North Florida solar company accused of shady business practices

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — We have an replace on a solar panel company that is accused of dangerous business practices. 

In November, we informed you about Monique Bates, a disabled Jacksonville veteran who bought solar panels from an area company referred to as R Solar Group.  She contacted First Coast News as a result of she discovered her guarantee was invalid. That’s on prime of different points she was having with the business. 

“Those panels were $50,000. That’s a huge investment and I need to have a valid warranty for them. I need to have what the company promised me. That’s all I want,” Monique Bates stated. 

After her story aired, we acquired a number of emails from individuals who say they’re having the identical points. 

First Coast News Anchor Anthony Austin went to Clay County and spoke with a pair who bought solar panels from the company, and so they’re not comfortable. 

“I feel like we were completely scammed. I feel so dumb for trying to do the right thing,” Regina LeValley stated. 

Joshua and Regina LeValley purchased solar panels from R Solar Group in May 2021. At the time, the company was often known as USA Energy Savers. The proprietor, Chris Redman, filed paperwork in August 2021 to alter the identify to R Solar Group with addresses in Jacksonville and South Carolina.  

We found USA Energy Savers had an “F” score with the Better Business Bureau.

Related Story: Solar panel drawback stressing out disabled veteran in Jacksonville

“We checked Google reviews. We checked the BBB.  We looked online for any types of complaints and there were none at the time,” Regina added. 

The LeValleys thought they made funding. Like many others, they only needed to save cash on their electrical invoice. But, they are saying the panels are at present malfunctioning. 

“On the monitoring equipment, I have yet to see the production of power per panel that they promised,” Joshua LeValley defined. 

The Clay County couple tried to contact R Solar Group in regards to the situation.

“They kept dodging our calls,” Regina responded. 

Anthony Austin has been attempting to contact R Solar Group since Oct. 7. In December, he returned to the company workplace on Florida Mining Boulevard and located all of the business indicators eliminated.

There was a observe on the door from a course of server who was attempting to serve the proprietor, Christopher Redman, authorized paperwork.  

We went by means of Duval County Court data and found Christopher Redman and USA Energy Savers are being evicted from a property on Baymeadows on Jacksonville’s Southside.  

That’s not the identical workplace listed for R Solar Group.  

According to the courtroom paperwork, Redman has not paid hire at that workplace since June 1st and that equals to greater than $32,000. 

The LeValleys at the moment are contemplating their choices. They simply need the solar panel company and the proprietor to offer them with a dependable product. 

“I would like for him to make good on his claims. Either come and take his equipment and dissolve my loans for this equipment…or fix it,” Regina stated.

The Florida Attorney General’s workplace says not less than two complaints have been filed in opposition to R Solar Group. 

A consultant stated they forwarded the complaints to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the state company that licenses solar contractors.