Consumer complaint received 2025-06-30 00:00:00
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan — Installment loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect — 
Company: Sunnova Energy Corporation
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding the deceptive practices of XXXX XXXX, specifically concerning their partnership with Sunnova and the misrepresentation of tax credits associated with my solar panel installation. 

I was initially informed by a representative from XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, that I would receive a tax refund from the IRS for a solar incentive that I was to give to Sunnova to keep the payments low. This was a key factor in my decision to move forward with the installation. However, I later learned that the actual arrangement was not as represented. 

When I signed up in XXXX of XXXX, my initial payments ( {$170.00} ) were already more than my electric bill had been, but as it was explained to me, everyone else 's electric bills would increase over time and mine would stay the same. I was told that I needed to give to Sunnova, the financing company working with XXXX XXXX, a large payment of over {$14000.00} that I would get back as a refund when I filed my taxes. XXXX XXXX reiterated that fact time and time again, even when I was asking him questions about getting the refund right before I filed my taxes in XXXX. Only after I filed my taxes and asked my accountant where the lump sum payment was, was I informed by my accountant that it wasn't a lump sum payment, but a credit. Because of my income, the credit would be over XXXX  years or so.

Then I received a letter from Sunnova stating if I didn't pay the lump sum payment, my bill would go up by more than 50 % to the outrageous amount of {$250.00}. This lump sum payment is an unreasonable and misleading requirement, especially after I was told that the refund would come in the form of a direct IRS credit. 

Furthermore, I have documentation that shows XXXX XXXX representatives, including XXXX XXXX, explicitly told me that I would receive a refund from the IRS, not a credit. This conflicting information points to a serious lack of transparency and trustworthiness on the part of XXXX XXXX and Sunnova. Additionally, I was misled about the incentive bonus, which was only paid after an extensive delay and after I was asked to sign an amendment to my contract, further complicating the financial arrangements. 

I spoke with people from both companies within the past month, asking for some kind of resolution, and both companies said there was nothing they could do. One man at XXXX stated that there was no way for his representative to know what my tax credit would be, but they did run a credit check, so they knew how much I made and he never said it was a tax credit anyway. He said it was a refund. 

In light of the above, I am requesting that the CFPB investigate these practices and hold both XXXX XXXX and Sunnova accountable for their misleading and deceptive conduct. These actions not only impacted my financial situation but also violated my trust in the solar industry and financing practices. I am also requesting that any financial adjustments or refunds be made in light of these misrepresentations. 

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to a resolution that ensures these companies are held accountable for their actions.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response