Solar contract help for Arizona homeowners

Arizona sun, Arizona-sized sales pitches

Arizona has some of the best solar conditions in the country, and some of the most aggressive solar sales activity. Door-to-door crews have worked neighborhoods across Maricopa and Pinal counties for years, and many homeowners signed on a tablet at the kitchen table after a single visit.

The result, for many families, is an agreement that doesn't deliver what was described. The most common thing we hear from Arizona homeowners is simple: "I was told my electric bill would basically go away, and it didn't."

Why your savings may not match the projection

How much solar saves you in Arizona depends heavily on your utility and your rate plan, and those details are easy to gloss over in a sales presentation.

• APS and TEP customers: Solar energy you send back to the grid is generally credited at an export rate set through the Arizona Corporation Commission, not at the full retail price you pay for power. Export rates have changed over time. Savings estimates that assumed every exported kilowatt-hour was worth full retail value may overstate what you actually save.
• SRP customers: SRP sets its own rules through its board. SRP's plans for customers with solar have historically included demand-based charges tied to your highest usage during peak hours. If nobody explained how demand charges work with solar, your bill may look very different from the proposal.
• Summer peaks: Arizona's air-conditioning season drives big evening usage, after the sun is lower. Without a battery or a rate plan that fits, solar may cover less of your bill than you expected.

None of this means you did anything wrong. It means the projection you were shown may not have reflected how your bill actually works. That gap is one of the first things we look at.

What we see most often in Arizona

• Savings built on the wrong rate plan. Proposals that ignored export rates, demand charges, or the plan you'd actually be placed on.
• Escalating lease and PPA payments. Annual increases that turn a reasonable payment into a costly one over 20 or 25 years.
• Tax credit promises. Homeowners told the federal tax credit would pay down a loan, when they didn't have enough tax liability to use it.
• Delayed activation. Systems installed but waiting months for utility permission to operate, while payments started on schedule.
• Roof issues. Leaks and damaged tiles after installation, a real concern with Arizona's tile and foam roofs and summer monsoon storms.
• Pressure sales to seniors. Retirees in communities across the Valley signing long agreements after a single high-pressure visit.

Arizona consumer protections, in plain English

This is general information, not legal advice, and laws change.

• Cancellation window for in-home sales. Federal rules, and Arizona's home solicitation law, generally give buyers three business days to cancel qualifying sales made at home. Check your agreement for the exact notice and deadline.
• Solar disclosure rules. Arizona law sets disclosure requirements for solar agreements, including leases and PPAs. Whether you received the required disclosures can matter.
• Licensed contractors. Solar installers in Arizona must be licensed contractors. Installation and workmanship complaints can be filed with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
• Consumer fraud law. Arizona's Consumer Fraud Act prohibits deception and misrepresentation in sales. The Arizona Attorney General's Office accepts consumer complaints.

We can help you figure out which of these may be relevant to your situation, and independent, licensed counsel can advise you on your rights.

Serving homeowners across Arizona

We work with homeowners throughout the state, including in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Tempe, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye, Avondale, Maricopa, Casa Grande, Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sierra Vista, Prescott, Flagstaff, and Yuma. Most of our work happens by phone, text, email, and secure document upload, so you don't need to come to our office, though you're welcome to.

How it works in Arizona

4 steps: Free review → Agreement and bill analysis (including your APS, SRP, or TEP rate plan) → Strategy → Demand, negotiation, and arbitration if needed, handled by independent counsel.