What to do if you already signed a bad solar contract

Day 1: Verify which cancellation rules apply to you

• Did the salesperson come to your door (vs. you initiating contact at their office)? If yes, Texas's 3-day right of rescission applies (Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 39, Home Solicitation Transactions).
• Federal FTC Cooling-Off Rule also applies to door-to-door sales of $25 or more, regardless of state law.
• Read the contract's own 'Termination' or 'Cancellation' section — it usually mirrors or expands these protections.
• Confirm the date you signed and count business days (Sunday and federal holidays don't count toward the 3-day window).

Day 1-3: How to actually cancel

1. Send written notice of cancellation in the form the contract specifies (usually a written notice to the address listed on the cancellation form attached to the contract).
2. Send via certified mail with return receipt OR email with delivery confirmation. Keep proof of date and time.
3. Don't sign anything else. Don't pay the deposit if you haven't already.
4. If install work has begun, stop access immediately. Federal FTC rules require the installer to remove anything they've installed at no cost to you within 20 days of cancellation.

Past day 3: What you can still do

• Read the contract's specific termination clause — many contracts allow cancellation up to 14-30 days for a fee. Worth paying if the contract is genuinely bad.
• If the contract was misrepresented (the rep claimed things that aren't true), file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection division. Misrepresentation can void a contract.
• If the installer is licensed by TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) for electrical work, file a complaint there.
• If financed through a loan, contact the lender directly — many will let you cancel the loan within their own grace period, which separately voids the install.
• If leased / PPA, the lessor (LightReach, Sunrun, etc.) usually has its own 5-30 day grace period that's separate from the installer's contract.

What not to do

• Don't ignore deadlines hoping the issue resolves itself. The 3-day window is hard.
• Don't sign a 'change order' or 'amendment' the installer offers as a 'fix' — that often resets your cancellation window.
• Don't post detailed complaints on Reddit or Yelp before sending written cancellation. Most installers will work with you privately; a public complaint can entrench positions.
• Don't pay any cancellation fee until you've verified it's enforceable under Texas law. Liquidated-damages clauses above actual costs incurred are often unenforceable.

When to bring in a lawyer