Mobile County woman stuck with $45,000 solar panel bill wants to warn others - NBC 15 WPMI

Mobile County woman stuck with $45,000 solar panel bill wants to warn others | WPMI

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — An Eight Mile woman says she feels duped after buying solar panels for her home off Lott Road. Cheryl Younger says she's stuck with a $45,000 bill for the solar panels and not reaping the benefits on her power bill. Now, she wants to shine a light on the company she says misled her.

"This is very frustrating. I haven't saved a penny," said Younger.

Younger showed us a letter stating she's past due on the $45,000 bill for 20 solar panels she thought would cost $20,000. Younger says they were installed in December. Her power bills show she has saved a few bucks with solar. On her June statement, her Alabama Power PAE or Purchase of Alternative Energy monthly credit was $14.35. At that rate, it would take more than 260 years for the credit to pay for the panels.

"I was shocked. I just I couldn't believe it. I was like, I was lied to," said Younger.

She's not the only unsatisfied Design 1 Group customer. According the Better Business Bureau, in the last 12 months there have been 115 complaints closed against the company. Another person in Mobile County filed a lawsuit against Design 1 Group earlier this year after getting locked into a $45,000 loan for solar panels they claimed never arrived. Younger says she’s 65 years old, lives on a fixed income and can't afford what she was sold.

"I want my money back. That's all I ask. Give me back my money and lift the lien to my paid off home," said Younger.

We called and emailed Design 1 for comment but have not heard back as of this publication. The contract does state if the customer doesn't save a certain percentage of the projected savings on their power bill over two years, the company will "correct" that.