"In an interview Friday, Stevens said his organization has gathered solar company consumer complaint data from multiple states and has previously requested investigations, based on evidence of 'false and misleading actions,' by the attorneys general of California, Florida, Oregon and Texas. Stevens said he was 'not surprised' by the allegations leveled against Vivint Solar in Balderas' filing."
"The dispute is about whether a watchdog group may obtain correspondence between a Kennesaw State University professor and a payday lending group that commissioned the university to conduct a study. The group, which calls itself the Consumer Credit Research Foundation, publishes reports favorable to the industry."
On February 1, 2018, CfA announced that the Supreme Court of Georgia is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Monday, February 5, 2018, in CfA’s case against the Consumer Credit Research Foundation, a payday lending nonprofit that funded a favorable academic study by a professor at Kennesaw State University.
"As Congress debates tax reform, which may include provisions to hobble investment in wind and solar power generation, it is critical that when discussing renewable energy, American consumers are not forgotten. Specifically, bad actors in the rooftop solar industry must not be allowed to continue to abuse and mislead customers who are considering spending as much as $20,000 to install solar panels on their homes," writes CfA Executive Director Daniel Stevens in The Hill.
On December 7, 2017, Campaign for Accountability released a report highlighting the findings of its year-long investigation into the unscrupulous sales practices of the rooftop solar industry. CfA’s investigation found consumers filed more complaints against SolarCity and Vivint Solar than any other company.
"Complaints against rooftop solar companies have skyrocketed in recent years as more Americans have installed solar panels on their rooftops. The complaints, filed by angry customers, reveal how rooftop solar companies exploit consumers – especially low-income and elderly homeowners. Federal regulators have taken notice: The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether rooftop solar companies are playing by the rules."
Law360 wrote about our FOIA request to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about Clayton Homes.
Campaign for Accountability filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) to follow up on a Seattle Times/ Center for Public Integrity investigation into predatory lending practices of Clayton Homes, one of the nation’s largest mobile home sellers.
On July 19, 2017, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) asked the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an investigation into companies that offer residential solar panels. A review of consumer complaints filed with FTC reveals many of these companies have engaged in false and misleading acts in the marketing and sale or lease of solar panels, in apparent violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
In dozens of complaints filed with the Oregon Attorney General’s Office, customers reported being mistreated by companies selling or leasing rooftop solar panels. If solar energy is going to expand responsibly, the industry’s transgressors need to be held accountable.