Solar Panel Installation Fraud
If you’re a homeowner, you’ve likely been approached by a solar panel salesman at your home or over the phone trying to sell you on the benefits of “going solar.” While the opportunity to eliminate your electrical bill sounds good on the surface (and may be if done through an ethical solar company), for many homeowners, the reality turns out to be a nightmare.
Due to the many government subsidies available, solar panel installation companies have been out selling hard to sign up as many subsidy customers as they can. They often overpromise delivery times in the process. These “great deals” tend to come paired with a loan at a tough interest rate that was supposed to be paid by the electric savings. The consequences for a months-late installation can be serious for the homeowner.
In other cases, companies take payment and never deliver on the product at all, leaving the homeowner holding the bag for the equipment. And of course, there are still other solar panels companies that install faulty panels and can never seem to get them working before they stop answering the phone.
At Cornerstone Law Firm, we have had a lot of experience dealing with solar panel companies and the third party loan companies that they work with. In these situations, what options does a homeowner have? One option is to file suit and to pursue the money that was paid to the solar panel company, and to try and repay it to the loan company. Another option is to file suit against both for unfair trade practices under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. In addition, many of these contractors have violated the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act in the way they have gone about signing up individuals and with the contracts they had them sign.
Each case is different and is fact-specific. Where government money has been misappropriated or claimed by a company that never performed work, there may be additional remedies. If you or your family have had contact with solar panel companies that are unscrupulous, call today to set up a consultation so that we can help you determine what your rights are, and what your best steps forward are.
