Public Record · Updated May 2026

Need a lightreach ppa cancel option? Start with the lien on your house and the escalator in your contract.

LightReach is the residential PPA and lease product line operated by Palmetto. The contracts run 20 to 25 years, the price-per-kWh escalates annually, and a UCC-1 fixture filing is typically recorded against your home — meaning a routine refinance or sale runs into a cloud on title before it runs into a buyer. Cancelling, transferring, or buying out a LightReach PPA is possible, but the path depends on the specific contract terms and the documented conduct at the point of sale.

Written by Maria Gomez | Updated

Check your LightReach paperwork for these issues

A match does not prove wrongdoing, but it identifies the documents and representations that deserve closer review.

  • I signed a LightReach PPA or lease, typically marketed by a Palmetto-affiliated installer.
  • The annual escalator on my price-per-kWh is making the deal worse than the savings projection promised.
  • A UCC-1 fixture filing is recorded against my home for the LightReach system.
  • I am trying to sell or refinance my home and the title company has flagged the LightReach contract.
  • The salesperson misrepresented escalator terms, savings, or my ability to cancel.

How to identify LightReach in your records

  • Contract is structured as a PPA (price-per-kWh) or lease (fixed monthly), not a loan with principal and interest.
  • Term length is 20 to 25 years.
  • Annual escalator clause typically runs 1.9% to 3.5%.
  • UCC-1 fixture filing recorded at the county under LightReach, Palmetto, or a financing partner's name.
  • Buyout schedule is included as an exhibit to the agreement and decreases over the term.

Recurring LightReach complaint patterns

Term Length

20 to 25 years is longer than most homeowners stay in the house

LightReach PPAs and leases are written for terms that exceed the median U.S. tenure in a single home. That mismatch is the source of most disputes: the deal that may have penciled at year three becomes the obstacle that blocks a year-eight sale or refinance. The contract was always going to outlast the homeowner's plans for the property; that fact is rarely surfaced in the in-home pitch.

Where to check: Read the term length on page one of your agreement. Compare it to how long you actually expect to stay in the house.

Escalator Clause

Your price-per-kWh rises every year — even if utility rates do not

Most LightReach PPAs include an annual escalator (commonly 1.9% to 3.5%) on the price you pay per kWh of solar production. The savings pitch usually assumes utility rates rise faster than your escalator. When utility rates flatten or your system underproduces, the escalator can flip the deal from a savings story to a cost story within a few years.

Where to check: Find the escalator percentage in your contract. Project it forward against current utility-rate trends in your service territory. The crossover year is when the deal stops working.

Potential impact: Compounds over the term — frequently $5,000+ in net cost

UCC-1 Fixture Filing

A lien is recorded against your home for the equipment

LightReach systems are typically secured by a UCC-1 fixture filing at the county recorder's office. The filing protects the financing party's interest in the panels. For the homeowner, it shows up as a cloud on title when a buyer's lender or a refinance lender pulls the title report. Closings stall — sometimes collapse — until the filing is paid off, assumed by the buyer, or formally released.

Where to check: Search the UCC-1 index in your county recorder's office for your name. The filing — and any continuation — is the cloud on title.

Potential impact: Transaction-blocking; can force a buyout at the worst time

Transfer-on-Sale

Selling the house means assigning the PPA — or buying it out

When you sell, the LightReach PPA does not automatically go away. Either the buyer agrees to assume the contract for the remaining term (often subject to a credit check), or you pay the buyout price from the contract's buyout schedule. Buyers walk from deals that surface a 17-year PPA assumption in due diligence. Sellers then face a buyout decision under closing pressure.

Where to check: Look for the buyout schedule attached to your agreement. The number for the current year is what you would have to pay if the buyer refuses to assume.

Production Shortfall

The savings projection assumed production you may not be getting

PPA savings math is built on a kWh production estimate. If the system underproduces — due to shading, equipment issues, inverter failure, or a roof orientation that did not perform as modeled — you pay the contract rate on actual production while the original savings model quietly fails. Some contracts include a production guarantee; many do not.

Where to check: Compare your monitoring-portal annual production against the year-one estimate in your proposal. Persistent underperformance is itself a documented harm.

Sales Conduct

Misrepresentation at the point of sale is independently actionable

Where the LightReach pitch promised 'free solar,' guaranteed savings without an escalator, or omitted the existence of a UCC-1 lien on the home, those representations may be actionable under state UDAP statutes regardless of what the written contract eventually said. The contract terms govern the deal, but materially false statements that induced you to sign are a separate cause of action.

Where to check: Save voicemails, text messages, sales decks, and any savings projection given to you before signing. Those are the evidentiary backbone of a misrepresentation claim.

Public records and regulatory actions

Multiple state attorneys general (industry-wide) (Ongoing)

Consumer reports indicate that residential PPA and lease products across the industry — including those of major providers — have drawn state AG and consumer-protection scrutiny over escalator-clause disclosures, UCC-1 fixture filings recorded without clear borrower understanding, and the impact on home sales and refinances. LightReach itself has not been named in a published AG enforcement action; cited industry context only.

CFPB database — search by company name

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Ongoing)

The CFPB consumer-complaint database lists complaints related to residential solar PPA products covering escalator surprise, transfer-on-sale problems, and difficulty obtaining a buyout quote in a timeframe compatible with a real-estate closing.

Search the CFPB database

State real-estate and title industry guidance (Ongoing)

Title industry guidance across multiple states flags solar PPA and lease UCC-1 filings as recurring obstacles to closing residential transactions, often requiring a buyout or assumption agreement to clear the cloud on title before a sale can fund.

American Land Title Association resources

LightReach by the numbers

20–25 yrs
Typical LightReach PPA / lease term length Source: Standard contract templates
1.9–3.5%
Annual escalator range on price-per-kWh Source: Industry contract review
UCC-1
Standard fixture filing recorded against the property Source: County recorder filings
16 CFR § 433
FTC Holder Rule clause where the PPA is paired with financed equipment Source: Federal Trade Commission

Possible recovery paths

Buyout Negotiation

Possible outcome: Reduced buyout price; lien released; clean title for sale or refinance

Best fit: Pending sale or refinance + documented disclosure or sales-conduct issue at origination

Typical timeframe: 60–180 days

Contract Reformation or Rescission

Possible outcome: Escalator removed, term shortened, or contract unwound entirely

Best fit: Documented misrepresentation of escalator, lien, or transfer-on-sale obligations

Typical timeframe: 120–270 days

Damages + Fee-Shift

Possible outcome: Money judgment for amounts paid in excess of disclosed terms, plus attorney's fees under state UDAP

Best fit: Multiple violations stacked + documented financial harm or transaction-blocking lien

Typical timeframe: 9–18 months in arbitration or court

Documents to preserve

  • Full LightReach PPA or lease agreement (including escalator and buyout schedule exhibits)
  • Original installer proposal and savings projection
  • Sales presentation, savings comparison, or 'cost vs solar' deck given before signing
  • Monitoring-portal production reports for every year of operation
  • All monthly statements / invoices
  • County UCC-1 search results (or property address — we can search)
  • Any communications about transfer-on-sale, assumption, or buyout pricing
  • Texts, emails, and voicemails with the salesperson — including any savings-guarantee language

Frequently asked questions about LightReach

Can I stop paying my solar loan if the system never worked?

Unilaterally stopping payment is risky — it triggers default, hits your credit, and gives the holder a head start on collection. The better move is a three-step sequence: (1) document the non-performance in writing (PTO date vs first-bill date, monitoring data, inspection failures), (2) preserve your right to assert the FTC Holder Rule (16 CFR § 433.2) defense against whoever currently holds the loan, and (3) get a written eligibility review BEFORE you change your payment behavior. TILA § 130 fee-shifting means the lender pays your attorney's fees when you prevail, so qualified disputes do not cost you out of pocket. The eligibility review is the right way to find out if your facts qualify.

Can I sue the solar lender if the installer is bankrupt?

Yes, in many fact patterns. The installer's bankruptcy stops claims against that specific entity, but the lender that financed your loan is a separate, usually solvent, target. Under the FTC Holder Rule (16 CFR § 433.2), the lender inherits liability for the same misrepresentations the installer made — false savings projections, fabricated tax-credit math, undisclosed dealer fees, signatures captured without time to read. Recovery under the Holder Rule is typically capped at amounts already paid into the loan, but in solar that frequently runs into the tens of thousands. Many homeowners assume their case dies with the installer and walk away — that is exactly what the lender's collections team hopes for. The eligibility review identifies whether your loan documents trigger Holder Rule liability.

What is the FTC Holder Rule and why does it matter for solar loans?

The FTC Holder Rule (16 CFR § 433.2) requires every consumer credit contract that finances goods or services to carry a clause subjecting the lender to all the same claims and defenses the borrower could raise against the seller. Translated to solar: if the installer lied to you, abandoned the install, or never energized the system, those claims travel to whoever currently holds your loan. The rule caps the recovery at amounts already paid into the loan, but in solar that frequently runs into the tens of thousands. The Holder Rule is the single most important lever a homeowner has when the original installer is bankrupt or unreachable — it lets you press the case against a solvent target instead of a corporate shell.

How long do I have to file a claim against a solar lender?

Deadlines vary by claim type and state, and missing them is irreversible. As a rough primer: federal Truth in Lending Act (TILA) damages claims usually run 1 year from the violation; TILA rescission is up to 3 years; the FTC Holder Rule cap is amounts paid; state Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices (UDAP) statutes typically run 2 to 4 years (Texas DTPA = 2 from discovery, Florida FDUTPA = 4, California CLRA = 3, North Carolina UDTPA = 4, with treble damages mandatory). FTC Holder Rule defenses to a lender's collection action have no statute of limitations on the defense itself — meaning if the holder sues you, you can raise installer-fraud defenses regardless of age. Do not guess at your deadline. The eligibility review computes the live limitations window for your specific loan and state in two minutes.

I want to cancel my LightReach PPA. What are my actual options?

Three paths, in rough order of difficulty. First, a contract-based cancellation — most PPAs include a brief right-to-cancel window after signing (often three days), and missing that window closes the easy door. Second, a buyout, where you pay the figure listed on the buyout schedule attached to your agreement to terminate the contract and release the lien. Third, a misrepresentation or UDAP claim, where evidence that the salesperson misrepresented escalator terms, the lien on your home, or the transfer-on-sale obligation can support a reformation or rescission action even years after signing. Which path fits depends on your documents and what was said at the point of sale.

Can I sell my house if I have a LightReach PPA?

Yes, but the PPA has to be dealt with at closing. You have two practical options: have the buyer formally assume the PPA for the remaining term (subject to LightReach's credit and approval process), or pay the contract buyout price to terminate the PPA and clear the UCC-1 fixture filing from title. Buyers and their lenders frequently push back on assumption — which leaves the seller making a buyout decision under closing-deadline pressure. Starting that conversation with LightReach as soon as you list, not after you have a contract, materially improves your position.

What is the FTC Holder Rule and why should solar borrowers care?

The FTC Holder Rule (16 CFR § 433) requires every consumer credit contract that finances goods or services to carry a clause subjecting the lender to all the same claims and defenses the borrower could raise against the seller. Translated to solar: if the installer lied to you, abandoned the install, or never energized the system, those claims travel to whoever currently holds your loan. The rule caps the recovery at amounts already paid into the loan, but in solar that frequently runs into the tens of thousands. The Holder Rule is the single most important lever a homeowner has when the original installer is bankrupt or unreachable.

The installer that sold me the system went out of business. Is there anything left to do?

Yes. The installer's bankruptcy stops claims against that specific entity, but the lender that financed your loan is a separate, usually solvent, target. Under the FTC Holder Rule, the lender inherits liability for the same misrepresentations the installer made. Many homeowners assume their case dies with the installer and walk away — that is the result the lender's collections team is hoping for. The right move is to identify who currently holds your note and pursue the lender, not the dead installer.

My contract has an arbitration clause. Does that close the door?

Usually it opens a faster one. Most solar finance agreements force the homeowner into individual arbitration through JAMS or AAA. Lenders wrote those clauses to block class actions, but for an individual claimant the clause has a side effect they did not advertise: the lender pays the arbitration filing fee, your case is heard on its specific facts, and consumer-protection arbitrators tend to credit the kind of digital-signature, recording, and language-mismatch evidence that gets diluted in mass class settlements. Arbitration is often the higher-recovery path for the individual homeowner.

How do I know if my solar loan includes hidden dealer fees?

Check your Truth in Lending disclosure (TILA box) — specifically the 'Amount Financed' line. If that number is 20-30% higher than the system price the salesperson quoted, you almost certainly have an undisclosed dealer fee. For example, a $25,000 system becomes a $32,500 loan. The fee is paid by the lender to the installer at closing and buried in your loan principal, meaning you pay interest on it for 20-25 years. Request an itemized breakdown from the lender in writing; TILA requires accurate disclosure of finance charges.

Can I stop paying my solar loan if the system doesn't work?

Do not stop paying without legal guidance. The loan is with the lender (GoodLeap, Dividend, Mosaic, etc.), not the installer — and missed payments will damage your credit and may trigger acceleration (the full balance becomes due immediately). The correct approach is to assert your claims against the lender through the FTC Holder Rule or state UDAP statutes while continuing to pay, or under explicit advice from an attorney who has reviewed your case. Some homeowners negotiate payment suspensions during active disputes, but this requires formal legal action.

What happens to my solar warranty if the installer goes bankrupt?

If the installer files Chapter 7 (liquidation), the warranty is effectively worthless — there is no entity left to honor it. If the installer files Chapter 11 (reorganization), warranties may continue but service quality often degrades. In either case, the value of the lost warranty can be asserted as damages against the lender under the FTC Holder Rule. Document the original warranty terms, get repair quotes from third-party solar companies, and include the cost of a replacement warranty in your claim.

How long do I have to sue a solar company or lender?

Statutes of limitations vary by state and legal theory, typically ranging from 2-6 years from the date you discovered (or should have discovered) the fraud. State UDAP statutes often have 2-4 year limits; TILA claims have a 1-year limit for damages but can be raised as a defense at any time. The clock usually starts when the fraud was or should have been discovered — not when you signed the contract. Because these deadlines vary dramatically and can be complex to calculate, consulting an attorney promptly is essential.

Can I refinance or sell my house with a solar loan or PPA?

It depends on the type of obligation. Solar loans (unsecured or UCC-1 secured) typically can be paid off at closing like any other debt — but if the payoff exceeds the system's value, you may need to bring cash to closing. Solar PPAs and leases transfer to the buyer, who must qualify; many buyers refuse homes with long-term PPA obligations. PACE assessments are the worst case — they attach as a property tax lien and many lenders (FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) will not approve loans on homes with outstanding PACE assessments. If a UCC-1 fixture filing appears on your title unexpectedly, challenge it through the process at [our UCC guide](/blog/remove-unauthorized-ucc-1-step-by-step).

Is solar panel fraud a crime? Can I press charges?

Some solar fraud rises to the level of criminal conduct — forgery (fake signatures), theft by deception, or criminal fraud. However, most solar disputes are civil matters handled through state consumer protection laws, not criminal prosecution. File complaints with your state AG and local law enforcement; the AG's consumer protection division can investigate pattern misconduct. Civil claims (suing for damages, loan cancellation, or rescission) are typically faster and more likely to produce recovery than waiting for criminal charges.

What does this cost me?

Solar Panel Scam Center charges nothing to review your situation. If your case has merit, we connect you with an independent consumer-protection attorney whose practice covers solar finance. Those attorneys typically work on contingency or under fee-shifting statutes — meaning you pay nothing out of pocket, and the defendant covers attorney's fees if you prevail under TILA, the FTC Holder Rule, or your state's UDAP. We are not a law firm; submitting an intake does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.

Why does this page use the company's name?

Solar Panel Scam Center is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of the companies named on this site. Company names appear in a descriptive, factual context to identify the entities consumers are searching for and asking us about. This is nominative fair use under U.S. trademark law. Nothing on this page is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.

Related solar company guides

Organize your LightReach documents

The eligibility review helps identify the seller, lender, current loan holder, disputed promises, and evidence already available. Solar Panel Scam Center is not a law firm, and submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Start the eligibility review