A homeowner who inherited a Tesla solar lease when buying their house said the panels produced just 20 kilowatt-hours in a month while the household's electric bill rose to nearly $600.

Here's what to know

According to a Reddit post from the homeowner, the solar PPA transferred with the home purchase and was already 11 years into a 20-year term. They said the agreement cost $250 a month, but utility bills began climbing after about a year and a half.

They estimated they were owed about $6,000 for underproduction and reported that the system generated only 20 kilowatt-hours in a month. They wrote that "The past 3 years the production has not even been half of the contracted amount."

Going solar is still one of the best ways to save money on home energy, but this case highlights why comparing terms matters. A commenter identifying themselves as a lawyer warned, "Declaring you're not paying may push them to throw a lien on the property and you're in worse shape than before. Get a lawyer and find out what the correct next steps are." 

Homeowners can also use EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.

More background

Because PPAs and solar leases can stay with a property, buying this house also meant taking on the existing contract. The poster said nine years remained, so the monthly payment and the provider's service obligations carried over.

After seeing the high bill, the homeowner said they asked the electric company to check whether the issue was on the utility side. According to the post, the company "confirmed everything is connected correctly and they are getting correct information from the panels." That appears to point back to the solar equipment rather than the utility bill alone.

The inverter displayed "riso low," the homeowner said, as they also calculated what they believed the provider still owed under the production terms. They said they received one reimbursement check but that roughly $6,000 more remained unpaid.

What can be done?

Before withholding payments, you may need to document everything and get legal advice. The homeowner described app alerts, monthly output, billing spikes, and an inverter error — the kinds of records owners need when pushing a company to honor a production guarantee.

If you're shopping for solar instead of inheriting a contract, EnergySage lets you compare bids from local installers without sharing your contact information unless you choose to move forward. With EnergySage's help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations.

EnergySage's solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, plus state-specific solar panel incentives. Together, those tools can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.

Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and go off-grid. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.

Where can I learn more?

Other homeowners have reported confusing bills, contract issues, and mixed results with rooftop solar setups, and these articles cover a few of them.

• One homeowner said a strange solar policy left them staring at a $6,000 power bill.

• After solar service, another resident received a strange energy bill that sparked confusion.

• Some Tesla customers say impressive Solar Roof earnings can bring in $350 each month.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.