You Were Misled by a Solar Company. Here's What You Can Actually Do.

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You thought your electric bill would go to zero. It didn't. Your solar panels were supposed to save you thousands. They haven't. You have a contract that looks nothing like the pitch you heard.

Here is the honest truth. You may have been misled. You are not alone. And this is what you do next.

Bad Deal vs. Actual Fraud

A bad deal is one where everything in the contract happened, but you regret it. The panels were installed. The payments started. The numbers were less generous than you hoped. That is frustrating. But the law has little room to help.

Fraud is different. Fraud is when what they TOLD you does not match what they WROTE in the contract. That gap is what the law cares about. It is what state Attorneys General investigate. It is what gives you legal standing.

The 5 Most Common Solar Sales Lies

Here are the five patterns we see over and over in solar contracts gone wrong:

1. "Your electric bill will go to zero." It usually doesn't. Check your bills from after the install.
2. "Solar is free" or "zero down." Most of these deals are 25 year leases. You do not own the panels.
3. "You will get the full federal tax credit." You may not qualify. The salesperson often does not check.
4. Signatures on pages you did not sign. Some homeowners find signatures that are not theirs, or initials they never wrote.
5. Hidden dealer fees. Many solar loans add a 15 to 30 percent fee that was never disclosed out loud.

If any of these match your story, keep reading.

What to Document Today

Before memory fades, save all of this:

• The full contract and every addendum
• All financing paperwork, including the TILA disclosure form
• Every text, email, and voicemail from the salesperson
• The brochures, flyers, and quote sheets they showed you
• The door knocker's name, if they came to your home
• Your utility bills from before and after the install
• Your production data from the solar monitoring app

Put it all in one folder. Digital or physical. Keep it safe.

Who to Report to, and in What Order

Do this in this order. You can file all of them.

1. State Attorney General consumer protection. Free. Fifteen minutes online. Your complaint builds a record that can trigger state investigations.
2. Federal Trade Commission. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This catches cases that cross state lines.
3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). If your financing was misleading, file at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.
4. State solar licensing board. If your installer was unlicensed or broke trade rules.
5. Local District Attorney. Only if you see signs of criminal fraud, like forged signatures.

Each one serves a different purpose. Stacking complaints across them builds real pressure.

What NOT to Sign

If the solar company reaches out with a "settlement" or a "mutual release" to sign, do not sign it right away. Many of these waive your future legal rights in exchange for a small payment. Have someone read it first. Your signature on a bad release can kill a claim that is worth ten times more.

How Solar Home Advocate Helps

We are not a law firm. We are not a cancellation mill. We help you figure out if what happened to you is fraud. We help you document it the right way. Then we point you to the right resource.

Want to see all the legal paths that may apply to your situation? Read Your Legal Options as a Solar Homeowner.

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Find Out Where You Stand

You don't have to figure this out alone. A Free Solar Relief Assessment with a senior consultant helps you understand what's in your contract, whether it crosses the line into fraud, and what your family may qualify for.

Solar Fraud Help

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No cost. No obligation. No pressure.