Solar panel company agrees to cancel contract signed with dying Texas man after CBS News Texas report
NORTH TEXAS - Two years after a company sold their dying father solar panels, the children of William Hampton say it's agreed to cancel the $60,000 contract, wiping away a debt that's hung over them.
The news came hours after they shared their story with CBS News Texas.
"I literally busted out crying. It was absolutely amazing," said Mary Loller. "I called my sister and brother immediately and told them. We were screaming and crying."
Hampton's children say that at the time he allegedly signed the contract with Sunnova, he had liver disease, wasn't expected to live more than a few months, and was easily confused.
Loller says she tried nearly everything to get the deal canceled.
"I got my dad out of bed and took him to Wells Fargo to have a power of attorney signed, so I could take this over with Sunnova. And, before I could use the power of attorney, my dad passed," she said.
The family planned to sell his property to pay off the mountain of medical bills she left behind, but the solar panels, Mary said, made finding a buyer difficult.
"Because no one wants a $60,000 contract attached to their property," she said. "We were going to lose the house. They were going to repossess it."
The family finally turned to CBS News Texas. Mary's sister, Cynthia Hampton, hoped they could at least warn others by sharing their story.
The family never expected to get a call the very next day.
"I was completely amazed. Because it came up on caller ID as a 1-800 number 'Sunnova' and I'm like, 'What the heck!'" said Mary.
The family says Sunnova agreed to come get the solar panels and cancel the contract, allowing them to finally move forward with settling their father's affairs.
"You guys are the world to me right now because I don't think this ever would have happened without you guys. And, I hope this story helps a lot of other people."
In a statement, Sunnova wrote:
"As we previously noted, we have been seeking to resolve the Hampton family's concerns and the unique nature of their issue. Today, we were able to get in touch with them about this matter, and once we receive additional documentation from them, we intend to cancel Mr. Hampton's contract. Our aim is always customer satisfaction and our 386,000 customers across the country know that solar power can play a major role in reducing energy costs now and into the future."