I regret my solar lease. What can I do?
If you signed a solar lease and now wish you hadn't, you're not alone, and you're not without options. The first thing to know is that a lease is a long contract, usually 20 years, and the company that owns the panels holds most of the cards. That doesn't mean you're stuck doing nothing. It means you need to understand the exact terms you agreed to before you decide your next move.
Know exactly which deal you signed
Regret usually starts with a deal that wasn't explained clearly. With a lease or a power purchase agreement, the solar company owns the system on your roof, not you. You're paying to use the equipment, or to buy the power it makes, and the federal and state tax credits go to the owner rather than to you.[1] That single fact catches a lot of homeowners who thought they were buying panels.
The federal consumer advisory on solar leases puts it plainly: at the end of a lease you do not automatically own the system, many leases raise your monthly payment over time through an escalator, and you have to read the contract to know whether you're ever required to buy the system out.[2] If those terms weren't spelled out before you signed, that's worth documenting now.
What getting out actually costs
There's no cheap eject button on most solar leases. The two real paths are buying the system out, or transferring the agreement when you sell the house. Early buyouts are often priced at fair market value, which runs high in the first several years because the equipment is still new. Ask the provider for the exact buyout figure in writing, plus the formula behind it.
Before you spend money to escape the contract, run the comparison honestly. Sometimes the monthly payment, escalator and all, still beats a buyout you can't comfortably afford. Other times the escalator stacked over 20 years makes an early exit worth it.[2] You can't tell which without the real numbers, so get those first.
When it's a consumer-protection issue, not just regret
There's a line between a deal you dislike and a deal that broke the law. Forged signatures, promises from a salesperson that never made it into the contract, panels installed without permits, or a system you can show was knowingly oversized are not buyer's remorse. Federal regulators have flagged exactly these patterns in residential solar and laid out how to report them.[3]
In Connecticut you can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection[4] and with the Office of the Attorney General, which has actively sued solar companies over deceptive sales. In New York, the Attorney General's office takes consumer complaints about goods and services, solar included.[5] Put everything in writing, keep copies, and file early. Documentation is what turns a frustrating story into an actionable one.
What to do right now
If it needs to go further
If the problem is how you were sold the lease, forged signatures, promises that aren't in the contract, or work done without permits, that's a consumer-protection issue, not just a buyer's-remorse one. In Connecticut you can file with the Department of Consumer Protection and the Office of the Attorney General. In New York, contact the Attorney General's office. Document everything in writing.
A lease you regret is usually a paperwork problem, not a panel problem. Before you spend money on a buyout, get a clear read on the numbers. We're happy to look at your agreement with you and tell you honestly whether holding, buying out, or fighting it is the smarter move for your situation.
This is a starting guide, not legal advice. For contract disputes, confirm your specific terms and consider the consumer-protection resources in your state.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "Solar Power for Your Home" (buying vs leasing vs a power purchase agreement, and why tax breaks go to the system's owner). consumer.ftc.gov
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, Consumer Advisory: "Before You Sign a Solar Lease Agreement" (end-of-term ownership, payment escalators, and buyout terms). home.treasury.gov
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, CFPB, and FTC, joint announcement on steps to protect residential solar consumers (common unfair or deceptive practices and how to file complaints), 2024. home.treasury.gov
- Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, "File a consumer complaint." portal.ct.gov/dcp
- New York State Attorney General, "File a complaint: Consumer issues." ag.ny.gov