Last Friday, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced that the state has reached a settlement with three solar installation companies and two solar salespeople accused of using deceptive and illegal sales tactics to lock customers into long-term solar contracts.
“We sued SunRun and Elevate following shocking consumer complaints, including forged signatures, impersonations of consumers, non-permitted work, and non-functioning systems,” said Tong. “This settlement carries significant financial penalties, and forces SunRun to make things right for Connecticut customers. We will be watching this process closely and will not hesitate to aggressively enforce the terms of this agreement.”
The lawsuit’s complaint, which was filed back in July 2024, accused four companies — SunRun Inc., SunRun Installation Services, Bright Planet Solar, Inc., and Elevate Solar Solutions LLC — as well as Dakota Grumet, Elevate’s managing partner, and Sierra Howes, an Elevate salesperson, of locking Connecticut homeowners into long-term solar contracts without their consent. The suit, which was filed in response to several complaints submitted to the state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Bright Planet, which was contracted by SunRun for marketing and solar sales, is not privy to the settlement, and the state is still pursuing separate litigation against the company.
These complaints accused salespeople of entering customers into contracts under false pretenses, forging customer signatures and impersonating customers on confirmation calls to enter them into contracts unknowingly. They also accused SunRun of installing faulty or ineffective equipment without prior notice to customers or proper municipal permitting, and accused the company of continuing to bill these customers while refusing removal requests.
“The complaints we have seen—including forged signatures, impersonations of consumers, non-permitted work, and non-functioning systems—are beyond shocking,” said Tong in July 2024.
The settlement requires SunRun and Elevate to pay $300,000 and $100,000 to the state, respectively, dissolves Elevate entirely, and bars Dakota Grumet, Elevate’s managing member, from owning a solar sales company, and Sierra Howes, an Elevate salesperson, from selling solar in the state for the next decade.
Per the settlement, SunRun must give notice of the settlement to all consumers whose contracts were managed by Elevate, Howes, Grumet, or “any other individuals associated with these defendants believed to be engaging in similar improper conduct.” Additionally, SunRun must implement a consumer fraud reporting system, provide compliance training for its employees, and maintain an audit program of its salespeople. Furthermore, salespeople will be barred from soliciting in-person, electronic contract signatures from customers unless customers have been “provided an unsigned electronic or print copy” beforehand to review it.
Customers who believe they were illegally entered into contracts with SunRun may file a complaint with the company. Upon receipt of such complaints, SunRun will have 60-120 days to investigate and make a ruling. The settlement allows SunRun to amend the rules or procedures of this investigation process, but it must first notify the AG of any proposed changes 30 days before their implementation, and the AG reserves the right to veto them. If SunRun finds one of its salespeople to have engaged in fraudulent conduct as a result of these investigations, it must bar the person from making any future sales for the company.
The settlement also outlines the means by which SunRun may compensate any customers whose complaints are validated by the company’s investigation process. If the customer wishes to continue their contract, the company can use any combination of cash payments, account credits, or rate reductions that “SunRun determines is reasonably sufficient to resolve” the complaint. If customers wish to cancel and have their solar systems removed, SunRun must remove its equipment and repair any physical damage it might have caused to the home.
Any disputes between SunRun and consumers regarding “the resolution of a complaint” will be put before an arbitrator approved by the AGO, “for which SunRun shall bear the arbitrator’s cost.” Lastly, in cases where customers were found to have never received physical copies of their contract, SunRun must honor their cancellation requests.
“A signed contract is one of the strongest forms of protection that a consumer and business can have,” said Bryan Cafferelli, DCP Commissioner. “However, to lock consumers into a long-term agreement without their consent is illegal and will not be tolerated in Connecticut. This settlement sends a strong message that there are financial and occupational penalties to those who advertently deceive consumers. Most of all, we hope that this settlement offers the much-needed relief and support to those who were impacted.”
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