Florida homeowners buy house advertised with "free" solar panels, then discover that the panels were financed by previous owner with $45,000 still owed, fearing that the lender will reclaim them: 'Surely we cannot be held responsible for the balance?'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Dec 20, 2025 8:00 PM EST

Not even a sunny day could cheer this confused couple up. Because, come rain or shine, they were under the impression that they purchased an amazing house that came with "free" solar panels installed…After all, that is what was written on the listing. So it is no surprise that after looking at refinancing their mortgage, they were shocked to discover that the previous owner, who had passed, still owed over $45 000 to the lender who had financed their solar panels…Surely, it is not a burden that is to fall on the oblivious couple's shoulders, or does the lender have the right to take back the panels in compensation for the debt owed? 

Dun dun duuun!….Can this couple ignore their debt mail forever, when it is not even addressed to them directly? Most people would tell them, absolutely. But this couple seems to enjoy playing it by the book, eager to discover the correct legal path to take, that will keep them out of the most trouble and least viable to incur the costs they didn't even know existed!

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  • When purchasing a home, it is important to understand your contract inside out, back to front, and in 5 different languages…In addition, ensuring that no listing “sugar-coating” or straight-up fiction has taken place right under your nose. Because once you or your partner signs your name to the bottom of that paper, who knows what mysterious “liabilities” may appear…

  • Senior couple reading through their finances in front of their solar-panelled house
    via manfredxy

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Bought a house with "free" solar panels 1.5 years ago. Just found out $45K is owed on the panels.

    Location: Florida My wife and I bought a house around a year and a half ago.
    via Throwaway029878
  • The information about the previous owners that we've gotten is a bit hazy, but this is what we've gathered: the first owner and inhabitant of the house lived in the home for around 15 years, and died sometime around 2020- 2022.
    via Throwaway029878
  • The person we bought the house from did not live in the house, and rented it out for a while before selling it.
    via Throwaway029878
  • We do not know if there were any other owners between the original owner and the person that we bought it from.
    via Throwaway029878
  • The house has solar panels on it. We know that the panels were installed in 2020, by the original owner.
    via Throwaway029878
  • When we were looking at the house online, the description for the Zillow listing (which is still visible on Zillow, by the way) started and ended with "FREE SOLAR PANELS!!!!" We were told numerous times during the process of buying the house that the panels were fully paid off.
    via Throwaway029878
  • We closed without issue, and nothing was ever said about taking over a loan for the panels.
    via Throwaway029878
  • Last month, we refinanced our mortgage. The lender asked for proof of ownership of the solar panels.
    via Throwaway029878
  • Senior couple reading through their monthly finances at the dining room table
    via gettyimages6

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • We weren't able to provide it. We have no documents from our purchase of the house that specifically mentioned solar panels.
    via Throwaway029878
  • Our purchase contract states that we are purchasing the house "together with all existing improvements and fixtures, including built-in appliances, built-in furnishings, and attached wall-to-wall carpet and flooring ("Real Property") unless specifically excluded in Paragraph 1(e) or by other terms of this contract." (Paragraph 1(e) is blank.) The purchase contract also states that we are purchasing Personal Property, including "range(s)/oven(s), refrigerator(s), dishwasher(s)..." It goes on to l
    via Throwaway029878
  • We tried reaching out to the solar company, but they said that they couldn't help us because the original owner financed the panels through an separate lender.
    via Throwaway029878
  • We reached out to the lender, but they also said that they couldn't give us any information without permission from the account holder.
    via Throwaway029878
  • Obviously we couldn't get permission from the account holder, because the account holder is dead. We were never able to provide the proof that the lender wanted, but they approved the refinance anyway, and we closed without issue.
    via Throwaway029878
  • We frequently receive mail addressed to the original owner, which we never open. But today, we noticed that there was mail for the original owner from the lender that they had used to finance the panels.
    via Throwaway029878
  • We opened it, and it showed an overdue balance of $12,000 to be paid by the end of the month.
    via Throwaway029878
  • The remaining principal on the loan was north of $45,000. We're not sure what to do.
    via Throwaway029878
  • Man holding a notice piece of paper that showcases money owed
    via Nicola Barts

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Should we just ignore it? The loan is not in our name, and we never agreed to take over the loan, so surely we cannot be held responsible for the balance.
    via Throwaway029878
  • But does this mean that we don't own the panels? Could the lender take them, like foreclosure on a home or repossession of a car?
    via Throwaway029878
  • NetSiege One of three things should happen; 1) The loan for the solar panels was secured by the home, in which case title insurance should cover this. 2) The loan for the solar panels was secured with a UCC lien on the panels, in which case they may be able to retake possession of the equipment. 3) The loan for the solar panels was neither secured by the home or a UCC lien, in which case the loan company is screwed because they would have had to go through the previous owners estate in probate t
    via NetSiege
  • OP Throwaway029878 This is very helpful, thank you!
    via Throwaway029878
  • bicarbon Can you can even sell something that you don't own? My bet is that the solar company has a lien on the panels. This happened to my cousin and everyone just kept telling her to sign all the paperwork because" that's what everyone does". Both realtors basically sat on the sidelines while the lawyers figured it out and she worked out a new contract with the solar company on her terms.
    via bicarbon
  • Independent-Army1724 If you have proof that the seller listed the panels as part of the property when you purchased it, you may have legal protections. But depends on many factors including location, which I am not an expert on.
    via Independent-Army1724
  • OldResponsibility 588 Sounds to me like you never opened that mail and you don't know anything about it
    via Responsibility588
  • OP Throwaway029878 What mail? I have no idea what you're talking about.
    via Throwaway029878
  • bicarbon How do you have an account with the solar company? Did you sign anything assuming the panels or sign any separate paperwork with the solar company?
    via bicarbon
  • OP Throwaway029878 Honestly, I don't really remember (and neither does my wife), but I know my wife did it over the phone. We definitely didn't have to sign anything. When I say "account" I mean like an online phone app account, to track how much energy the panels are producing, get notifications if they go down, etc.
    via Throwaway029878

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payment-overdue contract solar panels free homeowners
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