Solar Sales Scams in Florida: What to Watch For Before You Sign

Florida’s combination of abundant sun and a huge homeowner population makes it a genuine target for aggressive and sometimes outright fraudulent solar sales practices, not just the occasional bad review.

Short version: Florida’s Attorney General has sued multiple solar companies for deceptive practices and released an official consumer guide on the issue. The most common patterns: false claims of government affiliation, high-pressure same-day-signature tactics, misrepresented savings or tax credits, unlicensed bundled work, and forged financing paperwork. Nearly all of these are avoidable by refusing to sign anything the same day, getting every verbal claim in writing, and checking a company’s license and complaint history first.

Real cases, not hypotheticals

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed legal action against multiple solar companies in recent years. MC Solar and Roofing, based in Tampa, allegedly abandoned contracts, damaged homes, forged applications, and filed liens against homeowners, with reported targeting of seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. Vision Solar allegedly promised fast completion timelines that didn’t happen, leaving consumers with failed inspections and home damage. SetUp My Solar allegedly misrepresented savings, equipment quality, and available tax rebates, and bundled in unlicensed additional work like water heaters and air conditioning units. In response, the AG’s office released an official guide, Scams at a Glance: The Dark Side of Solar.

The tactics to watch for

• False government or utility affiliation. A salesperson implying they work for or are approved by your utility or a government program is a documented pattern in these cases, not a one-off.
• Same-day signing pressure. A legitimate offer doesn’t disappear overnight. If someone is pushing you to sign before you can think it over, that pressure is itself a red flag.
• Misrepresented tax credits. This one’s especially relevant right now: the 30% federal credit expired for purchased systems at the end of 2025, covered in our legislative update. Any pitch still leaning on that number for a system you’d own outright is either outdated or deliberately misleading.
• Bundled, unlicensed extra work. Adding water heaters, AC units, or roofing work without the proper licenses and permits was part of the SetUp My Solar case specifically.
• Forged or altered financing paperwork. Regulators have documented cases of income being inflated on loan applications without the homeowner’s knowledge or consent.
• Liens filed after incomplete or abandoned work, sometimes without the homeowner realizing it happened until they try to sell or refinance.

What the Florida AG’s office actually recommends

Straight from their guidance: research the company through online reviews and the Better Business Bureau, ask for references from recent local customers, don’t feel pressured to sign the same day, take real time to review the documentation and financing terms, and read the fine print before signing anything. One point worth repeating word for word: verbal promises about savings or tax credits don’t count unless they’re written into the signed agreement.

Your legal right to cancel

If you do sign something and have second thoughts, federal law may already protect you. The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel a contract of $25 or more that was signed at your home or somewhere other than the seller’s regular place of business, which covers most door-to-door and in-home solar sales presentations. The seller is legally required to tell you about this right and provide you with cancellation forms at the time of signing.

If you’re a senior, or think you’ve already been scammed

Florida’s AG cases have specifically flagged targeting of seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. If that’s you or a family member, the Florida Senior Legal Helpline offers a free consultation with an attorney. Anyone can file a free complaint directly with the Florida Attorney General’s office, no lawyer required, and that complaint is exactly what triggers further investigation into a company.

The one-line defense

Most of what’s above only works because a homeowner doesn’t yet know it’s a pattern. Combine this with the licensing checks and quote-comparison steps in our installer guide, and you’ve covered most of what a bad-faith seller is counting on you not knowing.

This page is general information, not legal advice. For a specific dispute or suspected fraud, contact the Florida Attorney General’s office directly or speak with an attorney.

Sources:
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/solar_scamsataglance.final.pdf
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/video-ag-moody-releases-scams-glance-dark-side-solar-during-national-consumer
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-moody-takes-legal-action-against-more-solar-companies
https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/cooling-period-sales-made-home-or-other-locations