Need help dealing with Tesla

[jjrandorin]

Back when we signed our contract (Jan/Feb time frame last year) our contract required 1/2 down when they showed up at our house first day and the balance when we got PTO, not at time of inspection. I know at some later point people did not have to pay any upfront payment and Tesla would front the cost for all the work and equipment and require only a 1 time payment — but now after inspection when their workers were done after which they’d submit application for PTO to the utility.

Guess it would have been nice to sit on all our funds for months longer as the 1 time-payment people got to but It was what it was at the time we signed our contract. For the 1-time-after-inspection people, Tesla is laying out all their costs and labor upfront with no funds from you with the legal requirement you pay upon inspection. They did the work to get inspection passed and trust you to uphold your financial end and it’s not like they aren’t going to come thru with filing your PTO. PG&E took a few weeks but less than 30 days to review and grant us our PTO.

FWIW, for my 2 powerwall install added to existing solar, I paid $100 up front, then the balance after inspection but before they would submit for PTO, so I believe I fall into the "1 time payment" as I dont consider $100 deposit on an invoice that cost over 18k a payment.. even though it technically is one.

In any case, @Carbonfiber I hope you get PTO soon. For me personally, putting up with the idiosyncrasies tesla had was worth the difference in price between them and someone else (which was way more than 10% in my case). For 10% I might have gone with a third party as well.

 

[SMAlset]

We’ve also read member accounts who went through third party installers and wanting PWs, that when inventory was getting super low, Tesla installs were getting done before theirs. Third party installers apparently get allocated so many units and with the PW popularity what it is, it sounded like they had more customers wanting them than units they had received or would ship, so jobs could also get delayed from that end too.

The waiting can be hard but like with getting your Tesla vehicle, worth the wait. So nice to realize we are running our house off sunshine with solar and PWs and have that extra cushion of protection during outages.

 

[jboy210]

I actually referred a friend back in November 2020, he’s also under SCE. He passed final inspection around the same time as me (early FEB) and already got PTO and he hasn’t made a payment on his system yet. I’ve been comparing my account with other SCE accounts and that’s why I was expecting a quicker time line. SCE PTO turnaround time is quick. I know other people have longer time lines, but I created this thread to see if there was anything else I can do besides calling in every other day. Lol looks like I just have wait patiently again.

Is your friend doing a cash purchase, finance via 3rd party, Tesla lease, or ???

 

[Carbonfiber]

Is your friend doing a cash purchase, finance via 3rd party, Tesla lease, or ???

it’s set up as cash payment right now, but he’s trying to change it to a finance option. This is after PTO

 

[wjgjr]

Back when we signed our contract (Jan/Feb time frame last year) our contract required 1/2 down when they showed up at our house first day and the balance when we got PTO, not at time of inspection. I know at some later point people did not have to pay any upfront payment and Tesla would front the cost for all the work and equipment and require only a 1 time payment — but now after inspection when their workers were done after which they’d submit application for PTO to the utility.

Guess it would have been nice to sit on all our funds for months longer as the 1 time-payment people got to but It was what it was at the time we signed our contract. For the 1-time-after-inspection people, Tesla is laying out all their costs and labor upfront with no funds from you with the legal requirement you pay upon inspection. They did the work to get inspection passed and trust you to uphold your financial end and it’s not like they aren’t going to come thru with filing your PTO. PG&E took a few weeks but less than 30 days to review and grant us our PTO.

I'm still surprised you had those terms.... We had the 50/50 split (contract signed 10/2019) and the second 50% was due after inspection. Some of that may be a difference between solar panels and solar roof, but it did not seem like they were offering an option to pay only at PTO for most people. That said, I think (but am not certain) Tesla actually started the PTO process before we paid in full, as I don't think they track this stuff very well sometimes.

 

[jboy210]

it’s set up as cash payment right now, but he’s trying to change it to a finance option. This is after PTO

Maybe that is the trick. Since the left hand of Tesla does not know what the right hand is doing, contact finance and get them to look into moving from cash to finance. They create a new contract with financing and close out the cash contract. Meanwhile, the other project people at tesla see finance close out the cash contract and assume the project is paid, and submits PTO paperwork to the utility. Given how separated Tesla is, this could work!

 

[SoCalSolarRoof]

Maybe that is the trick. Since the left hand of Tesla does not know what the right hand is doing, contact finance and get them to look into moving from cash to finance. They create a new contract with financing and close out the cash contract. Meanwhile, the other project people at tesla see finance close out the cash contract and assume the project is paid, and submits PTO paperwork to the utility. Given how separated Tesla is, this could work!

For solar roof, cash payment, 100% payment is due 5 days after "final inspection" (other than the $100 deposit). They sent me an invoice after the city inspected the solar portion, but my roof was still not done. We had ropes on the roof, and multiple items that weren't complete (vents, ridge vent, etc). I told them that there was no way the final inspection was complete, and they were confused. They assumed that the roof portion was done before the solar inspection, but it wasn't. I got PTO, and SDG&E switched over to my solar plan, but the roof portion is still not done, still have a rope on the roof, and the quality inspector for tesla said there are still things that are not up to code. So I'm waiting, keeping my project advisor in the loop, and hopefully they will come finish soon. When they are done they get paid...

 

[jboy210]

For solar roof, cash payment, 100% payment is due 5 days after "final inspection" (other than the $100 deposit). They sent me an invoice after the city inspected the solar portion, but my roof was still not done. We had ropes on the roof, and multiple items that weren't complete (vents, ridge vent, etc). I told them that there was no way the final inspection was complete, and they were confused. They assumed that the roof portion was done before the solar inspection, but it wasn't. I got PTO, and SDG&E switched over to my solar plan, but the roof portion is still not done, still have a rope on the roof, and the quality inspector for tesla said there are still things that are not up to code. So I'm waiting, keeping my project advisor in the loop, and hopefully they will come finish soon. When they are done they get paid...

Not sure how they operate in SD, they did 2 inspections for the Solar Roof. One for the roof replacement and one for the solar installation. Tesla coordinated each and had someone on-site to deal with the inspection for each. They were on the same day but were an hour apart. After the first, the Tesla inspection coordinator just waited and filled out additional paperwork for the second inspection. He said they always did them together for SolarRoof inspections unless one part failed or there were scheduling issues with the inspectors.

 

[Carbonfiber]

Quick update, sent another email this morning and got a response! Got clarity on what was missing and what exactly needed to be signed. I went to the city again this morning and got the necessary documentation and signatures. Emailed them back to Tesla, and then got an immediate response stating PTO has been submitted to SCE.

 

[SoCalSolarRoof]

Not sure how they operate in SD, they did 2 inspections for the Solar Roof. One for the roof replacement and one for the solar installation. Tesla coordinated each and had someone on-site to deal with the inspection for each. They were on the same day but were an hour apart. After the first, the Tesla inspection coordinator just waited and filled out additional paperwork for the second inspection. He said they always did them together for SolarRoof inspections unless one part failed or there were scheduling issues with the inspectors.

I don't think the city inspects the roof here, but Tesla has a quality inspector on their side. He continues to have findings, which haven't been addressed yet.

 

[SoCalSolarRoof]

Quick update, sent another email this morning and got a response! Got clarity on what was missing and what exactly needed to be signed. I went to the city again this morning and got the necessary documentation and signatures. Emailed them back to Tesla, and then got an immediate response stating PTO has been submitted to SCE.

Great news!

 

[smaster553]

Great news!

Awesome news on your front.

I got my PTO before I paid, and since I have some damaged panels and have been following up with them for last 45 days.

Hence I had paid 50% when the Invoice was issued, I will pay another 25% this next week, and will hold 25% for till it is fixed. I have been sending the same explanation to why the money is being held.

Yes they suck in CS, they make appointments to inspect panels when there is 30" snow on ground, don't know what they are thinking.

 

[jboy210]

I don't think the city inspects the roof here, but Tesla has a quality inspector on their side. He continues to have findings, which haven't been addressed yet.

I am surprised if the city does not inspect a roof replacement. That is a pretty major replacement and can lead to some serious damage if not done correctly.

 

[Carbonfiber]

For the SCE customers: did you have to call SCE to change your rate plan once your system was officially turned on?

 

[jhn_]

Yes they suck in CS, they make appointments to inspect panels when there is 30" snow on ground, don't know what they are thinking.

I think they are just trying to get as much work done as possible, and work through things like weather.

When my panels and powerwalls got installed in December last year it was barely 20F outside and it had snowed 2ft the day before. They actually shoveled the roof of snow before starting. And I have a steep pitch roof, those guys were crazy! In a good way.

 

[bevo]

For the SCE customers: did you have to call SCE to change your rate plan once your system was officially turned on?

I was already on TOU-D-Prime plan with my EV but if you're not on TOU, they will switch you automatically

 

[bevo]

Quick update, sent another email this morning and got a response! Got clarity on what was missing and what exactly needed to be signed. I went to the city again this morning and got the necessary documentation and signatures. Emailed them back to Tesla, and then got an immediate response stating PTO has been submitted to SCE.

SCE is fast. Got PTO within 1 day of Tesla submitting paperwork. However, it took Tesla a 1.5 weeks after passing inspection and 1 week after my payment for them to submit to SCE. Not a big deal now but it was for that 1 week I was waiting.

 

[bevo]

For the SCE customers: did you have to call SCE to change your rate plan once your system was officially turned on?

Now that you got me looking, does anyone have an opinion on whether it's more advantageous to be on the regular TOU plan instead of the TOU Prime plan for EV, taking into account minimum daily charges, credits and such?
My solar is expected to generate more than my usage for the 12 month period (hopefully)