A homeowner asked for advice on a solar lease after realizing they had signed it too quickly without doing enough research beforehand.
In the r/solar subreddit, the poster reported that a salesperson from Freedom Forever came to their door and offered a solar lease with $0 down, stating it would lower their electric bill. Everything sounded great to the homeowner, who signed the contract immediately.
But after reviewing it later that night, they noticed a fine-print clause: The bill would increase by nearly 3% year over year to offset rising utility costs. They also realized too late that they would have to buy the system outright after 25 years.
"It all sounded well upfront but the more time I've had to think about it. I'm sure I made a mistake," the OP said.
After considering their options, they decided to apply for a loan for the system and used EnergySage to find installers. They also called Freedom to cancel the contract, which fortunately went smoothly. Commenters, unsurprisingly, told the OP to back out of the contract and never rush into any deal without first conducting extensive research.
Going solar is the best way to reduce electric bills while protecting your home from outages when you add battery storage. That's why TCD launched its Solar Explorer to help homeowners make it happen. Through TCD's Solar Explorer, you can find plenty of installation options from vetted contractors and save up to $10,000.
One partner, EnergySage, saves you the hassle of doing all the research on your own and finding available incentives. If you want a reliable company to lease from, Palmetto offers its LightReach leasing program, which has $0-down subscription plans and can reduce your utility rates by 20%.
If you want to maximize your savings, consider installing an energy-efficient heat pump to replace an outdated HVAC and help the planet by reducing pollution. TCD's HVAC Explorer is your one-stop shop for all things HVAC and heat pumps, providing you with all the information you need to keep your home cozy.
And if you complete challenges like reducing your electricity use, you can unlock rewards of up to $5,000 through the Palmetto Home app, giving you plenty of options to save big.
"You know the right answer here already. Get out of whatever contract you have with them," one commenter said.
"If someone comes to your home you have 3 days to cancel the contract," another shared. "I too have been contracted by Freedom Power which has gone by several other names in the past before going bankrupt each time."
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