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Our law firm is experienced in representing consumers in lawsuits involving residential solar power systems. Often companies involved in selling solar panels to consumers don''t treat their customers properly. Sometimes they damage people''s roofs while they''re installing the panels. Sometimes they sell the entire residential solar system to a company you''ve never heard of – and that company starts abusing the consumer. Sometimes they breach the warranty they promised they''d provide.
Our lawyers can handle any of these situations. We specialize in protecting consumers. And we know what to do if a solar power company is cheating their customers. If you''ve installed solar panels on your home and been victimized, we can help. Click Here to Submit Your Claim. We don''t charge for consultations and don''t charge anything for an initial evaluation.
We use laws like the California Unfair Competition Law, the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act to force companies to follow the rules. These laws ban deceptive or unfair business practices, regardless of industry. We also use state and federal warranty laws to ensure that the company lives up to its promises.
Many companies that install solar panels promise they''ll maintain them or repair them, often for extremely long periods of time (up to twenty years). These companies generally own the panels themselves, but lease it to the consumer or charge them a monthly fee for the power the system generates. But twenty years is a long time. Sometimes companies change owners, or they sell the solar panels to a company you''ve never heard of. Some unscrupulous companies decide to just quit maintaining the solar system, letting it stop working or stop producing as much power as you were expecting.
You may have a warranty or a contract requiring them to maintain your residential solar panels in working order. Often, consumers have warranty rights even though they don''t know it. A company may say something to you that creates a warranty (either in the ads or in their contract). If a solar energy company has a duty to maintain your system, we can determine that and enforce your rights. They may owe you money for increased power costs or for power you paid for but wasn''t actually generated.
Sometimes the company installing solar panels on the roof of your home damages the shingles or could even cause severe enough damage you need a re-roofing. This kind of negligence can cause huge damages to a homeowner. But we can help recover the costs of fixing it. Many solar installers have insurance policies and can be forced to pay for any repairs to your house from shoddy workmanship or simple carelessness.
Sometimes companies simply lie, and the solar industry is no exception. They make promises they don''t keep. They tell you the system will work a certain way, but it doesn''t. Their ads say things you find out aren''t true. We''ve even seen situations where companies are accused of simply making up the power statistics on the customer''s bill, or people whose solar panels caught on fire—but somehow they were still getting a bill for power the panels were supposedly generating.
If your solar panels aren''t working but you''re still getting billed for power every month, this may have happened to you. Every state has laws against fraud, and most states have consumer protection laws that prevent this kind of abuse. We can use those laws to recover your damages.
Sometimes solar power companies try to collect debts that aren''t owed, or they use abusive practices like harassing calls or charging baseless late fees. Sometimes they will lie to get you to pay bills you shouldn''t owe, like promising to repair your malfunctioning system even though they don''t actually plan to do it.
A federal law called the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act restricts what companies can do to collect debts, and many states have their own laws that are even stronger. If you''ve experienced harassment from a debt collector on a solar power bill, or if you''ve been charged for something you don''t owe, we can review your case to see if the collector has violated any of the rules. The FDCPA lets consumers recover their damages, and even if there isn''t a specific amount, a consumer who wins their lawsuit can get $1,000 from a debt collector who violates the law.
Many companies include arbitration clauses in their contracts, meaning that you can''t sue them in court, but have to go before a private arbitrator who will decide your lawsuit. But arbitration has complicated rules, and most consumers don''t win unless they have an attorney. Our attorneys have handled numerous consumer arbitrations, and you''re entitled to a lawyer in arbitration just like you would be in court. We can review your contract, and regardless of where your claim needs to be pursued, we can handle it.
Solar panels are installed on the roof of a home in Frankfort, Ky., in 2023. Residential solar is booming in the U.S., but customer complaints have increased even more. Michael Conroy/AP hide caption
Solar power is booming and that helps the country meet its climate goals by replacing fossil fuels. The part of the industry that installs solar panels on homes has grown more than 5,000% in just the last 15 years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
But in recent years, customer complaints have increased even more. Across the country, prosecutors are investigating high-pressure sales tactics and misleading financing arrangements. Some customers say they were victims of fraud and forgery. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently warned solar customers about hidden fees and deceptive statements about the financial benefits of solar.
All this threatens the residential rooftop solar industry''s impressive momentum, and some are working to repair its reputation. But what if you want to go solar now? Here are some things to consider first.
One reason the residential rooftop solar industry has grown so fast is that companies, especially the large ones, have deployed legions of salespeople. Some use high-pressure sales tactics, and you''ll need to be ready for that.
Tiffani Krieg of Mesa, Ariz., knows this firsthand. For a couple of months, she put off a salesperson who calls herself Solar Sandy. Then one evening, Krieg''s family was backing their car down the driveway, headed to see a movie.
The salesperson had a new solar proposal that would install enough panels to meet nearly all their electricity consumption, but they had to act now to secure a low interest rate. Creating urgency is a common sales tactic.
Krieg says Sandy wanted an electronic signature so a crew could check the roof and make sure that was possible. But, it turns out, the signature was for a purchase contract. The next morning, Krieg says, the crew was actually installing panels and the family was on the hook for a loan of nearly $134,000.
Almost two years later, Krieg says the panels aren''t producing electricity, and she''s still fighting with the companies involved.
"Solar Sandy" is actually Sandra Cordero, a 63-year-old grandmother who says she used to be a nurse. Her business is a sales-only enterprise. Other companies actually install the solar panels she sells.
In a statement to NPR, Cordero disputes some of Krieg''s story but also confirms much of it. "If they had not actually wanted to go forward with solar, the day that the installation company was there to install the panels, they could''ve refused the installation and that would''ve been the end of it," Cordero writes. She says the Krieg situation is unique, "I have helped hundreds of families with their solar solution, and I have never ever experienced anything like this in almost 10 years."
Cordero pays a local talk radio station to air a show about her business — that''s how the Kriegs first made contact with her. Other solar sales companies advertise on social media, often with misleading and false claims. Door-to-door sales have been a particular source of consumer complaints, often with salespeople claiming they''re with the local utility.
Consumer advocates say you should be skeptical of anyone who knocks on your door selling solar.
"I wouldn''t sign up for something based solely on a door to door marketer," says Jenifer Bosco, senior attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. She suggests taking time away from the salesperson to consider information they offer, do your own research and then make a decision on your own time.
The Energy Trust of Oregon has collected lines that high-pressure door-to-door salespeople often use and steps you can take to protect yourself from scams.
It''ll take some work on your part to find a good solar installer. You probably want to avoid the solar companies that find you — at your front door or at a local big-box store. They are more likely to practice high-pressure sales tactics. Many of these companies only do sales — like Solar Sandy — and their workers have been called "solar bros."
Most experts NPR consulted for this story say it''s better to work directly with an installation company. They suggest finding one that''s been in business in your community for years. A lot of these installers survive on word-of-mouth advertising, so ask neighbors and friends who already have solar panels for recommendations.
You also can check rating sites such as Solar Reviews, where President and CEO Andrew Sendy is accustomed to doling out advice for finding a good installer. He suggests taking this choice very seriously.
"I often tell people the average solar system lasts longer than the average marriage," Sendy jokes. Then he seriously advises that a solar company could be in your life for decades. Panels installed today should still generate electricity in 20 to 30 years.
The number of bad company reviews is rising. Solar Reviews data shows one-star reviews on its website have grown much faster than the residential rooftop solar industry itself.
"I think it shows that the marketing machines of some of the worst solar companies in America are succeeding at getting a lot of clients, but not necessarily succeeding in improving their customer service," Sendy says.
His company has collected company reviews for more than a decade, and Sendy suggests looking for a midsize company that serves a specific area. Then he says search for excellent reviews where customers tell a variety of stories. He says some companies flood sites with good reviews. Ones where customers are talking about a variety of issues that were successfully addressed are more likely to be authentic.
Another option for finding a good installer is to enlist the help of experts. The nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) operates in 11 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. It uses a cooperative model — bringing together 50 to 100 households who all install solar panels at the same time.
"Part of it is saving folks money. The goal is to save about 15% by doing a bulk purchase with their neighbors," says Roger Horowitz with SUN. Another benefit is that co-op members share research. "They can go solar with their neighbors and get information about installers in the area," he says.
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