Reviewing Performance Estimates: Why Some Solar Projections Look Different After Installation
May 18, 2026 No Comments
Read More » If the solar agreement you signed does not match the description you were given at the point of sale, you are not alone. Many homeowners across the country report that the savings, production figures, financial projections, or contract terms presented during the sales process did not match what actually happened after installation. Some report that important details — annual rate escalators, transferability restrictions, tax credit assumptions, lien filings — were never mentioned at all.
Whether the description you received at the point of sale may have been a potential issue is a question for a qualified attorney, not for SCRC. This page covers the patterns that a qualified attorney may review, what kinds of documentation may matter, and how SCRC’s intake process works.
Solar Cancellation Resource Center is a marketing and intake company. SCRC does not perform legal work. SCRC collects and organizes the information you provide, then connects you with a qualified law firm — such as Consumer Advocacy Law Group — that may review your situation. The initial intake is free, takes approximately 60 seconds, and you can submit your information at any point on this page.
In a general consumer protection context, the term and quot; misrepresentation and quot; refers to a statement or omission made during a sales process that does not match reality and that may have influenced the consumer’s decision to enter into the agreement. The specifics of how misrepresentation applies — and what must be shown — vary by state and by the type of claim. Whether any specific situation may involve a potential misrepresentation issue is determined by a qualified attorney, not by SCRC.
In the residential solar context, the patterns that have led homeowners to look into their options often fall into a few common categories. Each is described below in general terms. The fact that a homeowner experienced one of these patterns does not by itself mean a legal claim exists — that determination is made by a qualified attorney based on the specifics of the situation, the documentation available, and the law applicable in the homeowner’s state.
The following patterns have come up repeatedly in intake calls with homeowners who have submitted their information through SCRC. The information below is general and educational.
Whether any specific pattern in your situation may be eligible for a legal review is determined by a qualified attorney.
Some homeowners report that the savings figures presented at the point of sale — for example,a specific dollar amount per month, a percentage off the electric bill, or a total savings figure over the term of the agreement — did not match what actually happened after installation. The bill stayed the same, went up, or did not drop by the amount described. A qualified attorney may review whether the savings description may be a potential issue under state consumer protection laws.
Solar agreements are often justified by a production estimate — the kilowatt-hours the equipment is projected to generate annually. Some homeowners report that the actual production has been significantly below the estimate provided at the point of sale, sometimes by a substantial margin. A qualified attorney may review whether the production estimate may be a potential issue, particularly if it was used to justify the financial terms of the agreement. practical breakdown of the guarantee may be a potential issue.
Most solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements include an annual rate escalator — a clause that increases the monthly payment or per-kWh rate by a fixed percentage every year.
Some homeowners report that the escalator was glossed over or not mentioned during the sales pitch, with the salesperson focused only on the first-year cost. Over a 20- to 25-year term, the escalator can substantially change the total cost of the agreement. A qualified attorney may review whether the description of the escalator may be a potential issue.
Some solar loans are structured around an assumption that the homeowner will receive a federal solar tax credit and apply it to the loan balance within a specific window. If the salesperson did not confirm the homeowner’s actual tax liability — or described the tax credit in a way that turned out not to be accurate — the loan structure may not work as it was described. A qualified attorney may review whether the tax credit description may have been a potential issue.
Some homeowners report being told that a solar lease or PPA would transfer easily to a new owner if they sold the home — only to discover later that the actual contract requires the new buyer to qualify under specific criteria, sign a new agreement, or pay transfer fees. When transfer is not as simple as described, it can affect a home sale. A qualified attorney may review whether the transferability description may be a potential issue.
Most solar leases, loans, and PPAs include a UCC-1 fixture filing, which places a lien on the solar equipment. Some homeowners report that the UCC-1 filing was not mentioned at the point of sale, and that they only discovered it later — often when trying to sell or refinance the home. A qualified attorney may review whether the omission of the UCC-1 disclosure may be a potential issue.
Solar savings projections often depend on assumptions about net metering rules and projected utility rate increases. Some homeowners report that the salesperson presented utility rate increases as a near certainty, or described net metering rules in a way that did not match the actual rules in the homeowner’s utility area. When those assumptions turn out to be wrong, the financial picture can look very different from what was sold. A qualified attorney may review whether the assumptions may be a potential issue.
Some homeowners report being subjected to high-pressure tactics during the sales process — limited-time offers that expired the same day, pressure to sign without reading the contract, or sales pitches that stretched late into the evening. Federal and state laws place certain limits on door-to-door sales practices. A qualified attorney may review whether the sales practices used may be a potential issue.
Documentation may matter regardless of whether your specific situation ends up being eligible for a legal review. The homeowner provides their documentation; SCRC organizes it and forwards the information to a qualified law firm for review.
If you submit your information for intake, the homeowner provides their documentation as part of the information collection step. The following items are typically helpful for a qualified law firm to have on hand when reviewing a situation that may involve sales-related issues: legal review. The homeowner provides their documentation; SCRC organizes it and forwards the information to a qualified law firm for review.
Solar sales are subject to federal and state consumer protection laws. Whether any specific law applies to a specific situation is a question for a qualified attorney, not for SCRC. The
information below is general and educational.
At the federal level, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule provides certain protections for consumers who sign contracts during in-home sales presentations, including a right to cancel the agreement within a specific window after signing. The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) provides certain protections for consumers in loan transactions, including requirements about written disclosures and a right to rescind certain home-secured loans within a specific window. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau oversees consumer lending practices. Each of these frameworks has specific requirements that may apply differently to different situations. A qualified attorney may review which federal frameworks may apply to a specific situation.
Every state has consumer protection statutes that prohibit deceptive, unfair, and high-pressure sales practices. The specifics vary substantially by state — California has the Consumer Legal Remedies Act and the Unfair Competition Law, Florida has the Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Texas has the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and so on. Some states also have solar-specific disclosure requirements. A qualified attorney licensed in your state may review which state-level frameworks may apply to your situation.
SCRC follows a structured intake process. Each step is designed to gather complete information before connecting you with a qualified law firm. SCRC does not perform legal work at any stage.
You complete a short intake form that asks about your solar agreement, the company that sold it to you, what was described to you at the point of sale, and the issues you have experienced since. The intake takes approximately 60 seconds and there is no cost or obligation to submit your information.
If your initial intake suggests there may be matters worth a legal review, an SCRC specialist follows up to collect additional information. The homeowner provides their documentation. SCRC organizes the information you provide; SCRC does not analyze, audit, or interpret your contract or determine whether any sales practice may have been a potential issue — those
determinations are made by a qualified attorney.
The information you provide is then forwarded to a qualified law firm, such as Consumer Advocacy Law Group. A qualified attorney may review your documentation and determine whether your situation may qualify for a potential legal review. Any decision about whether your situation has merit, what legal considerations may apply, and what next steps may be appropriate is made by the attorney — not by SCRC.
If a qualified attorney determines that your situation may be eligible for a legal review, the law firm communicates directly with you about next steps. From this point forward, the relationship is between the homeowner and the law firm. SCRC’s role is complete once the connection has been made.
SCRC operates on a fixed-fee model. Any fees that may apply are disclosed in writing before any commitment is made. The initial intake is free. You would know what fees apply before
agreeing to anything, with no hourly billing and no surprise invoices.
Depending on your situation, the following pages may also be relevant:
Take this quiz to see if you're eligible for cancellation.
That determination is made by a qualified attorney, not by SCRC. The intake form gathers initial information that the law firm uses to evaluate whether your situation may be eligible for a potential legal review. The fact that the sales description did not match reality is information worth submitting; whether it amounts to a potential legal issue is a separate question for the attorney.
It can. Verbal statements made during the sales process — even if not included in the written contract — may be relevant in some situations under state consumer protection laws. Documentation is more difficult when the statements were verbal, which is why notes, witness
recollections, and any related text messages or emails can be important. A qualified attorney may review whether verbal statements may be a potential issue under the law that applies to your situation.
Many solar agreements include arbitration clauses, class action waivers, or other dispute resolution provisions. These clauses can affect what options are available, but they do not necessarily prevent all legal options. A qualified attorney may review the specific clauses in your agreement and how they may apply.
Statutes of limitations apply to consumer protection and sales-related claims, and they vary by state and by the type of claim. Some claims have shorter timeframes than others. The longer a homeowner waits, the more documentation may be lost and the harder it becomes to reconstruct the sales process. A qualified attorney is the appropriate party to determine what timing considerations apply to a specific situation.
The decision to stop making payments must only be considered under the advice and representation of a qualified attorney. SCRC does not provide guidance on payment decisions. If you have been connected with a qualified law firm, please direct payment-related questions to the attorney handling your matter.
The closure of an installer does not eliminate the question of whether the original sale may have been a potential issue. The agreement typically continues with a successor servicer, and the original sales conduct may still be reviewable by a qualified attorney. See our solar company out of business information page for more detail.
No. The initial intake through SCRC is free. Any fees that may apply later — for example, fees associated with engagement by a qualified law firm — are disclosed in writing before any commitment is made.
No. Submitting the initial intake form does not require complete documentation. If your initial intake suggests there may be matters worth a legal review, an SCRC specialist will follow up to gather additional documentation. Submit what you have; the rest can be collected during information collection.
The intake form itself takes approximately 60 seconds. Information collection typically takes one to two weeks, depending on how quickly the homeowner provides the requested documentation. Once SCRC has connected you with a qualified law firm, the timing of any review is determined by the attorney.
No. SCRC does not guarantee any outcome. Whether your situation may qualify for a legal review — and the result of any review — is determined by a qualified law firm based on the specifics of your situation. Individual experiences vary.
These are the questions that come up most often during intake calls involving sales-related concerns. The answers below are general and educational. They do not constitute legal advice.
Or call 888-918-2083 to submit your information