14-04-2025
Webster County solar company faces lawsuit from Missouri Attorney General
STRAFFORD, Mo. – The Office of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is taking legal action against a man from Houston, Missouri, and his company based in Strafford, Missouri, for allegedly violating the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
The six-count petition was filed in Texas County Circuit Court on Thursday, April 10, against Luke Arthur of Houston, Missouri, and Simple Solar LLC, which conducts business out of Webster County.
The petition alleges the solar business made misrepresentations to Missouri consumers about its residential solar energy generation systems by telling customers the company would reimburse consumers during the first 12 months of their solar system installation loan payments.
'Contrary to Defendants' representations, after the systems were financed and installed, Defendants failed to make the first year's loan payments,' the petition alleges.
The petition alleges Simple Solar LLC – which does business in numerous states throughout the country, including Missouri – had 'ample opportunity to correct these deficiencies, but consistently have refused to do so.'
Because most consumers are unable to pay for Simple Solar's systems out of pocket, the business partners with several lenders who provide all or most of the purchase price, the petition says.
Sales representatives would pitch Simple Solar to consumers by claiming solar energy would save them money in the end, and that Simple Solar would pay customers for the first 12 months of their loan payments – but that's a false promise, the petition alleges.
According to the petition, the AG office has received complaints from Simple Solar customers. These customers called Simple Solar 'over and over again,' asking the company to reimburse them, but no payments ever came.
If customers choose not to make loan payments, they are at risk of the lender – which files and records a lien on their home until the loan is fully paid off – filing a lawsuit to enforce the lien, which could result in customers' homes being sold out from under them, the petition alleges.
Additionally, the petition alleges that Simple Solar concealed the fact that the company was delinquent in paying suppliers and were winding down the business.
The petition asks for restitution to all of the company's consumer victims and to award any additional relief that the court deems fit. Court dockets say no summons is requested at this time.
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