A distraught son asked for advice about how to handle a scam carried out by the solar company Sunrun. 

Installers duped his elderly father into signing a contract for a leased solar system that supposedly offered free panels under a senior citizen program. 

The problem, however, was that "nothing in writing … supports this statement," according to the post in the r/solar subreddit. 

It's also likely that the father wasn't entirely clear on what he was signing up for, as the son stated that he'd recently suffered an unexpected illness that impacted his cognitive health and put him in the ICU. Because of this, the 80-year-old was particularly vulnerable to scams. 

When sorting through his papers, the son realized he'd "signed a 25-year lease with Sunrun for $300/month, with a guaranteed 2.99% annual increase, and he purchased a Tesla battery as a backup for the solar panel system." 

Unfortunately, his electric bill was already lower than the lease payments, so he wouldn't even see benefits from the system, at least probably not until the system was paid off. 

But when the son explained to Sunrun that his father was in cognitive decline — which likely started before he signed the contract — and asked them to revoke it, the company said it needed a doctor's note, which, unfortunately, the son couldn't supply. 

The father was forced to move into an assisted living center, leaving the son with the task of figuring out how to handle the situation from out of state. 

Selling the home was a possible solution, though a real estate agent told him that leased panels would reduce the home's value by at least $50,000 to $60,000. Since all the father's assets were tied up in the house and his Social Security, losing that much money wasn't really an option, especially when the father needed that money for care. 

Many commenters believed the situation could be resolved with the assistance of a lawyer and perhaps coverage by local TV stations, which could help spread the word. 

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Normally, investing in solar panels is a great deal because they reduce monthly electric bills and planet-heating pollution. If you're interested in leasing panels through a reputable company, Palmetto can set you up with a home system through its LightReach program, which allows homeowners to minimize upfront costs and even pay no money down in some cases. 

But if leasing isn't for you, the energy marketplace EnergySage offers free tools where you can compare quotes and find a reliable contractor who can find you the best deal on rooftop solar panels. 

Not sure if leasing or owning is the best choice? Palmetto offers a free guide that compares the pros and cons, allowing you to make an informed decision tailored to your needs. 

As for the Sunrun scam, unsurprisingly, many commenters were outraged by the incident, and some suggested involving a lawyer.

"This sort of thing disgusts me," one commenter said. "I used to do door-to-door for a solar company. I would have elderly people tell me about a prior solar salesperson who told them about some elderly program or other, which is completely false information."

"He doesn't need a note," another said. "There are tons of elderly protection laws. An attorney will easily get this fixed." 

"He was scammed," someone else added. "Hire an attorney and go get all his money back. If he wasn't in his right mind, any contract he signed isn't binding. Easy case. Especially if they a history of other cases. Also file a report with the [Better Business Bureau] and attorney general." 

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