Getting pressure from a door-to-door solar panel salesman? BBB has some tips

Q: I was visited by one of those door-to-door solar panel salesmen well over a month ago. I was suspicious from the get-go, but I heard him out to be polite – a big mistake. Ever since, I’ve had salespeople from the same company coming to my door, trying to convince me to buy solar. Naturally, I’m somewhat skeptical. These salespeople have done little to remedy my overall suspicions. They make solar sound all nice and flowery, but I never trust anyone who sells their product door-to-door these days. To me, going solar sounds like a huge money pit. I’m admittedly a bit of a miser, and don’t like throwing down a bunch of cash, especially if it’s not a good investment. I’d still like your input on whether or not it has any real benefits, namely, financial ones.

A: It has become a much cheaper endeavor to add solar panels to one’s house. This has also increased its demand. Because of that, BBB has received many reports of salespeople representing fake or dishonest solar panel companies going door-to-door in neighborhoods. These individuals will often pressure homeowners into signing contracts, contracts that have hidden costs and surprise clauses in them. A popular strategy for these sorts of solar companies is that they would include misleading prices or installation quotes. To avoid these financial pitfalls, do your research. All of this being said, there are many good and honest solar providers, many of whom are accredited with BBB. Overall, just remember to make sure the “once in a lifetime special offer” you’re presented isn’t too good to be true.

Choosing to go solar can greatly benefit you when done right. You have two options: leasing or purchasing your solar panels. Leasing your solar panels is by far the cheaper of the two options, an added benefit being that the company might have a service available to maintain the solar panels for you. While much more expensive, purchasing your panels can be better in the long run. If you purchase, you can receive a 30% federal tax credit. In addition to that, unlike leasing your panels, owning your solar panels can let you break even on your purchase eventually due to the amount you could save on your electricity bill – though it can take years, so be prepared for the long haul.

As always, when choosing a contractor or business, be sure to check them out on bbb.org. It is there that you can find reviews and complaints about the business, as well as if they are accredited with BBB or not. If you’ve been called or approached by a scammer at your home, be sure to make a report with BBB at bbb.org/scamtracker and with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.