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Want to go solar, but worried by NYC's recent landmark lawsuit? Here's what to know.

By
Mahsa Saeidi
Mahsa Saeidi
Mahsa Saeidi, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and licensed attorney, joined CBS News New York as an investigative reporter in March of 2024.
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Mahsa Saeidi,
Walter Smith Randolph

/ CBS New York

Last month, New York City announced a landmark lawsuit against a solar installer that CBS News New York's investigative team first looked into back in 2024.

Now, investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi is building on that reporting with a roadmap on how you can go solar, while protecting your pocketbook.

Cautionary tale

Lorna Wynter thought solar power would free her from skyrocketing electric bills. Instead, she's still paying several hundred dollars a month, and she says she ended up with a loan she never agreed to.

"My best friend has such a program where she didn't pay a cent and she doesn't have a loan for her panels, and her electric bill is about $20," Wynter said.

Wynter and her friend live in the same city and use the same technology, but ended up with completely different outcomes.

The difference is who they hired.

New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel Levine said he thinks solar panels can be a great deal, but he advises consumers to slow down.

Advice for going solar

"There are a lot of ways these companies try to trick consumers. Often, for example, they'll quote the monthly cost instead of the full cost," Levine said.

The city's consumer watchdog says know the full price of the system:

  • Be skeptical of free solar claims
  • Understand what tax credits you actually qualify for:  federal, state and city
  • Shop financing on your own
  • Don't assume the company's lender is your cheapest option

"Often, what's involved there is the solar contractors getting kickbacks," Levine said.

If you sign and something feels off, New York law gives you three business days to cancel with no penalty.

"If you feel you might have been scammed or you're just not sure, exercise that right," Levine said.

Send that cancellation notice in writing. Certified mail is the safest option.

A few more tips: make sure your installer is licensed with the DCWP; get at least three written quotes and read every page, and if someone shows up at your door with an iPad and says the offer expires soon, it's not a deadline, it's a warning.

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