Stuck in a Bad Solar Contract? Here Are Your Options.

You were promised lower energy bills and a smart investment, but now you’re feeling trapped in a solar contract that isn’t what you expected. The solar rep probably promised huge savings, a huge offset, and a financial no brainer… But unfortunately he just sold you a dream while he walked away with a huge commission. And now you want to figure out how to cancel a solar contract after installation. The good news is that you may have options, even after the panels are on your roof. This guide will walk you through the key steps to determine if you can cancel your solar agreement. Every state and locality is different, so there are many small issues that can compound into a large mountain once is all said and done. So here are some general examples to look out for

First, Check Your Contract’s “Right of Rescission” (The Cooling-Off Period)

Many states (like Florida, California) mandate a 3-day “cooling-off” period. The installation company has to notify you of this right in writing, if not, that cancellation window may still be open. Furthermore, depending on the locality, how this is presented is important. Often, many solar companies, especially the national ones, have a boilerplate template they use across the country. Unfortunately for them, it can vary. Sometimes solar companies forget to include it, sometimes they try to squeeze it into the fine print, other times it’s formatted improperly. All these little things matter in what constitutes a proper notification of your right to rescind. If done improperly, that means your right can still be exercised.

When a Bad Installation Becomes a Breach of Contract

Failure to deliver on the contract’s promises can be grounds for termination. Often, there are a few small issues that can be thrown onto the ever growing pile, other times, they are egregiously in violation. Cover common issues like:

• Underperformance: The system is producing significantly less power than promised in the agreement.
  • This is one of those things that vary quite a bit from company to company, as they all do the math a little differently – yet it’s quite common. Make sure that your solar panels are producing what you were promised in the contract. It’s quite common for solar owners to not even realize their system is faulty and go on for years under performing.
    It’s also important to cross reference what the solar sales consultant promised in terms of solar offset, versus what you actually recieved. For instance, probably one of the most common lies is when a sales guy will promise you that this system will cover 100% of your energy usage, when in reality it only covers 70% — They like to undersize the system because it makes your bill look smaller, thus savings bigger, and then you’re more likely to sign the contract.
    This is why it’s important we take a look at your power bill from that time. We will calculate how much energy you actually use, and how many panels you actually need to offset all of that. Often times, the sales guy will intentionally low ball your usage and show you less than you actually need, so they can sell you a smaller system. Counter intuitive, right? You’d think they’d want to sell you a bigger system! But what they really care about is closing the deal, and often a smaller system with a smaller cost, makes that easier.
    So login to your inverter app on your phone, and make sure your system is producing what you were promised, and what you were promised was what is actually in writing.

• Faulty Equipment: Often the company will install different, cheaper panels than what was specified in the contract. Sometimes it’s to save money, other times it’s just because they ran out of equipment. But it’s important to know that you paid for a specific set of equipment and are owed exactly that. The solar company may try to tell you this other panel is just as good as the one you’re promised, but that’s rarely the case. A 420 watt panel from one company is not the same as another. Some panels are designed for higher heat, others have higher efficiency so it converts more sunlight into energy, while others have lower degredation over time. No two panels are the same, and you’re owed the product you paid for.

• Property Damage: Did the installation result in a leaking roof or electrical damage? This violates the expectation of professional workmanship. When you reported the issue to them, how did they handle the request? Did they quickly repair everything in a timely manner? Did they show bad faith by giving you a runaround? Did they try to blame you for it? Did they try to fix it but ultimately fail? All of these little things matter when building a case

Document Everything: How to Build Your Evidence

Gather all contracts, emails, photos of damage, and performance data from their utility bills. More times than not, it’s the text messages and emails from the solar reps that create the strongest cases. Strong documentation is the key to a strong case. It’s important to try and find copies of every little thing you can find relevant to your solar project.

The most common items you should be looking for:

• Installation agreement
• Finance agreement
• Power bill from before you went solar
• Recent power bill after you went solar
• The original proposal used during the presentation
• Emails with the company and sales rep
• Text messages
• Records of complaint
• Screenshots in the app showing your annual production
• Relevant photographs of any damages

The Next Step: A Professional Case Review

While understanding your contract and documenting the issues are crucial first steps, trying to decipher complex legal documents and technical jargon alone can be an overwhelming task. This is the point where self-research ends and expert analysis begins.

The final and most effective step you can take is to have a professional team, with deep insider knowledge of the solar industry, review your entire situation. At SolarDispute.com, this is precisely what we specialize in. We analyze every detail of your case—from the sales promises to the fine print in your financing agreement—to identify specific contractual violations, financial discrepancies, and potential breaches of consumer protection law. We compile these findings into a comprehensive case report that provides you with the clarity and leverage you need to finally take action.