“Don’t get scammed on solar panels: 4 Financial Red Flags”
March 12, 2024 CNET
Some common traps could leave you stuck with a bad deal for decades when entering a contract for solar panels. Nationally recognized consumer protection attorney Andy Milz of Flitter Milz in Narberth, PA, was interviewed recently on CNET for an article and offered 4 Financial Red Flags to potential solar panel customers.
Red Flag #1.
Demand to see contract documents BEFORE signing.
Frequently solar customers never get the chance to review a solar financing contract before signing or whose signatures were forged without their knowledge. It can be easy for these things to happen when a solar sales person is seated at your dining room table, quickly tapping through terms on an iPad. “Solar customers are entitled to see a contract and take the time to review it. This ensures that the customer can read all the fine print, understand the payment terms, and avoid any financial surprises later,” says Milz.
Red Flag #2.
Talk to a tax professional about any promised tax incentives.
There are a lot of federal and state-level financial incentives for solar panels right now, promising thousands of dollars off the price of a solar system. But homeowners are eligible for those only if they’re buying (i.e. owning) the panels. “That’s something that’s confusing to the average consumer,” said Milz. If you’re leasing or getting panels through a power-purchase agreement, you won’t benefit from the incentives, so be wary of any solar installer who tells you otherwise.
Red Flag #3.
Beware of an arbitration clause in the loan or lease agreement
Many solar financing or lease contracts contain something called an “arbitration clause,” according to Milz. “When you sign this, you as the customer essentially give up your right to go to court in the event that the solar company rips you off. Any claims you make will instead be subject to a private “arbitration” system that usually benefits the solar company.”
It may not always be possible to avoid having this in your contract, but you should at least be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.
Red Flag #4.
Watch out for ‘Teaser Rates’
A common tactic by solar companies is to attract customers with a ‘teaser rate’ which promises low upfront payments that increase, sometimes drastically, over time. In some cases, the installer is assuming you’ll receive a chunk of money from a government incentive and put that toward the payment of your panels, otherwise the monthly payments will jack up. “Folks are often caught off guard by that, ” says Milz.
Escalator clauses, which gradually increase your payment by a small percentage each year, are quite common, but again you’ll want to be aware of what you’re getting into.
Most Important Tip: Slow Down!
Do your own research and comparison shop. There is no rush. The deal the salesman proposes today will still be there next week.
Seek Qualified Legal Help
Flitter Milz attorneys have helped hundreds of families who have been victimized by shady solar sales. If you have been defrauded in a solar sale, we may be able to help. Hidden contracts, forged signatures, illicit credit inquiries, suspicious email accounts, elder exploitation, and other bad acts can give rise for a case under the consumer protection laws. Contact us!
On Monday, June 24, 2024, 
In addition, the May 2024 edition of Super Lawyers has included Flitter Milz attorneys 
Flitter Milz looks forward to continuing to achieve successful results for consumers that have suffered the challenges of every day consumer credit matters involving credit reporting privacy and accuracy issues, wrongful vehicle repossessions, and unfair or deceptive business practices.
Rather than being interchangeable with punitive damages, treble damages under the UTPCPL are a separate remedy available to consumers wholly independent of any entitlement to punitive damages or attorney fees.
Drug companies have filed lawsuits in courts across the country challenging the Constitutionality of the new 
“We’re gratified by the Court’s ruling in this case and happy to be part of a top-tier team that made it happen,” says Milz. “Whenever we can help consumers, particularly the elderly, save money on necessities, we consider it a job well done.”
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This past summer our attorneys visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to educate military lawyers (commonly known as Judge Advocates General or “JAGs”) about common scams targeting servicemembers and how consumer protection laws exist to give our men and women in uniform some measure of relief.
Young and impressionable servicemembers often become targets of scammers. Factors such as reliable pay checks and great military benefits, as well as being subject to sudden deployment and relocation, make servicemembers easy prey for payday lenders, buy-here-pay-here auto dealers, and sub-prime finance companies.
Fortunately, the “Military Lending Act” places caps on interest rates to be charged, mandates certain disclosures, and prohibits the use of arbitration clauses in credit agreements. A violating seller can face punitive damages and having to pay the servicemember’s attorney fees.
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Our firm gets a lot of calls from consumers who are senior citizens, or from their children, after they have realized that the “free” solar panel deal they were promised is nothing of the sort.
Every week, we hear similar complaints from consumers who met with a solar sales representative and felt taken. Statements such as the following may be deceptive or outright false:
Salespeople are likely to tout a 30% federal solar tax credit (for 2023). Consumers must be careful, this is not cash or a refund, but rather a tax credit to count against the taxes you pay. Some seniors pay only minimal taxes or no taxes at all (if, for instance, their sole income is Social Security) and may not benefit at all from this promised “government program.” Other times, the company keeps the tax credit for itself.
Salesmen also like to tout a “no cost installation” or “no upfront cost” because this makes it sound like the consumer is getting the solar panels for free. That is not the case. With programs like solar leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs), it is the solar company, not the consumer, who owns the panels that are installed on the roof.
While the solar company may not charge upfront for the panels and the installation, the consumer is bound to pay for the energy that’s produced by the panels at ever-increasing rates – sometimes for 25-years or more – forcing some elderly consumers to pay expensive rates until they’re over 100 years old. All the while, they are still obligated to pay their electric bill.
Solar sales can be expensive and burdensome to consumers. Solar salesmen know this, and that’s why they use electronically displayed and signed contract documents (instead of a paper contract that you hold and keep) with deceptive language to hide the agreement from elderly consumers by using a bum email address or making up an email address that only the sellers control.
The lender may attempt to collect the deficient balance from the borrower or assign the collection to an agency or collection law firm. If the debt is not collected, the lender may choose to file a lawsuit against the borrower.
Judgments are dangerous. The lender attempt collection of the judgment through bank attachment, seizure of property, or in many states, wage garnishment.
You might need to consider getting someone to cosign an auto loan if you are unable to qualify for the credit. Frequently, poor credit or lack of credit history, lack of income, or being able to make a down payment are reasons that a lender would require the borrower to get a cosigner. But co-signing holds a lot of responsibility…even if you’re doing it for a family member or close friend.
The co-signer’s good name and credit history provide additional assurance to the lender that the terms of the loan agreement will be honored with payments being made in full and on time.
Both the co-signer and primary borrower hold equal responsibility for the signed auto loan. When payments are late or missed, the lender has the right to repossess the vehicle. Credit reports for both the borrower and co-signer will list a negative payment history and the repossession.
The lender may contact the co-signer, and/or the primary borrower, after a vehicle has been repossessed. The bank, credit union or financial institution will look to the co-signer to bring the account current or satisfy the loan in full. Credit scores may drop as a result and impact existing credit, or make it difficult to obtain new credit for both the borrower and co-signer.
