How to File a Complaint Against a Solar Company
A complaint creates an official record, can prompt a company to respond, and helps regulators spot patterns. Here's where to send it and how to make it count.
Start with the company, in writing
Email or mail a short letter to the solar company (and the lender, if you financed) describing the problem, what you were promised, and what you want them to do. Give a deadline, such as 30 days. Keep a copy. Companies and regulators both look for a written record that you tried to resolve it.
Where to file
- Your state attorney general: most have an online consumer complaint form. AGs have brought cases over deceptive solar sales in several states.
- Your state contractor licensing board: for installation quality, permits and unlicensed work.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov/complaint): for problems with a solar loan or lender. Companies generally must respond.
- Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov): for deceptive sales practices. The FTC doesn't resolve individual cases but uses reports in investigations.
- Your state public utility commission: for problems with net metering or interconnection.
- Better Business Bureau: not a regulator, but companies often answer BBB complaints.
What to include
- Your name, address and account or contract number
- The company's name, the salesperson's name if you know it, and the sale date
- What you were told and what actually happened, in order
- Copies (not originals) of the contract, proposal, bills and messages
- What you want: repairs, a refund, a payment adjustment, or release from the contract
Stick to facts and dates. Short, specific complaints get better responses than long ones.
Complaints vs. legal options
A complaint doesn't cancel your contract or pause your payments. If you think you were misled, a professional can explain options a complaint can't deliver, like cancellation or recovering money. Read how to cancel a solar contract.
Related guides
- How to cancel a solar contract
- Solar escalator clauses explained
- Your right to cancel
- Lease vs. loan vs. PPA
- All guides
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.