News

Actions

Solar company accused of misleading practices

Posted at 7:41 AM, Dec 21, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-21 12:22:12-05

SAN DIEGO -- One local family says they were tricked into setting up an appointment with a solar company.

Ben Black said that was just the beginning of their awful experience.

He said the reason they met with the company in the first place is that the representative claimed they were working with SDG&E.

"We have a lot of southern facing roof space. Were were looking at solar maybe on this side," Black said.

Like many people, the Black family wanted to save money on their electricity bill. Ben Black's wife got a call from a solar company who said they were working with SDG&E.

But when the representative came to their home, "he held up the brochure, it said A1 which was nothing that we had discussed," Black said.

Then it got ugly.

"I explained I was under the impression it was SDG&E and that's when I got f- you and the pamphlet thrown at me," Black said. "I was really in shock."

This is not the first time A1 Solar received complaints about its marketing. 

On Yelp, one man called them a "telemarketing nightmare!" Another woman wrote they called "several times a week."

San Diego court records also show a civil case, which makes a similar complaint against A1 Solar.

Nobody returned Team 10's call from the company's headquarters in Los Angeles.

A spokesperson with the Contractors State License Board said since 2013, they recorded more than 30 consumer complaints against A1. It also shows several violations of the Business & Professions code, including misrepresentation and false advertising. The violations could lead to serious consequences. A CSLB spokesperson said they are working on getting a case before a judge, where that judge could rule the company's license be revoked.