Complaints

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

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  Tephra Solar

  14193 S Minuteman Dr Draper, UT 84020-7919

  
• 

  Tephra Solar, LLC

  St. Petersburg, FL 33702

• 

  Tephra Solar

  630 E Center St Alpine, UT 84004-1486

  

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:05/23/2023

  Type:Order 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 signed a contract for solar installation. The install was to be completed by February or March. It is almost June and my system is still not operational. Now instead of saving money on my electric bill, I'm paying both electric and solar bills with little or no resolution in sight.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/05/2023

  When the representative gave a timeline it is used for general estimates. Black hills (The Utility) changed the requirements for installation, since we sold this customer.  For instance they are requiring smoke detectors be installed at the home in order to pass the inspection. Please ask this customer to do a ******************** complaint on them as it would be more appropriate. We are covering the costs of the smoke directors to the customer. 
  

  Its scheduled to be fixed on Wednesday the 7th of June. 
  

  These types of things are common when the utilities companies can change the rules anytime during the game. 
  

  Kind regards, 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The smoke detectors were installed weeks ago. the solar panels were installed months ago. The electrical panel was installed months ago. I still have no solar connection . I am about to pay for the third month both solar and electric bills which means instead of saving money, I am paying double my normal electric bill. Some priority needs to be put in place to finish this job or reimburse me for my solar bills.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 06/16/2023

  We scheduled with the customer on the 13th, the final inspection which is scheduled for the 29th of June. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Scheduling an inspection 3 weeks after repairs were made does not resolve the issue. In the past 5 months there have been several inspections, all failed. I still am having to pay double electric bills, for 4 months so far. Priority on a job means completing a job and getting the inspection in a timely manner. in my case they seem to have moved on to other jobs and come back to mine when they have time. Repairs and inspections are done weeks apart. this issue will not be resolved until I have an operational solar system and am paying only one electric bill. I will never recommend this company to anyone and I will post my experience on social media.

   

   

   

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/05/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because: You have continued to make excuses for not having completed this job. None of your excuses are legitimate. You continue to put no priority on completing this job. For every failed inspection or in this case your not keeping up to date on paper work I am expected to wait 2 to 3 weeks for you to correct the situation. Until now I have wasted many days for these failed attempts. Just as in the past it will be 2 weeks until you come back. This time I can't and won't be available on the 14th or the 20th or the 21st. I have been available since this last s**** up and will be available until the 13th. After that I wont be home until after the 22nd and you won't schedule until the end of the month. So nothing has changed, you still do not set priorities on finishing jobs. I should say thank you for offering to reimburse $213 of $852 I have paid for my solar to date. You can continue to make excuses for not completing this job but responsibility still is yours.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/23/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Again, I am not considering this resolved until I have solar working in my house and I am no longer paying double my electric bill. Yes an inspection is scheduled in a couple of days, it won't be the first and there is no guaranty this inspection will go well.

  Again $500 of the nearly $1000 I have paid will be appreciated. 

  This issue will not be resolved until the job is completed and I am saving the money on my electric bill that I was promised.

  It is unfortunate that this happened as It did. oddly enough I have had no less than 4 neighbors, friends and family ask me about my solar experience, and I was honest in my response.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/14/2023

  
  
  

  Better Business Bureau 3703 *********. **************, ** 84129 Phone: ************** Fax: ************** **************************************** www.****.bbb.org

  8/14/2023

  
  

  ***************************
  2159 ***********
  ******,** 81005
  
  
  Dear ***************************:
  
  This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 5/23/2023 against Tephra Solar.  Your complaint was assigned ID ********. 
  
  Better Business Bureau has received a response from the business in the above-referenced complaint case. Please review their response to your complaint and advise us of your position in the matter within 7 calendar days. If we do not hear back from you, BBB will assume you are satisfied and will close your complaint.
  
  Please be sure to indicate whether the business' response is satisfactory or not and how you would like to proceed in this matter.
  
  Please note the text of your response will be publicly posted on the BBB web site (BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy). Please do not include any personally identifiable information in your response. By submitting your response, you are representing that it is a truthful account of your experience with the business. BBB may edit your complaint to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Matlock 
  Accreditation Services
  
  
  MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:
  
  

  ?Im having troubles responding to the customer below on the platform.
  
  We have the final inspection in 3 days. Once we pass we are planning on giving the customer $500 to cover their last 4 months of solar payments to resolve
  
  -***

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Again, I am not considering this resolved until I have solar working in my house and I am no longer paying double my electric bill. Yes an inspection is scheduled in a couple of days, it won't be the first and there is no guaranty this inspection will go well.

  Again $500 of the nearly $1000 I have paid will be appreciated. 

  This issue will not be resolved until the job is completed and I am saving the money on my electric bill that I was promised.

  It is unfortunate that this happened as It did. oddly enough I have had no less than 4 neighbors, friends and family ask me about my solar experience, and I was honest in my response.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

   

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  We have a service scheduled for the 12th of September to double check the system. Customer has confirmed this date. We have confirmed the $500 for the customer.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/30/2023

   
  Complaint: 20096521
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I reject all responses until my system is 100% operational. Again, when I receive the $500, I will say thank you. It only covers half what have had to pay but it will still be appreciated 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2023

  Good Afternoon, 

  Your system is fully operational and showing production. We have requested $500 be sent to you and should be sent within the next **** business days. Please let us know if you have any other questions. 

  Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2022

  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.

  Between March 11th and April 23rd of this year Tephra Solar had installed solar panels at my residence. According to the technicians, everything was working fine. However, when I logged into the solar panel monitoring system Enphase, it showed that there was no power being consumed nor distributed, and that there was an error with the microconverters. I called Enphase and initially they said that their software needed an update and once the update was complete then everything would be fine. When I logged on to the monitoring system, there was the same problem. I called Enphase again and they explain to me that the problem was with the installation of the solar panels and that I would have to contact the solar company Tephra. I called Tephra several times, I could not get an answer and then finally I called the sales representatives to help me with my issue. Not only were the panels never fully operational and working since the installation, but because they were malfunctioning, my NV Energy bill was the highest it's ever been at over $208. When I explained to Tephra that the whole purpose of taking out a loan and installing solar panels was to have a lower NV Energy bill as they promised, they assured me they would resolve the situation. They also told me that they could only refund me $90, which is one month's payment of my loan through Goodleap for financing the installation. However, their first idea was to email me instructions on troubleshooting the issue myself. I refused, I am not an electrician or a solar panel technician. Also, it was their job and their error and they should correct it. To this day, after waiting over a month, Tephra has not sent me any payment, they have not made any communication with me whatsoever, and now NV Energy has sent me a 48 hour notice to pay the $208 dollars or my service will be terminated.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Customer received PTO (permission to operate) form start to finish within 90 days. Which is about 30 days faster than normal. Customers monitoring was working. Customers system went down which after its running is the responsibility of the customer. We cannot get notifications that systems are down unless we are the home owner. Customer reached out to us when they realized it was not working on June 6th. We responded same day with a specific time frame. After responding to her house we isolated the problem and returned again a second time to fox it with the electrician. Everything was resolved by august 11, 2022. We paid $90 to the customer for the month the system was down to cover their solar payment. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2022

  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.

  Tephra Solar and I came to an agreement to install solar panel onto my home located at Colorado Springs, CO. the panels were installed in mid May but there was a change to my approved plan the needed to be submitted to Pikes Peak Regional Building Department so that It can be approved so that inspector can be scheduled to come out to inspect and forward the inspection to the Colorado Springs Utilities company. Once my inspection is completed I then can have Colorado Springs Utilities install my Net Meter and then I can start producing solar power. So right now I paying for 100% grid power and the loan on solar panel that are producing 0% power. Getting in contact has been difficult they don't return voice messages or email request. my last attempt was thru the website acting as a new customer. I didn't wait for a reply and started to submit this request.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2022

  I would like to have the work done before 11/16/2022 when the original permit is done.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  This customer signed last day of feb 2022. We could not get the site survey time frames because customer rescheduled. We completed the site survey on March 21 because of customer no showed previously.
  Design was submitted two days later. We scheduled to install on may 24th. Inspection passed august 2nd. After that we all play the waiting game with pikes peak for *** (permission to operate). After inspection the *** process is out of our hands as we are at their mercy. We could have reached out to customer to let them know more proactively.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  
  -***