Your Florida Solar Contract Is Costing You More Than You Were Told. Here's What You Can Do About It.
The short version: Most Florida solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment 2.9% every year. Over 25 years, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. In November and December 2023, Florida AG Ashley Moody sued three solar companies. Big solar companies that worked in Florida have gone bankrupt. Titan Solar Power is one of them. If your solar panels aren't saving what you were told, you have real rights. Start with a free Solar Relief Assessment to see what's actually in your contract.
There is a reason solar sales teams have knocked on more doors in Florida than in almost any other state. And there is a reason they keep coming back to neighborhoods where the homeowners are over 60.
It's not because Florida has the most sunshine. It's because Florida has the most homeowners who will open the door, listen politely, and sign something at the kitchen table without realizing what they just agreed to.
That's not a guess. That's a documented sales playbook. And what it's left behind is a trail of contracts that cost more than promised, save less than projected, and trap families in deals they didn't fully understand.
If you signed a solar contract in Florida and the math isn't working the way your salesperson said it would, you're not alone. And you're not stuck.
The Florida Attorney General Is Watching Solar
In November and December 2023, Florida AG Ashley Moody sued three solar companies. The first was Vision Solar. The second was SetUp My Solar (also called 320 Solar). The third was MC Solar. The AG said Vision Solar misled customers about timing, price, and rebates. It failed to get permits. That caused fines and liens on people's homes. The AG said SetUp My Solar used high-pressure sales and fake tax rebate claims. The AG said MC Solar scammed hundreds of customers, including seniors and veterans.
This matters to you. State enforcement agencies have put it on the record. The same sales tactics used on Florida homeowners are now named in court filings. If what your salesperson told you doesn't match your contract, you're not alone. You're not crazy. And you have options.
What's actually in your Florida solar contract
Here's what most Florida homeowners don't find out until they've been paying for a year or two: the deal you signed isn't the deal you were sold.
Your salesperson told you solar would save money. But did they mention the escalator clause buried in paragraph six of your lease agreement? That's the line that raises your payment every year - by as much as 2.9%. On a 25-year lease, that takes a $150 monthly payment past $300. Most homeowners never see it coming!
Did they mention what happens if you try to sell your home? Your buyer has to agree to take over your solar contract. Most won't. That means you're stuck paying a buyout of $7,000 to $30,000 or more - just to sell your own house.
Did your salesperson mention Freedom Forever? Freedom Forever was one of the biggest solar installers in the country. They put in about 2 gigawatts of solar across 35 states. On April 15, 2026, they filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. They owe $500 million to $1 billion. Between 50,000 and 100,000 people are owed money. Freedom Forever was still installing in Florida when they filed. If Freedom Forever installed your system, your contract is still active. But the company behind your warranty is now in bankruptcy limbo.
Freedom Forever isn't alone. SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. SunPower filed Chapter 11 in August 2024. A company called Complete Solaria bought them. Sunnova Energy filed Chapter 11 in June 2025. Titan Solar Power filed Chapter 7 in June 2024. Pink Energy, Lumio Holdings, and Vision Solar are on the same list. When your installer goes bankrupt, your payments don't stop. Your contract doesn't cancel. But your warranty usually disappears.
Your rights under Florida law
Florida gives you more legal protection than most states. Here's what you need to know - and what your salesperson almost certainly didn't explain.
Your 3-day cancellation window. Florida's Home Solicitation Sale Act (§501.021-055) gives you 3 business days to cancel any contract signed at your home. This is on top of the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. If your salesperson didn't tell you about this right - and most don't - that affects the enforceability of your contract. How do you know if you were told? Pull out your contract. If there's no cancellation notice on the front page, that's your answer.
Enhanced protections if you're over 60. This is the one most Florida homeowners don't know about. Florida Statute §501.2077 provides enhanced civil penalties - up to $15,000 per violation - when companies use deceptive practices against senior citizens. If a solar company used high-pressure tactics, misleading savings claims, or rushed you into signing, the law treats that more seriously because of your age. That's not a technicality. That's a tool.
Your solar access rights. Florida Statute §163.04 protects your right to install solar energy equipment - your HOA can't ban it. But that same law doesn't eliminate HOA friction, insurance complications, or the reality that some Florida homeowners saw their insurance premiums go up after installation. If your salesperson told you there would be "no issues with your HOA or insurance," check whether that turned out to be true.
No state solar tax credit. Florida has no state income tax, which means there's no state-level solar tax credit. Florida does offer a property tax exemption and sales tax exemption on solar equipment - real benefits. But your savings projections relied entirely on the federal tax credit and utility offset. If those numbers were overstated, your financial picture is different from what you were shown.
Hidden dealer fees in your loan. If you financed your system through a solar loan, there is a good chance a dealer fee was added to your loan balance without being clearly explained. Under the federal Truth in Lending Act, every finance charge must be disclosed. If yours wasn't, that's a violation - and it means you've been paying interest on money that went to the solar company, not to your system.
Hurricane and storm exposure. Florida's hurricane season puts your solar panels at real risk. Storm damage can reduce system performance or destroy panels entirely. Your solar contract doesn't pause for weather. And if your installer has gone bankrupt, the workmanship warranty that was supposed to cover installation damage is gone with them.
What you can do right now
You don't have to figure this out alone. Here are the first steps for Florida homeowners.
File a complaint with the Florida Attorney General. Go to https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection. Or call 1-866-966-7226. Filing is free. The AG's office reads every complaint.
Compare what the salesperson told you to what's in your contract. In most cases, the two don't match. That gap is what makes a case.
Pull your utility bills from the last 12 months. Add up what you're paying the utility plus what you're paying for solar. Compare that to what you'd pay the utility alone. If the numbers don't work, that's a real gap — not just a feeling.
Find the escalator clause and the dealer fee in your contract. These two lines cause the biggest gap between what you were sold and what you're paying. You can spot both by reading your own paperwork.
Every contract is different. But the first step is the same for everyone. Understand what you signed. Solar Home Advocate built the free Solar Relief Assessment for this exact moment. Someone walks through your contract with you in plain English. They tell you your options.
You Signed a Solar Contract in Florida. Find Out What It's Actually Costing You.
Florida homeowners have some of the strongest solar consumer protections in the country - including enhanced rights if you're over 60. A free Solar Relief Assessment helps you understand what's in your contract, what went wrong, and what you can do about it for you and your family.
[Get free Solar Relief Assessment →](https://solarhomeadvocate.com/free-assessment?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=state-guide&utm_content=florida)Get free Solar Relief Assessment →**
No charge. No obligation. No high-pressure pitch.
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"Sal says: A 2.9% escalator clause nearly doubles your payment over 25 years. Freedom Forever filed Chapter 11 in April 2026. If you signed a solar contract in Florida, these facts hit your math and your warranty."
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are my rights if I signed a solar contract in Florida?
Did a salesperson come to your home? If yes, you have a 3-day right to cancel. That's under F.S. §501.021 et seq. (Home Solicitation Sales Act) and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. Florida also has Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (F.S. §501.201 et seq.). That law covers unfair or deceptive sales tactics. You can file a complaint with the Florida Attorney General. Go to https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection or call 1-866-966-7226. If your salesperson didn't tell you about the 3-day cancel rule, that can affect your contract.
Has Florida sued any solar companies?
Yes. In November and December 2023, Florida AG Ashley Moody sued three solar companies. The first was Vision Solar. The second was SetUp My Solar (also called 320 Solar). The third was MC Solar. The AG said Vision Solar misled customers about timing, price, and rebates. It failed to get permits. That caused fines and liens on people's homes. The AG said SetUp My Solar used high-pressure sales and fake tax rebate claims. The AG said MC Solar scammed hundreds of customers, including seniors and veterans.
How does the escalator clause affect my Florida solar contract?
Most Florida solar leases have an escalator clause. It raises your payment about 2.9% every year. On a 25-year lease, a $150 payment grows to more than $300. Florida's average electricity rate is about 15.92 cents per kilowatt-hour in early 2026. That's close to the national average of 17.45 cents. Utility rates haven't always gone up 2.9% a year. So your solar payment can climb faster than your would-be utility bill. Your savings shrink instead of grow.
What happens if my Florida solar company went bankrupt?
SolarInsure counted more than 100 solar company bankruptcies in 2024. Big names include SunPower (Aug 2024), Sunnova Energy (June 2025), Titan Solar Power (June 2024), Freedom Forever (April 15, 2026), Pink Energy (Oct 2022), and Vision Solar (Dec 2023). If your installer went bankrupt, your contract still stands. Your payments still go out. But the workmanship warranty usually dies with the company. The panel maker's warranty (often 25 years) still exists. But filing a claim without an active installer is hard.
Can I cancel my Florida solar contract?
Did the salesperson come to your home? Then Florida law gives you 3 business days to cancel. That's under F.S. §501.021 et seq. (Home Solicitation Sales Act) and the federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule. If those 3 days have passed, you may still have options. Did they skip the cancel notice? Did they use deceptive sales tactics? Did your loan hide fees? Any of those can open a path to cancel. It depends on your specific contract and how it was sold.
What are hidden dealer fees on a Florida solar loan?
Solar finance companies add dealer fees of 15 to 30 percent to your loan. They roll the fee into the principal. They don't list it separately. That means you pay interest on fee money that went to the solar company. Not to your panels. The federal Truth in Lending Act says every fee must be listed clearly. A hidden fee can be a federal violation. That's one of the strongest paths to renegotiate or exit a solar loan.
How do I file a solar complaint in Florida?
Go to the Florida Attorney General's website at https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection. Or call 1-866-966-7226. Filing is free. Write down what the salesperson told you at the sale. Save your contract. Save any texts, emails, and voicemails with the installer. If you have a solar loan, keep your loan paperwork. A formal complaint creates a record. That record strengthens any legal review later.