Florida’s attorney general has filed a second lawsuit against solar energy companies, accusing Vision Solar and SetUp My Solar of high-pressure tactics and deceiving Floridians about the pricing and capabilities of solar panel systems.
Ashley Moody filed the legal action Dec. 4 in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pasco County. The action comes in the wake of another lawsuit Moody filed against MC Solar in November that alleged the company deceived hundreds of consumers.
The Attorney General’s Office opened the investigation against the Vision Solar and SetUp My Solar in 2021 after receiving complaints from Floridians alleging unfair and detective business practices and financial exploitation, according to the lawsuit.
“According to several consumer complaints, (the) defendants’ employees used high- pressure sales tactics and misrepresented to consumers the savings the solar equipment they purchased would produce, the quality of equipment they would receive, and the tax rebates they would receive,” the legal complaint states.
Floridians have also said the two companies improperly installed solar systems or failed to complete installations, the lawsuit says. In addition, the companies are accused of failing inspections and damaging Floridians’ homes and not providing reimbursements.
“Defendants often bundled the solar equipment with additional items, such as water heaters and air conditioning units, without having the proper license and permit required to install them,” the lawsuit says.
Some Floridians were told they would completely eliminate their utility costs, but they ended up paying about $200 a month to their power company in spite of having new solar installations, according to the complaint.
The executive director of the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA) has issued a statement emphasizing its advocacy of transparency and ethical business practices. The FlaSEIA statement also blames problems caused by solar companies on “bad actors.”
“MC Solar has never been a member of FlaSEIA, and the practices that the Florida attorney general detailed would not be tolerated from any member of FlaSEIA,” Wendy Parker said in a statement emailed to the Florida Record. “Unscrupulous practices like these do great harm to consumers and hurt the solar industry’s ability to deliver sustainable and resilient energy solutions to the people of Florida.”
Neither Vision Solar nor SetUp My Solar is listed as an association member on the FlaSEIA’s website.
“FlaSEIA’s contractor members are properly licensed for the work they perform, carry the required insurance, are up to date on continuing education and are subject to FlaSEIA’s rigorous ethical standards,” the statement says, adding that the vast majority of solar installations in the state are correctly installed so that they fulfill all promises made.
"FlaSEIA applauds the work of the Florida Attorney General’s Office and commends efforts to remove bad actors from Florida’s industries," the association said.
The attorney general’s lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against both companies from making misleading statements or engaging in misleading business practices. The litigation also seeks to recover funds from the companies so that consumers who were misled can be reimbursed.
“Our Consumer Protection Division’s hard work has resulted in legal action against three solar companies in just two months,” Moody said in a prepared statement. “Floridians, please do your research when entering into solar agreements – don’t fall for high-pressure sales tactics and read all the fine print in contracts. …”