Solar Connection, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/24) */
We are going to refund the full down payment, but we have not done anything wrong This complaint is an unfortunate misunderstanding, and it overlooks important wording that is part of our contract General Condition point #is titled
Cancellation Process (see attached) It clearly states "we will refund the down payment and any other money received less actual costs incurredThese costs would consist of: i) Design and coordination work that has already occurredii) ..." When this contract was signed by the customer and the down payment was received, it was clearly under the assumption that the customer wanted to move forward immediately, for a fall installation Thus, we began our work on the project We began interactions with the Utility Company involved, we begin working with the building department that issues the building permit; we began planning the electrical work, and so on We had already invested hours of work A down payment is exactly for the purpose of moving ahead with a project Otherwise, why have a down payment? I know it's not pleasant for a customer to change their mind and then not get back the full down payment, but should a business have to financially absorb all of their work hours on a project done under good faith? The customer signed the contract on the October 7th and did not cancel until November 5th The work we had done had already occurred before the cancellation was received Again, we will refund the full down payment to resolve this complaint, but charging for the hours already put into the project would have been fully expected based on the signed contract for the project I might add, this is a very typical construction contract It gives protection and expectations to both parties that are standard in the construction industry
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
We have patiently waited for the remaining dollars to be refunded It has been days since they stated they would refund the remaining dollars I realize there was a holiday in these days, but we since have not received any additional money nor the requested itemized account of the charges for the $ Plus the fact that the county permitting office called us and no paperwork was filed by this company on our behalf, at best there were a couple phone calls made This delay has been typical of communications with this company
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/07) */
I will repeat what I said in the first response to the customer Even though we have done nothing wrong and the customer's characterization is inaccurate, we have returned the full down payment They may not have been received it as yet, but it has been mailed As of today, 12/7/15, the customer has not yet cashed the first $we returned on 11/12/15, so it's a little odd to us that there is such a concern over the immediate receipt of the additional $ We are a company that lives up to our word If we say we are going to do something, we follow through, simple as that
I have one final comment The customer keeps questioning the amount of work we had done on the project before their cancellation With all due respect, she has no idea what has gone into the project Her assertion that we just made "a couple phone calls" is not based in fact She had requested a more itemized invoice plus the documents, drawings, and notes we had already prepared I thought this was a very reasonable request, and we went about getting these things together to send to the customer However before we even had a chance to complete this, she had already filed this complaint It was only a matter of days and we are in the busiest part of our season! The fair and reasonable thing would have been to receive the documentation she had requested in the first place, and then make a judgement Now that we have returned 100% of the down payment, the customer is not entitled to this work and it will not be sent

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/24) */
We are going to refund the full down payment, but we have not done anything wrong. This complaint is an unfortunate misunderstanding, and it overlooks important wording that is part of our contract. General Condition point #5 is titled...

Cancellation Process (see attached). It clearly states "we will refund the down payment and any other money received less actual costs incurred. These costs would consist of: i) Design and coordination work that has already occurred. ii) ..." When this contract was signed by the customer and the down payment was received, it was clearly under the assumption that the customer wanted to move forward immediately, for a fall installation. Thus, we began our work on the project. We began interactions with the Utility Company involved, we begin working with the building department that issues the building permit; we began planning the electrical work, and so on. We had already invested 8 hours of work. A down payment is exactly for the purpose of moving ahead with a project. Otherwise, why have a down payment? I know it's not pleasant for a customer to change their mind and then not get back the full down payment, but should a business have to financially absorb all of their work hours on a project done under good faith? The customer signed the contract on the October 7th and did not cancel until November 5th. The work we had done had already occurred before the cancellation was received. Again, we will refund the full down payment to resolve this complaint, but charging for the hours already put into the project would have been fully expected based on the signed contract for the project. I might add, this is a very typical construction contract. It gives protection and expectations to both parties that are standard in the construction industry.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
We have patiently waited for the remaining dollars to be refunded. It has been 12 days since they stated they would refund the remaining dollars. I realize there was a holiday in these days, but we since have not received any additional money nor the requested itemized account of the charges for the $400. Plus the fact that the county permitting office called us and no paperwork was filed by this company on our behalf, at best there were a couple phone calls made. This delay has been typical of communications with this company.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/07) */
I will repeat what I said in the first response to the customer. Even though we have done nothing wrong and the customer's characterization is inaccurate, we have returned the full down payment. They may not have been received it as yet, but it has been mailed. As of today, 12/7/15, the customer has not yet cashed the first $600 we returned on 11/12/15, so it's a little odd to us that there is such a concern over the immediate receipt of the additional $400. We are a company that lives up to our word. If we say we are going to do something, we follow through, simple as that.
I have one final comment. The customer keeps questioning the amount of work we had done on the project before their cancellation. With all due respect, she has no idea what has gone into the project. Her assertion that we just made "a couple phone calls" is not based in fact. She had requested a more itemized invoice plus the documents, drawings, and notes we had already prepared. I thought this was a very reasonable request, and we went about getting these things together to send to the customer. However before we even had a chance to complete this, she had already filed this complaint. It was only a matter of days and we are in the busiest part of our season! The fair and reasonable thing would have been to receive the documentation she had requested in the first place, and then make a judgement. Now that we have returned 100% of the down payment, the customer is not entitled to this work and it will not be sent.