A TriSMART Solar lawsuit search currently turns up two active federal cases: a contract suit filed by a customer in the Southern District of Texas in 2024, and a 2026 bankruptcy clawback action filed against the company in Delaware as part of the Sunworks, Inc. Chapter 7 liquidation. Alongside those cases, the Houston-based residential installer carries a “Pattern of Complaints” alert from the Better Business Bureau, with dozens of homeowners alleging communication failures, warranty disputes, and misrepresented savings.
The Magana Contract Suit in Federal Court
In September 2024, a contract lawsuit was filed against TriSMART in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The case, Magana v. TriSMART Solar LLC et al., Case No. 7:24-cv-00384, was assigned to Judge Drew B. Tipton. Court records classify it under “Contract: Other.” The specific allegations and dollar amounts at issue are not detailed in the available docket information.1Law360. Magana v. TriSMART Solar LLC et al
The Sunworks Bankruptcy Clawback Case
TriSMART is also a defendant in an adversary proceeding tied to the bankruptcy of Sunworks, Inc., a California-based solar company that filed for Chapter 7 in Delaware in 2024 (Case No. 1:24-bk-10215). The Chapter 7 trustee, Jeoffrey L. Burtch, filed the complaint on February 5, 2026 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The case is captioned Burtch v. Trismart Solar LLC, No. 1:26-ap-50073.2PACER Monitor. Burtch v. Trismart Solar LLC
The trustee is seeking to recover payments Sunworks made to TriSMART during the 90-day window before Sunworks filed for bankruptcy. Under Section 547 of the Bankruptcy Code, a trustee can claw back such payments if they gave a creditor more than it would have received in a standard liquidation. The complaint includes a secondary claim for recovery of money or property on other grounds. The dollar amount being sought has not been disclosed in the public docket. Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein is presiding, with a pretrial conference set for August 13, 2026 in Wilmington, Delaware.2PACER Monitor. Burtch v. Trismart Solar LLC
TriSMART is one of roughly 45 vendors and business partners the trustee sued on February 4 and 5, 2026.3PACER Monitor. Sunworks, Inc. The nature of the underlying business relationship between Sunworks and TriSMART is not spelled out in the public docket. One thing the filing does not mean: TriSMART Solar has not filed for bankruptcy itself. The adversary proceeding is a byproduct of Sunworks’ collapse.
Consumer Complaints and BBB Record
The Better Business Bureau lists 81 complaints against TriSMART Solar over the three years ending in 2026, with 42 closed in the most recent twelve months alone. The company is not BBB-accredited and carries a “Pattern of Complaints” alert. Of the 81 complaints, 39 were answered, 26 went unanswered, 13 were marked resolved, and 3 remained unresolved.4Better Business Bureau. TriSMART Solar LLC Complaints
The grievances cluster around a few recurring themes:
- Customers report being unable to reach the company by phone, email, or voicemail after installation, and some describe local offices that appeared closed or locked.
- Homeowners describe being unable to get malfunctioning equipment serviced, including failed microinverters and defective panels, and say they were told that hiring an outside technician would void their warranty.
- Consumers allege they were misled about projected savings and production. One complaint involving an elderly homeowner described contract obligations exceeding $165,000 and alleged predatory sales tactics.4Better Business Bureau. TriSMART Solar LLC Complaints
- Some customers say paid-for equipment was never installed, or that technicians did not show for scheduled appointments.
Additional complaints cite improper grounding, exposed wiring, roof leaks caused by installation, and misleading information about utility rebates and buyback rates. At least one customer reported being told by a former TriSMART technician that the company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, though no public record confirms such a filing.4Better Business Bureau. TriSMART Solar LLC Complaints The BBB profile shows a 4-out-of-5-star average across 120 reviews, but recent submissions are overwhelmingly negative and describe a company attentive during sales and unreachable afterward.5Better Business Bureau. TriSMART Solar LLC Customer Reviews
The Panel-Switching Dispute
One detailed public complaint came from Rabiat Ngbwa of Hutto, Texas, who told Spectrum News in August 2021 that TriSMART had installed different panels than the ones in her contract. Ngbwa said she contracted for REC-360 panels and paid more than $40,000 for the system, then found Jinko 380W panels on her roof instead.6Spectrum Local News. Woman Claims Solar Panel Company Switched Panels She Purchased for a Cheaper Model
Mark Bench, identified at the time as the company’s president, acknowledged that equipment substitutions occasionally happen. He said the company’s agreement does not require it to notify customers of a swap unless the replacement produces less power than what was originally promised, and noted that the Jinko 380W panels produce more wattage per panel than the REC-360 models. Ngbwa said she should have been told and given a choice. No formal lawsuit had been filed over the matter as of the report.6Spectrum Local News. Woman Claims Solar Panel Company Switched Panels She Purchased for a Cheaper Model
Whether Texas Regulators Are Involved
TriSMART is not a target of the Texas Attorney General’s recent solar enforcement wave. In 2026, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued Civil Investigative Demands to Freedom Forever, SunRun, Lone Star Solar Services, and CAM Solar over potential violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, citing more than 100 direct complaints against those companies.7Texas Attorney General. Attorney General Ken Paxton Launches Major Initiative To Combat Widespread Fraud by Companies Selling Solar Panels The state also sued CAM Solar in May 2026.8CBS News Texas. With Months Left in Office, Paxton Files First Suit Against Solar Company TriSMART is not named in that initiative, though the complaints against it echo the issues the AG has flagged industry-wide.
What to Do If You’re a TriSMART Customer
If your system is malfunctioning and you cannot reach the company, manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters generally survive even when an installer becomes unresponsive, because those warranties come from the equipment maker. Find the brand and model information on your panels and contact the manufacturer directly with proof of purchase to open a claim.
Workmanship warranties work differently. Those are typically backed only by the installer, and if the company stops honoring them, there may be no one left to enforce the guarantee. If you are locked out of service, you can file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or consult an attorney about your rights under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Financing is the piece that does not go away. If you financed your system through a third-party lender, you remain responsible for the loan payments even if the panels are underperforming or unserviced. Homeowners who believe they were misled during the sales process may have grounds to dispute the loan or seek other relief, but the loan itself does not disappear because the installer stops answering the phone.