A frustrated homeowner tearing up solar sales paperwork

First, figure out which situation you are in

Companies refuse cancellations for different reasons, and your next step depends on timing. Pull out your contract, the date you signed, and any cancellation notice you sent.

Where you stand

You canceled inside the window, in writingYou likely do not need their permission
You canceled inside the window, by phone onlySend written notice now and keep proof
The window has closedLook at your contract terms and how you were sold
You never got a copy or a cancellation formYour window may not have properly started

Windows vary by state and by type of sale. Check your state on our state solar laws page.

Not sure how long your window is? The federal minimum for most home sales is three business days, but many states give more. See our state solar laws hub and the solar cancellation guide.

If you canceled inside the window

Under the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule, you can cancel a covered sale until midnight of the third business day after the sale, without giving a reason. Saturdays count as business days. Sundays and federal holidays do not. If you mailed your notice, the FTC says the envelope must be postmarked by the deadline.

The rule covers many sales made at your home, workplace, or a seller’s temporary location, including when you invited the salesperson over. It does not cover sales under $25 at home, or sales made entirely online, by mail, or by phone. Your state’s law may cover more, or give more time.

If you canceled on time, the cancellation is your right. It is not a request the company gets to approve. When a rep says “we cannot cancel at this stage” or “you will owe a fee,” respond in writing:

  • State the date you signed and the date you sent your cancellation.
  • Say how you sent it (certified mail, the email address in the contract, or both), and attach a copy.
  • Ask for written confirmation that the contract and any financing are canceled.
  • Ask for your refund and the return of any signed papers by a specific date.

Under the federal rule, it is an unfair or deceptive practice for a seller to misrepresent your right to cancel, or to fail to tell you about it out loud when you sign. If a rep told you that you could not cancel when you could, write down who said it and when.

Were you misled about your solar?

Tell us what happened. It takes about two minutes, and you decide what happens next.

See my options

Prove you sent notice on time

Most cancellation fights come down to proof. The FTC suggests certified mail with a return receipt and keeping a copy of what you sent. If you have not done that yet, do it now, even if you already called or emailed.

Keep these together in one folder:

  1. A copy of the signed and dated cancellation form or letter.
  2. The certified mail receipt with the postmark date, and the green return receipt or online tracking showing delivery.
  3. Any email you sent, with the date, time, and recipient address visible. Save it as a PDF.
  4. Screenshots of any text messages or app messages about canceling.
  5. A call log: date, time, number called, the name of the person you spoke with, and what they said.
  6. Your copy of the contract, showing the signing date and the cancellation address it lists.

Use the cancellation method your contract lists. If it lists a mailing address, mail it there, even if you also email. If you are not sure the first notice arrived, send a second one that says it confirms the first, with the original date. Our cancellation letter builder and document checklist can help.

What the seller must do after you cancel

When a sale is covered by the Cooling-Off Rule, the seller has specific deadlines once it receives your notice. Within 10 business days, it must:

  • Refund all payments you made, including a deposit.
  • Return any property you traded in.
  • Cancel and return any negotiable instrument you signed, such as a promissory note.
  • Take any action needed to promptly end any security interest created in the sale. That matters if a lien or filing was recorded against your property.
  • Tell you whether it plans to pick up or abandon any goods it delivered.

You must make any delivered equipment available at your home in as good condition as you got it. If the seller does not pick it up within 20 days of your notice, the federal form says you may keep or dispose of it without further obligation.

Cooling-Off Rule timeline after you cancel

Day 0Seller receives your notice
Within 10 business daysRefund, return papers, end security interest, say pickup or abandon
Within 20 days of your noticeSeller picks up goods, or you may keep them

State laws may add to these duties. Check your state’s rules.

If your system was financed, the lender may be separate from the installer. Send a copy of your cancellation to the lender too, and ask it to confirm the loan was canceled and never funded. See who services my solar loan.

If the window has already passed

Once the window closes, a company may lawfully hold you to the contract. But a refusal is not always the final word. Check these before you give up:

  • Did you get the required papers? The FTC says you should receive a dated copy of the contract and two copies of a cancellation form, in the same language used in the sales pitch. If you never did, say so in writing. In some states, that can extend the time to cancel.
  • Does the contract allow cancellation before installation? Some agreements let you cancel before work begins at the home, sometimes with a fee. Read the cancellation section closely. See cancel solar before installation.
  • Were you misled? False promises about savings, tax credits, or a payment that would never rise can support a complaint or a legal claim, even after the window. Read misled by a solar salesperson.
  • Is the system already on your roof? Options narrow after installation, but they do not disappear. See can you cancel solar after installation.

Keep paying any loan or lease payments that come due while you sort this out. Missed payments create a second problem that can hurt your credit and weaken your position. If you are thinking about stopping, read what happens if you stop paying first.

Send a clear demand letter

If calls are going nowhere, a written demand creates a record and forces a written answer. Keep it short and factual. Send it to the address in your contract, by certified mail with return receipt, and by email if the contract lists one. Send a copy to the lender if there is one.

Include:

  1. Your name, address, and account or contract number.
  2. The date you signed and the date and method of your cancellation.
  3. What you want: written confirmation of cancellation, a refund of a stated amount, return of signed papers, release of any filing on your property, or removal of equipment.
  4. A deadline, such as 14 days from the date of the letter.
  5. What you will do if they do not respond, such as filing complaints with your state attorney general and the FTC.

Example wording: “I canceled this contract on [date] by certified mail, within the cancellation period. A copy of my notice and the mailing receipt are enclosed. Please confirm in writing by [date] that the contract and any related financing are canceled, and refund my $[amount] deposit.”

Stick to facts you can prove. Do not threaten anything you do not intend to do. Our complaint letter builder can help you organize the details.

File complaints with the right agencies

The FTC says that if a seller violates the Cooling-Off Rule, you can report it to the FTC and to your state attorney general and local consumer protection agency.

  • Your state attorney general. Usually the main office for deceptive sales. Find yours on your state page in our state solar laws hub.
  • The FTC. Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  • The CFPB. If a solar loan is involved, you can submit a complaint online or by phone at 1-855-411-2372.
  • Your state’s contractor licensing board. The Treasury Department suggests checking an installer’s history with state licensing boards. If the company holds a state license, that board may also accept complaints.

Attach your proof: the contract, your cancellation notice, the mailing receipt, and a short timeline. Our solar complaint guide explains what to include so the complaint gets read.

If you paid a deposit by credit card

If the company will not refund a deposit you put on a credit card, your card company may be able to help. There are two federal paths.

  • Billing error dispute. The CFPB says to send a written billing error notice to the card company within 60 calendar days after the charge appeared on your statement. Call the card company right away too, but follow up in writing.
  • Claims and defenses. Federal law can let you raise your dispute with the seller against the card issuer. You must first make a good faith attempt to resolve it with the seller. Generally, the charge must be over $50 and the sale must have happened in your home state or within 100 miles of your mailing address. Your claim is limited to the amount of credit still outstanding on that charge when you first notify the issuer or seller.

Send the card company your cancellation notice, proof of mailing, and the seller’s refusal. Act quickly, because waiting can shrink your options.

These rules are for credit cards. If you paid by debit card, check, or bank transfer, ask your bank what dispute options it offers.

When to talk to a lawyer

Many cancellation disputes resolve with good proof and a firm letter. Talk to a consumer protection attorney if:

  • A loan was funded or a lien was filed after you canceled on time.
  • The company is sending you to collections or threatening to sue.
  • You were pressured, misled, or something was signed without your knowledge.
  • The amount at stake is large, or you are thinking about stopping payments.
  • You receive court papers. Court deadlines can be short.

If cost is a concern, nonprofit legal services may help. The Treasury Department points to lsc.gov and lawhelp.org to find them. Read do you need a solar lawyer for how fees usually work, and tell us what happened if you want help sorting through your options.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Outcomes depend on your contract, your state, and the facts of your sale.

Common questions

Can a solar company refuse to let me cancel?

Inside your cancellation window, a covered sale can generally be canceled without the company’s approval. After the window, the company may hold you to the contract, though other options can still apply, such as contract terms that allow cancellation before installation or claims that you were misled.

How long does a solar company have to refund my deposit?

For sales covered by the FTC Cooling-Off Rule, the seller must refund your payments within 10 business days after it receives your cancellation notice. Your state’s law may set its own deadline.

I canceled by phone. Does that count?

It may not be enough. The FTC says to sign and date the cancellation form and mail it. Send written notice now using the method in your contract, by certified mail with return receipt, and note in it the date you first called.

What if I never got a cancellation form?

The seller should give you two copies of a cancellation form and a dated copy of the contract. If you never received them, say so in writing. In some states, missing paperwork can extend the time you have to cancel.

Can I do a chargeback on my solar deposit?

If you paid by credit card, you can send a written billing error notice within 60 days of the statement showing the charge. You may also be able to raise your dispute with the card issuer if you first tried to resolve it with the seller.

The installer refused to cancel. Do I still have to pay the loan?

Keep making payments while you dispute it, unless the lender confirms in writing that the loan is canceled. Send the lender a copy of your cancellation. Talk to an attorney before stopping any payment.

Sources

  1. eCFR: 16 CFR 429.1, Cooling-Off Rule. Seller duties within 10 business days, misrepresenting the right to cancel, 20-day pickup
  2. FTC: Buyer’s Remorse, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule. Coverage, how to cancel, certified mail, where to report violations
  3. CFPB: How can I dispute a credit card purchase?. 60-day written billing error notice
  4. 15 U.S.C. 1666i: Claims and defenses against card issuers. Good faith attempt, $50, same state or 100 miles, amount limit
  5. U.S. Treasury: Consumer advisory on residential solar. FTC and CFPB reporting, licensing boards, legal aid

General information, not legal advice.

This guide can’t tell you whether a right applies to your agreement. For that, talk with a licensed attorney in your state.