been repaired to date. I spoke with ********************* from Top Tier's Public ******************** on 9/7/2023 who was supposed to send me a check overnight, but I have not received my payment yet.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2023

  We spoke with this customer on the phone and resolved this issue. This customer has a scheduled service for 9/15/2023. At this appointment, the service technician will be investigating the entire system to ensure it is functioning as it should be. Additionally, we've sent the check to the address listed and checked the tracking and show that it should arrive by tomorrow, 9/14. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/15/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because: (1) I did receive the payment to repair my mailbox and am satisfied with that; however, (2) the repair technician cancelled on today's appointment and I will not be satisfied until this company "actually" completes the maintenance to my solar panels. I have been placed on the "back burner" for too long already.
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2023

  We do greatly prioritize and value ******************************** as a customer, and apologize if she felt otherwise. The service was scheduled to double-check the system to ensure everything is operating properly as we see it is from our side. We are limited on Service Technicians at the moment and when one of our technicians called out sick on Friday, we unfortunately no longer had a Top Tier representative available that day to come out to her home to check her system. She was immediately scheduled for the next available date, September 22, and this project has been escalated to our Director of Service and Director of Operations and is high-priority for our teams. We are confident that the appointment scheduled will occur on the scheduled date. We do understand and apologize for any inconvenience this reschedule may have caused, and are committed to ******************************** as a customer. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/07/2023

  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.

  We have an issue with unprofessional sales activities. -- The sales person ******* was a college student, so more like an intern. She arrived after 9 pm on 7/17, after my tennis. I hadn't had dinner yet. -- As she explained, we need to see if *************** approves our solar **********. After Dominion approves, we then sit down and review the details, and decide go/no-go and with a install plan. -- I was curious so agree on proceed to get the Dominion approval first. -- My wife was working that night. so she was never in the conversation.-- So ******* produced some documents. Saying we would pay about $310, more than our average bill, $250, but we will get solar; and we will be better off when the energy price hikes. I was not convinced; but thought we will have a chance to review/negotiated after the approval. -- By the time we finished the documents it was past 11 pm. I didn't know what I signed was a loan from Good Leap that gives Top Tier all the rights. Normally you would sign this with a lawyer or bank professional. Since she is an intern and said this is application process. I let me guard down. We have heloc so we didn't really need the loan if given the choice. She never mentioned a choice -- After I talked to my wife the next day, she didn't agree. I told ******* about it, saying we need to talk. -- Any way, long story short. In a few days I got some phone calls. One from project manager *****, 2nd from an engineering manager, said Dominion approved and ask me when to install. I said no we can not until we discuss with ******* first. -- Due to our busy schedule, my wife never had the chance to talk to ******* until 8/2. At that time ******* told us they had already order the panels, and if we have a no-go, we will be changed 30% penalty. -- I called Good Leap. I was told they given an installation date which was passed, and already took the money. -- I told both Top Tier and Good Leap I want to cancel on 8/2. And I have not heard from Top Tier

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2023

  We are sorry to receive such a review. Our Sales Representatives who meet with customers at their homes identify themselves as Sales Representatives of Top Tier Solar Solutions, so we are unsure how ************** could have mistaken his Sales Representative for an intern. Additionally, the Representative walks through the proposal with a customer step-by-step and gathers personal information from the customer in order to put the proposal together. This could not be achieved without ************** providing the Representative with the required information. Furthermore, all proposals and contracts are sent to the customers personal email address and must be accepted and signed for on the customers personal electronic device. We do sincerely apologize that ************** did not feel his encounter with our Representative was forthcoming, but our process and approach to business demand the best of intent and utmost transparency and respect for our customers options, choices, and personal information. 
  
  
  Regardless, in an effort to uphold our business standards, Top Tier Solar Solutions personnel have contacted ************** to inform him that his system was successfully canceled and his loan canceled with no penalty. The team overseeing this project was one of our best, and we hate that this customer felt a complaint was the only recourse. We trust ************** will find this a fair settlement. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2023

  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.

  My ***************** solar panels were installed onto my home in December of 2022 because I specifically wanted to take advantage of a $13,841.36 tax refund for the 2022 tax year. Within the contract it states that I will be given $13,841.36 as a federal renewable energy credit that can be used, if I wanted to, as an incentive payment towards my loan to keep the monthly bill increasing from $156.29 to $224.32 after the fifteenth month of making payments. My 2022 taxes were filed correctly and I received a $9,230 residential clean energy credit for the 2022 tax year and expected a carry over of $4,611 into the next tax year. Although my credits were fully identified they are considered to be a non refundable tax credit which cannot be used to pay towards my loan like the signed contract states. Now my bill will inevitably increase because it is impossible to make any type of incentive payment back towards my loan and no money is being saved at all. Only more money is being lost in the long run. On top of that, the solar panels have now created holes in our roof that are causing leaks in our ceilings when it rains. At this point we dont want the panels anymore after being lied to and finding out well be paying significantly more because of the installation, we want the money that has been identified for us to use this year, and we want our house repaired. Moving forward, Top Tier should create honest sales tactics instead of lying to their customers because this is clearly a meticulous scam.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/20/2023

  First, we greatly apologize for any misunderstanding that *** have occurred as it pertains to the residential tax credit (***) for solar energy. In your contract, it does explicitly state that the tax credit is a credit and not a rebate. Tax credits offset the balance of tax due to the government. This means that you can apply for the credit as a dollar-for-dollar reduction of the federal income taxes that you owe in the year that you purchased your solar system. If the *** granted for your solar system is greater than your tax liabilities in the year you purchased your system, you *** be able to apply the remaining *** in subsequent years. While we are not tax experts nor authorized to solicit tax advice, it appears from the information you provided in your review that you did, in fact, receive $9,230 of the full credit amount to put toward your taxable liability for your 2022 taxes. This means that instead of owing $9,230, you were able to apply the credit toward that amount. Additionally, you have an additional $4,611 to use in subsequent years should you have taxable liability for it to be applied to. Furthermore, our records indicate that you should still have approximately 12 months remaining until your loan re-amortizes, which means that you have that full amount of time to apply the amount needed back into the loan to keep it from increasing. Again, we do apologize for any misunderstanding but it appears that you did receive exactly as your contract outlines. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/21/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because: the *** was falsely sold as a refund and not a non refundable tax credit by the Top Tier representative. As you stated, the *** can only be applied to offset my tax liabilities in the respective year that it's received. I may still have 12 months before the loan is re-amortized but I do not have the ability nor option to use the *** as an incentive payment towards the loan total which means the *** is technically worthless and the loan will increase REGARDLESS because that money can't be applied in the way that was told and described. 

  Since the beginning of the year, I have spoken with 3 different individuals from Top Tier that have given 3 conflicting and confusing answers. 

  - 1st representative stated that the refund would be processed after my taxes were submitted. He to, was also waiting to receive what he thought would be a refund after getting his panels installed. 

  - 2nd representative had no idea what I was talking about and said the person that told me that had no idea what they were talking about. 

  - 3rd representative stated that many people had been calling in about this topic but there wasn't a true answer that he could provide. 

  - 4th representative stated that he'd never heard of anyone having this type of issue before and reassured us that it was just a mix up. 

  Also, there is a hole in the ceiling from the solar panels being installed which makes me even more unsatisfied with this horrible product. How can I get them taken off my roof?  

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/27/2023

  We did review your contract with Dividend and did not find anywhere in the contract that would prohibit your tax credits from being applied back to your loan. While we are not tax experts, we do suggest that you consult another tax professional - specifically one that understands how the Residential Tax Credits (***) work to get more clarification on this. We work with thousands of customers across three states and are unaware of a circumstance in which the credit would not be allowed to be applied toward the loan. We do apologize for the lack of understanding surrounding this and if any aspect of the *** was not properly communicated. It is our understanding that our Service Technicians went to your home on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, to repair the leak in your ceiling and that they are scheduled to return on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, to complete the drywall to remedy this situation fully. We do apologize for the inconvenience. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/07/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  April 2022 **** sold me a solar energy system. I MADE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THE ENERGY SAVING **HAD** TO PAY FOR THE ***** PAYMENTS. The size of the system was based on the previous year's use (**** KWH). Early May *** Tier came out and put the panels up. They installed ****** KWH of production (I was told that the panels lose 5% production per 10 years so the 120% of need would allow the system to still produce 105% when the panels were 30 years old. The solar program from *************** I was supposed to get was the Solar Choice program where the production goes into Dominion's system as credits and energy I used are deducted as debits. I pay for a new usage or receive a credit towards the next month's bill if a credit exists. It took a couple months for the inspector to come out, only to find out that *** Tier wired the solar system to the main junction box BACKWARDS. It was a couple months before they came out and fixed and get it reinspected. Now I will say that *** Tier sent me checks to pay for the monthly panel loan payment. which ended in March 2023. Dominion came out for a final inspection and told me. The Dominion technician told me that the system was oversized and that I could no longer qualify for the Solar Choice program rather the Offset program. This meant all power I produce Dominion got and only offset what I used at that specific time. The Technician stated that *** Tier oversized most of their home projects. I now have a panel payment *AND* a power bill. Dominion said I had to reduce the size of my system by **** KWh. I've texted my contact at *** Tier and told him all this. For the last several months all I get is "the design team needs to redesign the system." I think *** Tier has gotten their money and just doesn't care about leaving me holding the bag. I want this issue resolved ASAP, reimbursement for each month of a power bill *AND* panel payment **OR** take the whole system down and give me a refund.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/12/2023

  ****************** signed a contract with Top Tier Solar Solutions on April 6, 2022. During this time, the customer was presented with a proposal for a custom system for his home by a Top Tier Solar Solutions representative, which ****************** agreed to both the size of his system and projected offset. ****************** then signed and agreed to the Offset Only option offered by Dominion, which means he would get the offset production up to 100% of his usage but would not receive any additional net excess credits should he overproduce on a month-to-month basis. ****************** is upset with the Offset Only option and wants to reduce his panel count to qualify for the alternative Solar Choice Program offered by Dominion, which provides excess credits for overproduction. However, if ****************** were to remove the number of panels from his system needed to qualify for the Solar Choice option, his system would never produce enough to the point where he could ever possibly overproduce or even match his consumption needs and thus never qualifying him for those excess credits. We have explained this to ****************** multiple times and made it clear that we will not remove any of the panels from his system nor pay for the removal of them as they are part of the system he contractually agreed to and for in multiple aspects of his install and interconnection. Additionally, his system already has Permission to Operate and is producing greatly, despite Dominions claims that we oversize systems, which we vehemently deny. Top Tier Solar Solutions also has a record of multiple attempts - 30 or more - to connect with ****************** of which all were ignored. While we are sorry that ****************** is unsatisfied with the option he chose with Dominion, Top Tier Solar Solutions has upheld our contractual obligation to the customer and furthermore tried multiple times to appease his concerns. We apologize for any miscommunication and frustration that *** have occurred.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/14/2023

   
  I am rejecting this response because: 
  Since this BBB complaint I have been working with **************** their ***************** and they have gone above and beyond to help me. There have been several people in that office that has stated that they have problems with Top Tier oversizing all their systems and that they've talked to them about it but they continue. They state that only Top Tier does this. I take Dominion's word over Top Tier. The entire issue behind this complaint is that since my system has "been up and running" I have not see any difference in my power bill. *************** states that a system of my size I should notice a substantial decrease in my bill.  I notified Top Tier late May that I had not received any reading from my system since 4-25-2023 and a technician was supposed to come out. Wednesday, July 12, I received a call from *************** renewables. They stated  that they talked with ******* with Top Tier who pulled up info and stated that my system has not been producing power since April 25th. Further, I would receive a call within 48 hours to schedule a call from a Top Tier technician to see why my system is not reporting production and get the system up and running. If my system isn't producing this makes complete sense as to why my power bill has not decreased. 
  At this juncture I am waiting to schedule a visit from a Top Tier technician. *************** stated once my system is producing, to wait six-months and see what the power bill looks like before making a decision of the Solar Choice program. I am on record as being extremely grateful to *************** for their tireless efforts on my behalf and going above and beyond to assist me in this matter. I can make no other comments until after the service call. 
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/21/2023

  Since receipt of ********************** initial complaint, the dedicated Customer Success Manager who oversees his account has been in communication with ****************** regarding the claims in his complaint. We scheduled him for service to be completed on his home for July 21, 2023, at 1 p.m. As of the time of this response, the service was successfully completed on ********************** system. Our technicians were able to get the system up and running so it is producing fully. Additionally, ************** left the meter attached to the system so that should ****************** wish to switch to the Solar Choice program down the road per his conversation with Dominion, he will be able to do so without an additional visit from Top Tier Solar Solutions. We're confident that after this service appointment, ****************** will see a decrease in his power bill and start to see the continuous production of his system. We deeply apologize for any misunderstanding and frustration that *** have occurred during this process. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the best possible experience, and we do sincerely apologize to ****************** for anywhere his experience has not met our standard. We  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/23/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:  I do want it officially noted that yes **************** came to the house on Friday, July 21, 2023 to work on my system. The Technicians stated the reason the system was not producing power was THE SYSTEM WAS NOT COMPLETE IN INSTALLATION. They left to go to ********** to get parts and returned to finish the installation of the system. The system was finally up after 14 months. They stated that since the system had never been operational it would take up to 48 hours to update and was updating as they left. I am extremely grateful to the Top Tier technicians as they have always been nice and explained what's going on. While my system is producing now the Enphase app is giving me an error message of "There is an issue with your gateway meter measurements. Contact your maintainer for help. Top Tier Solar Solutions **************." I will call this number Monday, July 24, 2023 to set up an appointment for the technicians to fix this error message.

  I do feel like as the technicians stated the system was not operational because it wasn't completed in installation and of no issue on my behalf I should receive reimbursement for the $167.72 per month I paid GoodLeap, the solar system loan provider, while continuing to pay Dominion a full monthly power bill for the months of March, April, May, June, and July for a total of $838.60. While I am appreciative that Top Tier has responded to my complain, I regret it has taken this to resolve it. I know Top Tier is a large company and sells lots of systems. However, if someone would've pulled up my system's status in the beginning they would've seen they system was not producing and we could've resolved this many months ago. Thank you. 
  

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/26/2023

  Top Tier Solar Solutions has written a check to this customer for the full amount of $838.60 for reimbursement of payments made from March to July since his system was not properly operating. As per the service on Friday, July 21, 2023, the system is operating as it should be. Top Tier does apologize for any inconvenience or frustration that has occurred throughout this process, and will continue to put forth every effort we can to resolve this complaint. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/27/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:

  Top ************ has completed installing my system and I am now up and running. And I have received said check which covers the loan payments on the financed solar panels for March through July. I very much appreciate Top Tier following through and I am satisfied with their efforts and solution(s) to this issue. 
  

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  
  Thank you. 

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/29/2023

  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.

  The date the salesman came to my home was in July 2022. Everything the salesman told me was all lies just to get a sale. He told me it would only take 4-6 weeks to get my panels turned on. It took 6-8 months. They've had several different crews come on different occasions because things were not installed properly. The half installed the system. The forgot to install a generation meter box. They installed wires backwards after that. *************** said that was dangerous and could've started a fire. I believe some people are not qualified they send out. I've been asking Top Tier to please come uninstall my panels and they refuse. Everything they told me I would experience is a lie. The salesman told me I wouldn't have an electric bill over 13$ because my system was more than enough. The 13$ I would be paying would be for a grid fee to my electric company. The last guy that came to my house told me he would be scheduling the uninstall. Come to find out, he doesn't even have the authority to tell me that. He is on my ring camera saying ok yes sir I will. This whole situation has been stressful. All I want is these panels removed. Now I'm stuck with this loan I feel they should be responsible for because they weren't honest and trustworthy like they said. The things the salesman showed me I would be able to do on the app was a lie. Every single different crew that came out here told me Top Tier hires unexperienced people that doesn't really have knowledge of what they're doing. They installed half of the system wiring backwards. Someone had to come out and fix it. I've had over 6 different service calls to fix things because my system wasn't operating properly. Even *************** will tell you. They came to my home and said they've been having several problems with Top Tier in ******** **. I'm so stressed. Now they just seem like they don't care after they get your money. They're telling me it's a cost if I want them removed and they will not do it. Please help.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  First and foremost, we're sorry to this customer for any misunderstandings or frustration that he may have experienced, though we adamantly deny ****************** claims that anyone from our company has lied to him throughout his time working with our company. Mr. ****** system was professionally installed and passed county inspection within a week, which is a remarkable turnaround time. Though Mr. ****** system was installed efficiently and correctly, it became a huge struggle to get Dominion to approve the system in order for them to install their equipment. They stated multiple times that the meter we installed on the system was done incorrectly but did not provide additional context as to what was specifically done wrong. Top Tier Solar Solutions then sent out various service members to fix the meter, but Dominion continuously turned down the meter on this system without reason. Once the meter was finally deemed acceptable by Dominion and the panels were activated, ************** then seemed to take issue with the way that his app displayed his system production. Top Tier Solar Solutions then made multiple trips to Mr. ****** residence to assist him with this and aided him over multiple phone calls, and have not found anything wrong with how the app is displaying as it shows his system producing exactly as it should. We have even recently contacted ************** to let him know that his system is producing well and explained to him again that he can see the full production of the individual panels in his system and his system as a whole on the app. We have explained to ************** that since nothing is wrong with his system and since it is producing exactly as it should be that we will not be removing his panels. Unfortunately, Top Tier Solar Solutions has become aware that on several instances, *************** representatives have bad-mouthed our company to our customers when they go out to their homes to install their specific equipment to our systems.