A Redditor in Massachusetts shared the complicated tale of a solar lease gone wrong, and they turned to the online community for help.
They detailed how their brother "conned" their parents into signing a less-than-ideal solar agreement without reading the fine print. Their now-widowed mother hoped to get out of the 2015 solar panel deal, which had been taken over by Tesla.
The family wanted to install a new roof and no longer saw the value in their solar lease, but the installer made a buyout difficult. To make matters worse, Tesla removed the panels so the homeowners could complete repairs, and technicians told the user's mother that the system hadn't been working for nearly a year.
The panels had been off the home for months, but Tesla still charged the family despite promising that they wouldn't be billed.
Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular across the U.S. for their cost-saving potential and clean energy benefits, but homeowners should understand what to expect before making the investment.
If you want to switch your home to solar power but avoid a frustrating and costly scenario like this, EnergySage can help. Using its free tools, you can connect with vetted technicians and save up to $10,000 on installation costs.
"We've offered to buy out the remainder of the lease but they keep … saying we can only buy the panels and not the last 10 years of the lease," the OP wrote.
One commenter, who also had Tesla solar panels, suggested looking more closely at the contract.
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"Look through your lease and see what it says for your options," they wrote. "They may also have obligations to reinstall the panels in a timely manner that can allow you to break your lease."
"Tesla has the cheapest installation cost but drops the ball on customer service," another added.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 While the OP may need to do some digging to figure out the best path forward, solar panels are a tried-and-true way to curb rising energy costs. The technology can help to reduce reliance on the polluting energy grid and its fluctuating energy rates.
EnergySage offers free tools to help homeowners save up to $10,000 on installations by curating competitive bids from local installers.
Yet many can't afford to buy panels outright, even with the most competitive bids. If this is the situation you're in, consider Palmetto's $0-down LightReach solar leasing program, which can lower your utility rate by up to 20%.
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