In an exciting move in the world of renewable energy, the legislation, “Residential Solar Energy Disclosure and Homeowners Bill of Rights Act,” has recently been signed into law in Rhode Island. The aim? To protect you, the thoughtful homeowner, from potentially predatory practices you may encounter as door-to-door sales approaches from solar companies increase.
Before I unravel the finer details of this law and what it means for you, a quick reminder – solar power is a fantastic, eco-friendly way to provide electricity to your home. My own home flaunts an efficient solar array for home use!
This new Act now comes into play when an individual is selling a solar system purchase agreement, a lease agreement, or a power purchase agreement. It’s targeted to cover those in the business of selling a solar solution for up to four separate housing units at a given time.
Now, this brings us to another critical factor – moving forward, every individual and every solar company involved in selling residential solar must be registered with the state and renew this registration annually. There should be at least one person managing residential sales whose name and address are on record with the state.
To further solidify the safety and transparency of this process, each person involved in direct sales to the homeowners has to undergo a federal background check, yes, including fingerprinting.
Driving compliance is the Rhode Island Division of Taxation which will manage the registration process. Further, the Department of Business Regulation is empowered to investigate any complaints, enforce penalties, revoke registrations, or order a cease in operations for violations. Fines could range up to $5,000 for each violation for a period of up to four years following said violation.
To keep you in the loop and ensure you have every information you need to make an informed decision, the law mandates certain documents that must be handed over to you, the homeowner. This includes an express statement indicating if operations and maintenance costs are inclusive in the agreement, a written estimate of projected savings over the lifespan of the system,
and detailed information on tax credit eligibility.
You also have the right to back out of the deal within seven days of entering the agreement. This law takes effect in March 2025.
The push for this law came amidst an uptick in complaints about aggressive and misleading sales tactics by some solar companies. The intention of the law-makers is to build a trustworthy public image and encourage the adoption of solar panels for your home while making sure your interests as a consumer are protected.
With some homeowners at times puzzled over complex solar lease deals, my advice to you – always have a clear understanding of the cost breakdown, whether you’re considering a lease or buying your own solar array for home use. Trustworthy and transparent solar companies should readily provide you with this information.
As I sign off from this blog post, I want to reassure you that sustainable energy alternatives like solar power are a fantastic way forward, bringing both environmental benefits and energy savings to your home. The key is to work with a reliable solar company, and now with the new law set to roll in, the road to a solar-powered home just got a lot safer and stress-free. Happy solar hunting, everyone!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/08/12/rhode-island-passes-new-consumer-protections-for-solar-industry-amid-rising-concerns/
