Solar Lender Problems: A Homeowner's Guide by Lender

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

Having trouble with a solar lender? Learn how solar financing works, who holds and services your loan, and find Prevost’s guides for EverBright, Mosaic & more.

Last updated: September 2026

Solar Lender Problems: A Homeowner’s Guide by Lender

The panels went up, the salesperson moved on, and now the only company you hear from is the one sending the monthly bill. For many homeowners, that company may be a solar lender they had little direct interaction with during the sale.

The lender was simply part of the paperwork signed at the kitchen table.

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If your system isn’t performing as promised and you financed the purchase, the lender or current loan holder may be an important part of understanding your options.

Your loan agreement may control whether a dispute goes to court or arbitration, what happens if you stop paying, and whether claims about the installer’s conduct can be raised against the loan holder. That depends on the contract, how the transaction was structured, and applicable law.

This guide explains how solar financing works and who you may actually be dealing with. It also links to every lender-specific article Prevost Law Firm has published, so you can go straight to the one that matches your paperwork.

How does a solar lender fit into a solar purchase?

A solar lender provides financing for the purchase of the system, and you repay the loan over time.

The loan is usually offered by the installer’s salesperson during the sale. As a result, many homeowners never deal directly with the lender until payments begin.

Several separate companies may be involved in one financed system:

Party	Typical role
Installer / seller	Sold, designed, and installed the system
Lending platform	Arranged the loan and documents through the installer
Loan holder	Owns the right to be repaid, and may change over time
Servicer	Collects payments and handles account questions

A company servicing your loan does not necessarily own it. Our guide to loan holders vs. loan servicers explains why that distinction can matter in a dispute. We also explain the difference between secured and unsecured solar loans.

What is a dealer fee on a solar loan?

A dealer fee is a financing cost generally charged in connection with the loan and often reflected in the price or amount the homeowner finances. In its August 2024 Issue Spotlight on solar financing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reported that financing fees can raise loan costs by 30% or more above the system’s cash price.

Because the fee is part of the principal, homeowners may not realize how much of their balance reflects financing costs rather than equipment. Read more in how dealer fees work in solar panel financing.

Is my solar agreement a loan, a lease, or a PPA?

Solar financing generally comes in three forms, and each creates different rights and obligations:

Solar loan: you borrow money to buy the system and generally own it.
Solar lease: a company owns the system, and you pay to use it.
Power purchase agreement (PPA): a company owns the system, and you buy the electricity it produces, usually at a set rate.

Check the title and first page of your agreement to see which one you signed. For a deeper look, read what a solar PPA is and how it compares to loans and leases. You can also see how solar leases and PPAs differ and read our overview of solar leasing.

Some homeowners report being steered toward leases as the market has shifted. We cover that trend in why solar leases are being pushed and explain how solar lease cases can differ from loan cases.

Solar lender guides: find your company

Prevost Law Firm has published guides on several solar lenders and financing companies. Find the company named on your loan agreement or monthly statement below.

EverBright

EverBright is a residential solar financing company that offers financing arrangements including leases and PPAs. Solar systems are generally installed through its network of installation partners. Homeowners have raised complaints about contract terms, service delays, and system performance.

EnFin

EnFin is a residential solar financing company launched by Qcells in 2021. It offers mainly loans. When the lender is connected to the equipment manufacturer, homeowners may be unsure who is responsible when problems come up.

What homeowners should know about EnFin solar loans

KeyBank

In 2019, KeyBank and Dividend Finance announced a partnership to provide residential solar and energy-storage financing through Dividend’s platform and installer network. Many borrowers first learned KeyBank was involved when they saw its name on their paperwork.

KeyBank solar loan problems: what homeowners can do

Mosaic (Solar Mosaic)

Solar Mosaic filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in 2025. After completion of Mosaic’s court-approved Chapter 11 plan, its loan servicing operations transitioned to Solar Servicing LLC in September 2025. Solar Servicing states that most borrowers’ payment terms and schedules remain unchanged unless they are notified otherwise.

Sunnova

Sunnova Energy, a Houston-based solar provider that offered leases, PPAs, and financing arrangements, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2025. The filing may pause or change how certain claims proceed. It does not necessarily eliminate underlying claims or obligations.

Sunnova Energy bankruptcy: what homeowners need to know

Sunrun

Sunrun is a residential solar company that offers systems through leases and PPAs as well as purchase options. Homeowners have shared mixed feedback about service and billing.

Sunrun solar reviews: customer feedback

Tesla

In November 2025, Tesla and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of certain Powerwall 2 battery systems. Some homeowners then reported receiving change orders or proposed loan changes. A recall does not automatically allow price or loan terms to be changed without the homeowner’s agreement.

Tesla Powerwall recalls and solar loan changes

What happens if my solar lender files for bankruptcy?

A lender’s bankruptcy generally does not cancel your loan. Payments are typically still owed to whichever company holds or services the loan. The bankruptcy filing usually triggers the automatic stay, which pauses many proceedings against the bankrupt company, though exceptions apply.

Claims against other parties, such as a loan holder or installer, may still proceed depending on the facts. The Mosaic and Sunnova guides above walk through how this has played out in those cases. If you’re unsure who owns your loan now, start with your most recent statement and any transfer notices.

If my installer went out of business, do I still owe the lender?

An installer going out of business does not automatically cancel a separate financing obligation. Whether you still owe the loan, or have claims or defenses related to it, depends on the agreements, how the transaction was structured, and applicable law. Depending on how your transaction was structured, however, you may have claims or defenses that could be raised against the loan holder.

Check whether your installer is still operating in our solar company tracker of 400+ installer status updates. Then read what to do when your solar company disappears and how to handle repairs when your installer is out of business.

Some homeowners have reported loans funded for systems that were never installed. We cover that pattern in fraudulent solar loans for uninstalled systems.

Can I hold the solar lender responsible for what the installer did?

It may be possible, depending on the facts. The FTC Holder Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 433) requires certain consumer credit contracts to include a notice preserving the buyer’s claims and defenses against the seller.

Depending on how the transaction was structured and the contract language involved, the Holder Rule may allow certain claims or defenses related to the seller’s conduct to be asserted against a holder of the financing agreement. It does not make a lender responsible for everything an installer did. Learn more in our guide to the FTC Holder Rule for solar homeowners.

Does my solar lender have a lien on my house?

Not necessarily. Some solar financing arrangements involve a UCC-1 financing statement, which provides public notice of a claimed security interest in specified collateral. Depending on the transaction, that collateral may include solar equipment. Some UCC filings are fixture filings recorded in county real property records, which can come up when you sell or refinance.

What a filing covers depends on the loan documents and the filing itself. Start with how a solar UCC filing works and how to check for a UCC filing on your home.

Planning a move? See selling your home with a solar legal case pending. You can also read why to wait before paying off your house if you have unwanted solar panels.

Should I keep paying my solar lender?

Whether to keep paying is an individual decision with consequences either way. Stopping payments may lead to negative credit reporting, collection activity, or acceleration of the balance under the loan agreement. Continuing to pay may avoid some of those consequences while a dispute is pending. Because the consequences depend on the agreement and the homeowner’s circumstances, consider getting legal advice before changing payments on a disputed solar loan.

Prevost has covered this question from several angles:

What about the tax credit prepayment on my solar loan?

Many solar loans were structured assuming the homeowner would receive a federal tax credit and use it to make a large prepayment by a set date. The CFPB has reported that when that prepayment isn’t made, monthly payments may go up under the loan terms.

If you’ve made, or are weighing, a prepayment while a dispute is pending, read:

Should I refinance or consolidate my solar loan?

If your solar loan is disputed, consider getting legal advice before refinancing or consolidating it. Rolling solar debt into a mortgage, home equity loan, or consolidation loan may affect claims or defenses under the original agreement. It could also change how the debt is secured, for example by tying it to your home.

Read why you may not want to refinance your solar loan into your mortgage and what to consider before consolidating debt that includes a solar loan.

How do homeowners bring a claim against a solar lender?

Many solar loan agreements contain arbitration clauses. These may require disputes to be decided by a private arbitrator in an individual proceeding rather than in court. Depending on the agreement and circumstances, a dispute may involve document review, a written demand, negotiation, and arbitration if required. The process and timing vary by case.

Learn more about each step:

Still shopping for solar? Our tips for solar panel funding explain what to look for before you sign.

FAQs: Solar Lenders

Q: How do I find out which company owns my solar loan?
A: Check your loan agreement, recent statements, and any notices of transfer or change of servicer. The company collecting your payment may be a servicer, not the owner. You can also contact the servicer and ask for information about the current owner or holder of the loan.

Q: Does my solar loan go away if the lender goes bankrupt?
A lender’s bankruptcy does not by itself cancel a borrower’s loan obligations. Loan ownership or servicing may change through the bankruptcy process, and the bankruptcy may also affect how or when certain claims against the lender can proceed.

Q: Can a solar lender be responsible for an installer’s misrepresentations?
A: Sometimes. Depending on the contract language and how the deal was structured, the FTC Holder Rule may allow certain claims or defenses about the seller’s conduct to be raised against the loan holder. It does not make the lender responsible for everything the installer did.

Q: Is a solar lease the same as a solar loan?
A: No. With a loan, you generally own the system and repay borrowed money. With a lease or PPA, another company typically owns the system, and you pay to use it or to buy its electricity. Your rights and options can differ significantly.

Q: Do I need a lawyer to dispute a solar loan?
A: Not always, but solar loan disputes often involve arbitration clauses, multiple companies, and federal and state consumer protection laws. An attorney can review your documents and help you understand what options may be available.

Finding Your Way Through a Solar Lender Dispute

A solar lender dispute usually starts with three questions: who holds your loan, what your agreement says, and what was promised when you signed. The guides above are organized to help you answer each one, whatever company is on your statement.

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