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4.7

Overall Score

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LAST UPDATED: January 24th, 2024
SolarCity is now part of the Tesla family.

SolarCity was acquired by Tesla in 2016 and no longer operates under the SolarCity name. If your solar panel system was installed by SolarCity or Tesla, please visit our Tesla profile to leave your review.

Founded in 2006 by Lyndon and Peter Rive, SolarCity is a solar power company that strives to help people take control of their energy costs and decrease their carbon footprint. In fact, to date, the company has provided more than 300,000 homeowners with solar panels, helping them to generate their own clean, renewable energy and save money on their electricity bills.

In 2016, SolarCity merged with Elon Musk's Tesla, giving the clean energy company access to a variety of innovative equipments and technologies.

Although SolarCity is one of the largest installers in the solar industry, is bigger always better? Read on to discover The Good, The Bad, and The Bottom Line about SolarCity, as well as view SolarCity reviews from real customers.

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The Good

  • Financing Option for Every Customer's Needs
  • Quality Residential Solar Panels
  • Monitoring Capabilities
  • Contract Transparency
  • State Availability
  • Tesla Solar Roof
  • Battery Backup
  • Opportunity to Invest in Solar Bonds
  • Referral Program
  • Time in Business

Financing Option for Every Customer's Needs

SolarCity offers a variety of financing options to help homeowners take advantage of solar energy in a way that fits their unique needs and budget. To help customers save on their electric bill, SolarCity provides solar leases, power purchase agreements (PPA), outright purchases, and loans.

The SolarCity lease program, SolarLease, allows customers to rent their rooftop solar panel system from SolarCity and make fixed monthly payments. Solar leasing provides customers with access to net metering (where available) and free system maintenance for the entire length of their solar lease.

SolarCity's power purchase agreement program, SolarPPA, gives customers the opportunity to lock in a fixed monthly rate per kilowatt hour for the term of the agreement without any price hikes. One advantage of choosing SolarPPA is that SolarCity will install the system at no upfront cost to the homeowner. However, keep in mind that with this payment option, SolarCity owns and maintains the system, which prevents the customer from claiming the federal investment tax credit and any other state tax credit or other incentives that may be available.

Customers who decide to purchase their solar PV system outright or with a loan will most likely receive long-term savings, as well as any available tax credits, net metering, and 20 years of monitoring and maintenance for their system.

Quality Residential Solar Panels

SolarCity solar panels outperform some others by 10 years due to rigorous testing beyond industry standards. The company's solar system features integrated front skirts, redirected plumbing vents, and hidden clamps and rail-ends for a polished, aesthetically pleasing look.

Additionally, with SolarCity solar panels, all roofing work and system repairs are covered by the company at no extra cost.

Monitoring Capabilities

SolarCity customers can access real-time insights and historical data about their solar production and home energy use from anywhere in the world through the Tesla app. This allows customers to check in on system performance and ensure that everything is working as it should be.

Contract Transparency

SolarCity has an open book philosophy in regards to contracts, which is helpful for customers who would like to have all the information before they consider working with SolarCity. Similar to many other solar installers, SolarCity's contract terms include locked-in rates once the agreement is signed, roof repair in the event of damage while the equipment is being installed or removed, and moving options if a customer decides to sell their home before the contract expires.

State Availability

SolarCity is considered one of the largest solar companies in the country and currently offers residential solar systems to customers in 20 states, making it possible for consumers across the nation to enjoy the benefits of solar energy through SolarCity.

Operational states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.

Tesla Solar Roof

As mentioned above, because the solar installer merged with Elon Musk and Tesla in 2016, the company has the ability to sell and install Tesla's Solar Roof, which helps to set it apart from other solar installers in the industry.

The Solar Roof product, which is a good alternative for solar panel installation consumers who would like to take advantage of renewable energy but do not like the look of traditional solar panels, is comprised of smaller solar cells designed to look like roof tiles and complement a home's architecture, all while turning sunlight into electricity. 

Battery Backup

For consumers interested in battery backup, SolarCity sells Tesla Powerwall batteries, which provide backup power so that homeowners can still have electricity during utility outages and natural disasters. The Powerwall is compact, stackable, has a built-in inverter, and comes ready to integrate seamlessly with SolarCity solar power equipment.

Opportunity to Invest in Solar Bonds

SolarCity provides individuals with the ability to support a cleaner, brighter energy future by investing in solar bonds, which are designed to offer interest rates higher than typical savings accounts, CDs, money market funds, and other comparable investments.

The company's solar bonds program is open to anyone, including both individual and institutional investors, who meets the basic qualifications.

Referral Program

SolarCity allows its customers to give five of their friends a 5-year extended limited warranty on a new solar energy system installation, as well as earn referral rewards.

For up to five qualifying referrals, the referrer will receive $250 cash or credit. Credits are valid for 12 months from the referral installation date and can be used toward new Tesla products or accessories.

Time in Business

SolarCity has been providing rooftop  solar power systems to home and business owners for more than a decade, which is a relatively long time in the solar industry. This has allowed SolarCity to gain valuable experience and establish a foothold in the market.

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The Bad

  • Solar Installation Issues
  • Customer Service Complaints

Solar Installation Issues

Many of the SolarCity reviews left on our site by customers of the company have expressed dissatisfaction with their system installations. The problem seems to deal more with delayed and incorrect installations rather than issues with the product itself.

Check out the user reviews below for more information.

Customer Service Complaints

Customer service is another area where SolarCity has received several customer complaints.  Many reviewers claim that they have had trouble trying to get email and phone responses from SolarCity, which can be frustrating for those who need assistance and answers to questions.

Please see the user reviews below for more information.

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The Bottom Line

Overall, SolarCity is a large, well-established company in the solar industry that offers innovative equipment options and a wide variety of payment choices, including outright purchase, loan, lease, and power purchase agreement. Consumers in 20 states have the option to have their solar energy system installed by SolarCity, but many customers have reported issues related to the installation of their solar systems, as well as dissatisfaction with the company's customer service.

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Star Rating

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2.6

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716 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

29%

4 grade

10%

3 grade

3%

2 grade

7%

1 grade

50%

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Michael Craig Vallejo, CA

I am pleasantly surprised and pleased with Tesla Solar since reading all the 1 star reviews!! After I initiated the solar process with Tesla, everything has gone smoothly and very efficiently!! I decided to rent the panels rather than purchasing them and they have already exceeded the output per manufacture specification for my system!! I personally have had no problems since day one and highly recommend Tesla Solar. The panels look very nice and the lead installer explained everything to me during the installation. Since installation was done on a peaked roof, I was impressed with all the safely requirements needed to complete this job. Tesla had spare tiles with them and had to replace a couple that had broken during the install. I am very pleased and have recommended Tesla Solar to several of my friends and neighbors. I would love to upload pictures of the installation and the finished job.

4 years ago

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Fernando De Gasperis Palos Verdes Estates, CA

I had a SolarCity system (panels + inverter) installed almost 3 years ago. The purchase, permitting and installation processes were handled very well. They took care of obtaining all permits with the city and scheduled all inspections. I was able to sign and submit every document electronically through their website. My electric panel needed to be upgraded prior to the installation of the panels, and SolarCity took care of that too. The installation itself took two days: one for the electric panel and another day for the solar panels and inverter. Overall, the solar panels are able to offset 70% of my electricity needs, which are not small, considering charge my electric car daily and I drive it between 70 and 90 miles every day, use a infra-red electric sauna daily and run the AC at home throughout the summer. I also can monitor the electricity generated in real-time through the Tesla app and SolarCity website. My estimate is that the savings I get are around $2,500 and $3000 a year - including the cost of the system. It is very easy to monitorI highly recommend SolarCity.

4 years ago

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W A Yendrzeski Prescott Valley, AZ

I’m very happy with Solar City... My Rep went over our billing since we move to AZ Prescott Valley.. He said we would only need 10 panels to cover our costs. I decided to add 1 more panel. We use APS for our electrical system. I reviewed all the options for getting the system. I choose the pay up front option and make no payments. Solar City owns the system and must maintain it. Since installation of Nov 2012 we were on line by Jan 2013 the delay going to city inspection and APS doing there approval. The only issue we have had was the control panel quit working and I called that afternoon and Solar rep was there the next morning and solved the problem... None since. I can monitor my system online. I will brake even in 2 years. I pay APS basic fixed cost 99% of the time. Can’t beat that... I recommend this company to friends and they are all happy... Great company to work with... 5 STARS

4 years ago

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Beeat home Buckeye, AZ

We have had 2 solar systems installed with Solar City - one in Prescott Valley & one in Buckeye Arizona. I would encourage folks to research & investigate some of the one star ratings which seem to have little to do with the actual function of the solar system. I also note that folks mention power companies like PG & E while here in Arizona we have APS. It took APS months to bring our system 'live' which had nothing to do with Solar City. I've also heard folks complain about roof damage, but know from our experience that when we had our one year new build inspection they found several broken concrete tiles - Solar City immediately came out & replaced the tiles. Instead of a $450 summer APS bill our lease is $129 a month & our APS bill ranges from $20 to $70 a month. Leased solar is easily transferable & new owners can pay off the balance but are then responsible for any repairs. If there's ever a problem it's Solar City's responsibility to repair. Do your homework, ask lots of questions & compare - don't just listen to the negative responses which in some cases aren't telling the whole story.

5 years ago

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Fran P. Dallas, TX

We love our SolarCity panels, and the process to get them was well organized, thorough and easy. The sales man was very informative and responsive, both by email and phone. From the engineer who inspected the building structure for ability to hold the weight of the units to the solar engineers who designed the system, and the crew who installed the panels; all were so pleasant to work with and timely with all their promises of appointments. We have now had the panels producing power for four years. Love the results, and the SolarCity/Tesla website that allows us to review production in detail. The one time we had a problem (lightening), SolarCity called and emailed us before we even realized that there was nothing being produced. They walked us through a procedure to see if it was easy to fix and when this was not possible, sent out repair person to take care of the problem. If we do not produce the contracted amount of kWh in the year, we will get a check. We paid cash for the installation of the panels in October 2014 and have already received benefits amounting to more than 50% of the cost. (Benefits: credits for power returned to grid, less power used from power company, savings in distribution charges: I keep a detailed spread sheet!!!!)

5 years ago

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George Ferch Simi Valley, CA

With Solar City you can choose a 10 year 2.99% or 20 year 4.99% loan and own the system day one. With the 10 year loan I basically pay the same as my regular Edison bill if I apply the tax rebate to the loan. The 20 year could save me 50 bucks a month off my bill. I could save double going with the 10 year. I contacted support over the phone when I first turned on my system because the usage was mirroring my production. I was up and running in no time. I have noticed lag in response when emailing. I needed a new roof and Tesla has there own roofing company and they were able to wrap it into the loan. My sales guy Gus W would answer emails, phone, txt, day or night even when he was on his day off or on vacation.

5 years ago

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Mary Margaret Johnston Long Beach, CA

I had panels installed in June of 2015 but it took 6 weeks before SoCalEd would allow the system to be turned on. I have flat cement tiles on my roof and 41 tiles were cracked during installation. Solar City replaced all the broken tiles in a timely manner. I did not buy but lease the panels. I have been extremely happy with Solar City, now Tesla. I can crank up the AC and know that I will not be penalized with a huge electric bill each month. My only complaint is only 70% of my electricity is covered with solar and a 3-foot easement is required by Long Beach (California) building code. Just another way for Long Beach to micromanage. Their reasoning is "the fire department needs the 3-foot easement." Well, only if the fire fighters are fat and broad. 18 inches would be plenty of easement and would allow more panels. As far as Customer Service--they are there to answer any questions. Our representative, Karen B, is terrific.

5 years ago

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alex varga Apple Valley, CA

I just came across this website and found the ranking of the various Solar Companies. And upon reading some of the comments of unhappy customers, I was honestly shocked and dismayed as to the ranking given to Solar City. Two years ago, and after looking into various Solar Companies (and being skeptical about Solar in the past), I compared the steadily increasing electricity expenses charged by SO Cal Edison over the past ten years. And over that time, I noted the never ending applications by Edison to the PUC for approval for steady and continual increases. The handwriting on the wall became evident and Solar was the only answer to counter the increases in the future. And being retired and living on a fixed income, meant we needed to act. And being somewhat anal about record. keeping, I have spreadsheets for monthly expenses since I retired in Jan 2003. And my study and examination of Solar Companies led me to Solar City who installed the panels we needed based upon our electric power usage over the past two years So we decided to lease solar, as the purchase of the panels just didn't fit into our wallets. Since the panels were installed by Solar City (Aug 2016) , they have provided positive results in lowering our monthly electric bills via SO Cal Edison. In fact, we live in the High Desert area of So Cal where temps have been running over 100 degrees for the past several weeks. And we run our A/C for around 14 hrs a day. And each month we pay Solar City/Tesla a fixed Lease fee and So Cal Edison a small amount for their service as well. And those amounts, when comparing to our Edison Bills BEFORE Solar, combined, are less than what we paid before Solar. In fact inJuly, which is the start of the hot summer here, we paid Edison $9.81 in July 2017 and $.92 in July 2018. And combined with the Lease Fee to Solar City, both those bills were LESS than what we paid in July 2016. And in comparing the actual electrical usage during the same time period, the Solar City addition CUT our electric expenses for the same number of people living in our home (2). Now keep in mind, our PRIMARY reason for having Solar installed in the first place, was to counter the anticipated increases by Edison to provide us electricity. And though our monthly Solar City Lease fee did increase by $2.68 in 2018 (more than 2017), that increase was explained by the Solar City Representative who sold us the system (before installation) and is anticipated in the future. But that annual increase is a very small amount compared to the annual increases requested By So Cal Edison to the PUC. And I might add, I've not seen the PUC turn down any of those increases by Edison which are far more than the Solar City Lease increase. And as an aside, whenever something of note or changes in the manner in which So Cal Edison has recently changed their billing and charging method, we receive emails ahead of time, from the same Solar City Representative who sold us the system. So in closing, Solar City has delivered exactly what they said they would and continue to service us in the same manner I would expect from any service oriented business to conduct their business. But I do not believe that ranking given to Solar City is representative of the excellent service they've provided us. And when reading all the negative comments, reminds me of a neighbor of mine who came over and talked trash about the car dealership from which we bought our last car and have it regularly serviced. He called it the worst dealership he'd ever been to and he's 75 years old. But being his junior by 4 years, I can honestly say that car dealership is the best I've encountered in my lifetime. Only goes to show that some people apparently don't receive the same level of care and service that others do. And hence, some want to give a company 0-1 stars and others 4-5 stars. Makes me also wonder who pays for some of these comparisons and evaluation studies and just how independent they truly are. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

5 years ago

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Dennis Ambruso Prescott, AZ

I contacted a Solar City representative by phone. The sales representative was very knowledgeable, friendly, and did a wonderful job. She was not pushy at all making this a pleasant transaction. The installation was very professional and the panels are not even visible from the street. My last bill was -$29.00. I have a 10 year purchase plan which I almost have paid off. I believe this is the best solar around. They told me that during the process, if I wanted to cancel they would. There was no pressure to buy or lease. I have read Elon Musk’s biography. If you read it you will use Solar City.

5 years ago

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ghassan karam White Plains, NY

We have had a SolarCity system for about 5 years. We have produced in each year more KWH than we have consumed and so far we have not had to call SolarCity once . The system cannot possibly be more efficient and more trouble free. Our system is leased for a monthly rate of $98 when our bill would have been around 150.00 Actual money savings are not fantastic but that was not the reason that we went solar. Our carbon foot print has been reduced drastically, we received the NYS tax credit and we do get at the current rates about $350-$400 in annual electricity savings. A good deal no matter how you slice it. What I do not understand is why doesn't everyone go solar under similar conditions. Its a win win.

6 years ago

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Howard Orr Placentia, CA

Before getting solar power, my wife and I attended a seminar sponsored by Southern California Edison (SCE) and they said it would take about 25 years to pay for itself. In my mind that killed any incentive for solar power. At that rate I would be over 100 years old before it was paid off. When we were contacted by Solar City and they explained their deal it put a new light on things I guess we are effectively leasing the panels from Solar City. them. They needed to see our yearly bills from SCE (Southern California Edison) and that they would be selling the power to us at a reduced rate. So far they have kept their word. SCE tells us we are now among the most efficient users of electricity in like houses in our neighborhood. I was worried at first because my wife did not want the panels visible from the street (our house faces south). They felt they could put the panels on the mostly north facing parts of the house. They did and it is working. In the summer months we even got a credit from SCE. Solar City deducts their charge each month from my bank account so I do not have to worry about being sure they get paid. There was no need for me to give them any up front payments and, at least so far, everything has been working as promised. It is also nice to know we are doing out part in helping the environment.

6 years ago

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Eugenia Marcus West Newton, MA

We have had a Solar City installation for two years now. The installation was smooth, competent, and done in one day. The support has been prompt. There were phone, land and mobile, email, and text messages when the system went down (twice in 2 years) to notify us that there was a problem and someone was on the phone to walk us through the electrical system to fix the issue. No one has had to come on site. It was well sized for our needs. Our electrical bill is "0" for 5 months of the year. We have a small bill when the AC is needed and the pool is running in the summer. The net metering from the 5 months of no bills is used in the summer when our needs are high. I give them 5 stars. I hope the care and quality has not deteriorated.

6 years ago

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Peter walsh Norwell, MA

Our solar system has worked flawlessly. The software provided with the system provides daily, monthly, yearly, and total production and consumption. The gateway between the system and your computer is reliable and provides lights to tell if system is online. You can also manually check at the inverter and reset or display system status. I wish I had installed solar sooner as it has reduced our electric bill significantly. I like alacrity and additionally they provide additional monitoring of your system and notify you and instruct you on anything you might have to do to keep your system producing electricity. My system was installed in three days and solarcity engineers were onsite working to insure installation went well. After two years of operation we are very satisfied with solar city and the solar system.

6 years ago

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Bruce Carter Boxford, MA

We are a high use electricity home. I chose Solar City and have been very pleased with the service and performance. Installation was very professional. Results can be monitored easily. Two years ago, I went for three months without an electric bill. I received a $600 performance guarantee bill from Solar City. Not sure why that happened but I did not ask questions. The questions that I did ask were early in the game and were always answered quickly and professionally. I live in the Northeast and we have plenty of snow and lack of sun in the winter when electricity will not be generated. I am pleased that I made the decision to install solar panels and Solar City has worked for me.

6 years ago

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Angeline Benjamin Trabuco Canyon, CA

We have our solar system installed in the fall of 2015. We lived in south Orange County - Trabuco Canyon. We had no problem with installation. The delay was with the HOA and Edison. We really saved our electricity bill because of the solar we used. We used the Power Purchase Agreement program. We were very happy with the program. No upfront cost, we only paid what our solar produced. But why I give them 5 star is when we were selling our house, they helped us, educated our realtor and buyer, to take over our contract. Once our buyer understood about our program, they want our solar system, because the utility bill they will save and it did not cost them anything to transfer the contract, although we have the option the take our solar with us if we want . Also this is what I want our reader to know, their customer service provided during the transition of moving was excellent, they replaced our tiles more than what they were obligated to do, just to make us and our new buyer are happy. So we don't have to spend the money to purchase the broken tiles (our house was built in 1992).

6 years ago

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Helen Hoch Hillsborough, NJ

I was a bit surprised by the reviews that report poor service. My system is new and the experience was WONDERFUL. They did everything, including dealing with the Home Owners Association which required special paperwork. I did nothing except chat with Solar City staff. Their employee came for the inspections. One inspector came early in the day, the other hours later. The SC rep sat at the curb in his car, did paperwork and waited four hours for the second inspector. He was still pleasant and walked me through all the bells and whistles of the inverter after the second inspector left. Throughout the process the company has been great, including a call I made just today to customer service to ask a question. The rep was delightful. Could it be that management in different places in the country account for the differences? I'm in Central Jersey and can't say enough good things about the experience.

6 years ago

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Nancy Bakst

I have had my panels for 4 years and can say that Solar City is tops. I have had top notch service since the beginning. I can get immediate response from the service center but have only needed service one time, I had a leak in my bathroom ceiling which I thought may be from the panels, they were out the next day and found the leak for me which had nothing to do with the solar panels. They were clean and very professional with the installation and had it up and running whithin 4 weeks(delay was with Edison not solar city) In the last 4 years the only fees I pay are the city taxes$2.00 and $10.50 if I over produce. other than that I have not had a bill in 4 years. Oh by the way I have a pre-paid lease.

6 years ago

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Darcy Segura

Finally had SolarCity come out to see if we would qualify for solar after redoing our roof. The set up was easy, and the sales associate was friendly and easy to work with. After giving us several options and explaining each one in detail, we decided to go with the 20 year loan to buy the system. Solar City handled all the paperwork with permits and inspection, etcetera. Every phone interaction I've had has been pleasant and great customer service. The sales associate kept us up to date throughout the installation process, and she has kept in touch the past two months since our system got up and running. Time from signing papers to install was less than 3 weeks, which was great, since we were originally told it would be about 5 to 6 weeks. I'm impressed with this company so far.

6 years ago

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Adam Gawronski

My experience with SolarCity was very satisfying! SC rep (Susan B) approached me at Home Depot, Since I was shopping for solar system, after brief conversation I agreed to give them a chance. To my surprise, 2 hours later she was in my house for preliminary inspection. Since that moment every aspect of (very professional) installation, inspections final turn-on of the system by local electric company went very smoothly. Susan was very helpful and always available to answer any calls and multiple questions. Whole process took only 2 months. I'm extremely happy and couldn't recommend SolarCity and Mrs, B any stronger!

6 years ago

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Stephen Levier

Our solar was just installed yesterday. Everything went very smoothly. Each worker knew their job and worked smoothly with the team. It was all installed in 4 hours. Our sales rep. was Candy C. She has helped us at each step, and explained all the applications and paper work. When we had questions she answered our calls or came over as needed. We are waiting for a final inspection, and will be ready to go. Payments will be automatically withdrawn. Our application was done on line with Candy assisting, and we printed out everything when it was approved and signed. They have a excellent product, and provide excellent service. You are given forms to fill out to cancel if you wish. In summary they have a great product, a great guarantee, and really nice people at a great price.

6 years ago

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Jeff Haines New Windsor, NY

We have had our Solarcity system up and running for a year now. So far everything has worked exactly as it was explained. The billing is easy to understand, unlike our central Hudson bill (more on that later). I found some of the poor reviews below to be completly unbelievable. Most of the complaints lodged appear to me to be by people who are frankly either too dumb or to lazy to read and understand exactly what solar panels can and can't do. Many of the poorest reviews come across as disingenuous and possibly made by paid detractors of solar energy, don't believe them. The only trouble I had during installation and activation was caused by the power company who caused delays by not installing THEIR net metering meter. The parts of the installation performed by Solarcity were done exactly on schedule, in a very professional manner, and worked exactly right from day one, and have worked flawlessly for the past year. No one at Solarcity ever misrepresented how much my savings would be, they never made any promises that they could not keep and did not exaggerate the performance of their system one iota. So far for me customer service has been great, with all of my questions answered clearly and promptly. The only trouble in getting clear answers about the project came when dealing with Central Hudson, not Solarcity! I have seen about a 30- 40% savings in my electric bill. This of course varies depending on the weather. In fact I got a shock when we had a particularly cloudy month and experienced a Central Hudson bill without good production from my solar panels. You need to average the performance over a period of time to fully understand the long term benefits. These systems can't work miracles and to maximise your savings you need to change some habits and use things like dishwashers & laundry machines when your panels are operating ath their peak. I live in the NE so I expect to get far less out of my system in the winter months when the sun is low in the sky. I an happy with my Solarcity experience so far and found them to be much more transparent and up front about the actual cost and savings than Sungevity was when I was shopping for a system.

7 years ago

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Terry Bucknum

Solar City and Rene (Sales Representative) did a great job. From the initial sales presentation done at our home to the final installation and converting over from SDG&E to our own Solar Power and procedure was seamless. They stayed on target with the evaluation of our roof, to the installation, and them to finally "Turning It On." Along the way, communication with the Solar representatives was wonderful, whether they were giving us an update, or we were communicating with them asking questions. Most helpful. We highly recommend them to anyone, and look forward to submitting our 30% tax credit into the Federal Government for 2016.

7 years ago

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DANIEL LEWIS

I contacted them based on a friends recomendation they responded and conducted an onsight survey with a tentative design. After the onsight survey adjusted the design and guaranteed a system that would provide for 91% of my electrical energy. Due to our family commitments postponed installation until it met our schedule. We took care of all necessary paperwork on line including them obtaining all permits. When it came to installation they did that in one day. Delays when they occurred were because of local inspections and BGE's delay in installing the appropriate meter. Once turned on I have been able to monitor system preformance with my app on my cell phone and also control my heating and cooling system with the NEST learning thermostat they included as a bonus.

7 years ago

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Virgil Tabicas Westport, MA

I cannot express my gratitude for going forward with solar panels from Solar City from the initial meeting to discuss the possibility to the techs who eventually installed them. But most of all, it is the savings we have experienced. That first month was unbelievable. Solar plus our other electric source combined was less than our usual monthly expense. During the summer when our electric usage is higher because of the air conditioning, our monthly expense was still less than what we have paid with past summer usage. And if that's not enough...our present electricity is primarily supplied by the solar panels. We have been building up a reserve with our other electricity source and will be able to draw from that all winter when our panels wont't generate as much electricity. It's a win-win situation that we're just thrilled over. Having a fixed rate locked in is another great feature for savings.

7 years ago

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Aimee Close Plainville, MA

SolarCity is awesome!!! I had my system installed last October, and in 10 months, I have saved almost $500! I am producing 100% of my electricity!! I am leasing the panels, which means I put no money down at all. Each month, I pay SolarCity for what I produce (at a much lower rate than what I was paying the electric company), and everything I produce beyond what I use gets sold back to the electric company and I see it as a credit on my electric bill. I am so happy I went with SolarCity. I know of a family who used another solar company, and due to improper installation and/or faulty panels, the house had an electrical fire and caused tremendous damage. This would not happen with SolarCity! I can't say enough about this company! Highly recommend!

7 years ago

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Ysmael Suarez Bakersfield, CA

I have now two years with SolarCity PV System over the roof of my house. The word which better describes the perception for my wife and me with this service is : WE ARE VERY HAPPY.........along last two years; no interruptions or failures in the PV system, we know the amount on bills exactly 30 days before due date, my family have not discomfort during summer season for energy saving reasons, the increased rate in $/kWh from first to second year was as agreed in my contract. In my first year the total Energy savings were around 1,200.00 $. I am living in Bakersfield California and the performance of the system installed has been AWESOME......

7 years ago

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Richard Tatoyan Modesto, CA

The whole process took about six months from initial contact wit SC to the system being turned on. They review your current bill and size the panels accordingly. We have sixteen panels. They got into my attic to verify the roof was adequate, and the installation team of four men came one day and completed the job, neat and precise installation. The local utility company came, inspected and approved the system, then the local building Department and all was approved, no problems. We are leasing the system, approximately $63 per month. For the last three summer months we have received a minimum electrical bill of fifteen dollars. No out -of -pocket money at all. At the end of one year, the utility company will adjust our bill, either we pay or they pay me, but so far, they owe us. I have absolutely no problems with Solar City and would recommend them. They get five stars from me.

7 years ago

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John Dante Mazzone Bloomingburg, NY

Solar City was THE ONLY solar company out the the top 5 listed here that actually would come to my home for a site survey and evaluation. Based on their home visit they determined that MY assessment that panels could indeed go on both side of the house, was correct. They promised at least 80 percent of my needs would be met, we are a LARGE household of over 2000 kwh/mo and they DELIVERED! And then some! The other companies wanted us to sign a contract based on a survey done with google earth photos, promising us 40% of our needs and the other companies didnt seem to care about what we were telling them. My family highly recommends solarcity and our rep Joe Harder. Solarcity came in and put in a new electrical box and put new rafters in the attic to support the load... ALL ON THEIR DIME! We paid nothing up front are saving an average of $150-$250 a month on energy.

7 years ago

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Craig Walker Phoenix, AZ

After getting bids from three Solar providers the only one that made financial sense was Solar City's offer. They had worked up three systems with varying power and I settled on a 6.5KW system. That was three years ago and so far the promised savings are very close to what was expected. For me that's been $900+ each year. The only issue I had was with the 'engineer' who laid out the system with the bulk of the panels on the east side of the house since it would be the easiest install. I'm in AZ and with a time of use plan that charges more after noon I had him rework the layout twice until the maximum panels were on the south and west sides of the house. This layout means my AC is mostly powered by solar when it's needed the most. It is strange that for 'green' company they don't have on-line statements and only have paper (at least it was that way two years ago), but overall I'm very happy with Solar City

7 years ago

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Amie Ziner Milford, CT

We've had SolarCity for three+ years. Never any problems with it, always performs really well. When we have heavy snow, of course the panels don't work, but it's only for a few weeks out of the year, and at the end of the year we are at the 98-100% efficiency mark they said we'd have. We opted for the initial payment to keep our rate per kWh constant for the 20 years of the contract. That's very reassuring as I watch the rates for CT utilities soar - and we already have some of the most expensive electricity in the country. Our free site inspection, free energy audit, free install, and free maintenance for 20 years made us very happy. Any problems we always get a response within 24 hours, no problems with billing. Also, the referral program has worked well for us - we really like this company and the service, and enthusiastically recommend it.

7 years ago

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Pete D'Ambra Johnston, RI

I have nothing but good things to say about this company. Signed up in Sept 15 system was installed by Dec. on line by 12/23/16. I live in RI so I wasn't expecting to great a performance in the winter months, but I was pleasantly surprised. My first bill from Solar City didn't come until April 16. That's 3 months on line before I paid my first dime. They took care of everything. My savings so far this year is 65% offset by Solar with my 18 panel system. My only regret is not having more space for a larger system. I feel the costs are more than reasonable because of the Tax Credit ( Which they want as a ballon payment up front. Very understandable since they fronted everything for 6 months.). Also the combined payments to Solar City and the Utility is less than I would normally have paid for just electricity. Post I now have increased the value of my property as a Solar home. Now that the Tax Credit is credited to my account I will pay it off with my Home Line of Credit where I can deduct the lower interest payments as a home improvement project. To me going solar whit Solar City is a Win Win.

7 years ago

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Nikki O Simi Valley, CA

I had the best experience with Solar City. My sales person was very knowledgable, he was able to answer all my questions, and if he did not know, he was able to find out for me in a very timely manner. My install actually happened ahead of schedule. I am very happy. I've noticed some of the negative reviews below indicate that people don't read /question their contracts. It says right in there that if you will be working on your roof, there is a fee of $475 to take the panels off and put back on. All your charges are stated right on the contract. So please read all the info before you sign anything.

8 years ago

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Billy H Phoenix, AZ

I've had nothing but great experiences with my whole process. I'm shocked to see that there are bad reviews on this company. I have a home in Oceanside, CA that I'm saving $788 annually on and another in Peoria, AZ that I'm saving around $430 on. I looked into purchasing a system in AZ with a few other companies, yes SolarCity is slightly higher but their warranty was longer and better.. plus other companies use third party contractors to install and maintain the system. SolarCity does it all. So if your system is damaged or goes out, your solar company is off the hook and your now relying on another company to fix it. VERY PLEASED WITH SOLARCITY AND HAVE REFERRED FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

8 years ago

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Brian Devault Millbury, MA

My experience with solar city and viridian have been nothing but professional they have up held they're word from the first step of the process all the way to the install they were proactive and on point through every step of the process I have a good size system and they got it completely installed in one day, they showed up with a small army to get it done which coast me $0.00 I forgot to mention they reinforced every rafterin the roof to make sure it would support the weight, am waiting for power company inspect system so I can turn it on, can't wait to turn it on, in fact I was so impressed with the entire process I became an associate So I can also inform people of the programs and opportunities that are available to them and also let's not forget the savings.

9 years ago

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Gayle Nakama Honolulu, HI

Best service ever. From initial quote overview, LeeAnne Greeson explained everything. Design specs were a bit of confusion for me, but after I spent an hour or so looking them over, I understood the placement of panels. The months later, installers headed by Lopaka Meacham was done and all the crew worked hard and cleaned up nicely. Follow up services and questions posed by me were answered in a timely fashion, no confusion. I absolutely recommend Solar City to all of my friends and family. Some of them have applied with other companies and are still in the wait and see phase. I'm confident that I have the best warranty for my twenty year lease, which is part of the consideration and selection of why I decided to go with Solar City.

9 years ago

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guy smith Tucson, AZ

I paid $3000 up front.Solar City then did everything else.They installed the system,insured it,and monitor it via the web,and gave me the same capability.I lease the system for $34 a month,and pay $12 a month to my electric co.to be on the grid.I now pay total $46 a month ,12 months a year.I really don't care for the look of it,because I have a flat roof,and the panels are at a 45 degree pitch.However,every month my electric bill comes they keep looking better !! Thank you Solar City!!Not only am I lowering my carbon foot print,and helping to reverse global warming and climate change.I am saving money to !!

9 years ago

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Jared Bothell, WA

Overall my experience with SolarCity/Tesla has been amazing. Great customer service every time I've called to get a status update or help move the process forward. Installers that came out were contracted (around March 2019) and did an amazing job. SolarCity/Tesla upgraded me to the newest panel for free as well due to supply issues (SC330 instead of SC320), and my panels are doing amazingly!

4 years ago

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Rayneman Riverbank, CA

I see a lot of complaints and will say most people are poorly informed about solar to start with. Your system size in Ca. is controlled by your electric provider. You submit 12 most current bills and Tesla sizes the system 10% higher. That is what the utility co. only allow if your on net metering. You get a bill monthly showing what you sent your utility vs usage. So you know true up cost monthly can't see why anyone says there shocked when their true up date comes. Go to Amp It on Tesla site for customers and they will tell you how to get through to Tesla without long wait times. In a year and a half I've had no system problems:production is good what was expected. When I had an issue with a blown PG&E transformer got to customer service in 5min. If you have questions got to Amp It solar customers will help you understand a lot.

5 years ago

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James Koger Cambridge, MA

I signed a pre-paid lease(this option is no longer available I understand) with SolarCity on 12/31/11. The panels were installed in 2012 and we went online in July 2012. At the time I was really impressed by the professionalism and level of skill of the various SolarCity personnel. From the time of completion of the installation it required 3 weeks for Cambridge Inspectional Services And Eversource to approve the installation and give permission to go on-line. SolarCity said that 3 weeks was very short period of time to go on-line. Until Aug. 2018 there were no problems at all. We have not had to pay any electric bills at all since February of 2013. The amount of electricity received has nearly paid back the cost of the lease. I expect that sometime in 2019 the pre-paid lease will be repaid in electrical power. There has been enough extra power to charge a plug-in electric car most of the time and switch from a gas clothes dryer to an electric one. Until August 2nd all was well and then our invertor failed. It took SolarCity(which had been purchased by Tesla) 5 weeks to replace the invertor. I had to call customer service 4 different times before I got any kind of idea of timing of the invertor replacement. I was not impressed by the level of professionalism I got from Tesla customer service. The service guy was good and I had seen him before. The replacement only took about an hour to accomplish. I do not understand why it would take 5 weeks to get a replacement. No one could or would explain this. However the system is now up and running. Tesla said they would make up the difference in power lost up to the guaranteed amount for the year. So far the system has exceeded the guaranteed amount every year. Would I go back to Tesla again knowing what I know now . Probably Yes. Before the invertor failure I would not have hesitated but afterwards I would look at other companies at least . Does Tesla need to improve customer service? Yes!

5 years ago

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RUTH

Ever since I moved to Southern California I knew that I should use Solar energy. The only question is which company shall I work with? I decided to go with Solar City. Their sales person (energy consultant) is very knowledgeable. He follows through every step during the processing. He also assured me that I can call him for any issue encountered. He will be there for me. Solar City (Tesla)'s price is reasonable. Installer were professional. The process was lengthy. It took 4 months to complete. But, now it is running. I can monitor the production online. It is all worth it!

5 years ago

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John T. Van Nuys, CA

WE have Solar City panels on our house now for several years and are very happy. The hardest part of the installation was dealing with LADWP of which Solar City did most of the work. Our electric bill went down from an average of $400 a month to $20, the minimum service cost for LADWP. During the summer the bill does go up slightly but never has it come even close to the $400. I have not experienced any customer service issues.

5 years ago

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Craig Moreno Valley, CA

I have had Solar City for almost a year now and everything has been pleasant. There was an issue with the installation but they came back out and rectified everything. There were bigger delays with the city (not) showing up for approvals. Since the system has turned on, our bills have dropped significantly. We didn't go for full power due to heating solar panels for the pool but we received everything as promised and our sales person followed up with us several time to verify everything was working as expected. We highly recommend them and actually did. They have a great referral plan.

5 years ago

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Gary Olson Arvada, CO

No problems, installation took 2 days. As scheduled, was done on schedule. Crew answered all my questions and made adjustments I requested. Installation was on tile roof, some broken tiles, but I have large supply of extras for hail other damaged tiles they replaced all broken tiles. Electrician showed me how to to turn system on, so when excel installed meters I was able to start system within 1 hour of meters being installed. Engineer I worked with answered all my questions within 24 hours. Loan was easy to get. Very happy with my system. Almost have generated 1 kWh in 1.5 months.

6 years ago

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Art Egerton Pembroke, MA

I have had nothing but great, attentive service from SolarCity. I have their panels now on two houses, and have not had one even hint of a problem with the company, or their equipment. I even had eight negative bills in a row from my power company. Now, as expected, the heat is on and the days are very short, but it won't be long until we get back to getting our energy exclusively from the sun.

6 years ago

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Bruce Brodie San Anselmo, CA

I’ve had a great experience with Solar City. My first year I received a hundred dollars from PG&E, now that is satisfying. With a 1300 s. f. Home with one resident my bill from SC is about $60/mo. They even sent me a low performing check, my neighbor’s tree keeps growing and there’s not much I can do about that. Still, I got excited about conserving energy and have replaced all my lights with LEDs, sorry to see some of the negative reviews, it hasn’t been my experience. Being in business myself, I know it’s tough out there.

6 years ago

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Roger Lusco Winchendon, MA

We have had excellent service from the beginning, our sales person explained all options and which he thought fit our needs the best, and did not push at all, when he left he told us to contact him when we made a decision. Our installation was done on the day that was planned and the crew was very friendly and everything was cleaned up and gone when they left. once power co. gave approval the system was turned on with one minor problem and that was fixed within a few days, 18 months later We are still very happy with our choice to go with Solar City

6 years ago

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Rex Wilcox Brighton, CO

They worked through the proposal, approval and installation process quickly and efficiently. They handled the bulk of the process and kept us up-to-date regarding the steps of the process and estimated timeline. Installation was done quickly (entire system installed in 3hrs) and it looks great. System has been up and running for a few months now and the production is great and the app to monitor the system works well

6 years ago

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Dennis Ambruso Prescott, AZ

Solar City has been very polite and non aggressive in their sales information. They have been very polite and professional. They have the backing of Tesla which is a major incentive. I have heard that some of the others mentioned are independent and can go out of business leaving you to deal with repairs etc. Their panels are the latest low profile and efficiency.

6 years ago

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Ernie Gobee

Solar City gets a solid "A" from me. The System has been up now for about 1.5 years. It took me several months to work out the design with them but that is because I wanted a specific design and layout of the panels. They worked with me every step of the way by calling me and even coming back twice to talk to me directly about the panel layout. In the end I got exactly what I wanted. My roof needed some major repairs (termite damage) to support the system which were done and paid for by Solar City. The actual installation was done in one day and has been working flawlessly. I am very satisfied with my Solar City system, it is saving me at least 50% when compared to my bill from my previous electric utility provider Southern California Edison. Not bad for a system that has cost me nothing, zip, zero, nix.

6 years ago

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Robert Salomone

Solar city has been a pleasure to work with from the first contact with the sales group 4 years ago to the total replacement of our panels yesterday due to a panel design issue. Solar city has always answered my phone calla and returned calls promptly. They have always responded to any email sent within 1 business day. I am very happy I chose Solar City. They take pride in their workmanship and stand by their products.

6 years ago