SUN CITY, AZ (AZFamily)— When it comes to solar energy, Arizona seems like the perfect place for homeowners to harness the sun to power their homes, but complaints about companies going bankrupt continue to pour in.

Sharon Graham tells On Your Side that the solar panels on her home have caused nothing but problems.

She bought the Sun City home two years ago and agreed to take over the rental payments for the signs.

“I thought it was great until I realized the cost and the fact that it didn’t work properly,” she said.

Graham says the solar system has had problems almost since day one and now she says the system isn’t working at all.

Renting the panels costs Graham $150 a month, and his electric bill is only expected to be $25 more.

But in recent months, those electric bills have increased by more than $100.

“I shouldn’t have to call them and call them and call them just to get relief,” she said. “And they always say the same thing. “We’re working on it.”

Now they don’t work there at all.

Graham’s lease is with SunPower Solar.

As we told you in a recent On Your Side reportSunPower filed for bankruptcy protection this summer.

It continues to accept payments from rental customers like Graham, even though it no longer maintains their systems.

“First of all, it’s really frustrating and a disappointing experience for people,” said Adrian Keller, Arizona program director for Solar United Neighbors.

It is a non-profit organization that helps people adopt solar energy and advocates for their rights as consumers.

He says the demand for solar energy continues to grow rapidly, which is one of the problems for consumers.

“Unfortunately, not all companies have been able to maintain their capacity to meet this demand,” he said. “We have also seen new policy changes locally in Arizona that have made it more difficult for rooftop solar customers to use solar energy. And when I talk to struggling installers, they say that certainly played a role.

Despite high-profile failures like SunPower, Keller says most solar customers are happy with their systems.

But homeowners really need to do their homework and be wary of unscrupulous sellers who make promises they can’t keep.

If they claim that the system will be free for you, that is definitely not true.

“I would also be wary of information about tax credits,” he said. “Often, customers are promised at the door that they will receive a 30% discount when they sign. This is not the case. It’s a tax credit. You must have taxable income to qualify for this amount, and you get it the year after your system is installed.

This means that many retirees cannot use this credit.

Meanwhile, Graham is waiting for SunPower to sell its lease to another company, which can carry out its maintenance.

Otherwise, she has to pay for the repairs out of pocket, on top of her lease and high electricity bills.

“I’m a widow, retired on oxygen and taking care of my special needs daughter, so I figure I can’t handle this,” Graham said.

There are many good solar companies out there, but you need to do your research.

Keller recommends talking to neighbors who are happy with their switch to solar and finding out which companies they’ve used.

And if you’re considering leasing your solar panels, just make sure your electricity savings exceed that 20-year lease.

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