Many homeowners choose rooftop solar in hopes of cutting electric bills and gaining more control over their energy use. In Central Florida, though, some residents now view those decisions as expensive examples of what can happen when hard-selling meets dubious business practices.
As WKMG ClickOrlando reported, a string of installer bankruptcies has left some customers with more headaches than savings.
Here’s what to know
When Freedom Forever filed for bankruptcy in April 2026, Susan Bradley and Norman Beyer, a Central Florida couple in their 70s and 80s, told the station their solar purchase had become the “biggest” financial mistake of their lives.
As WKMG detailed, the couple had already been discussing solar before a salesperson showed up at their door. Beyer said the company moved so quickly that, once the panels were mounted, they felt trapped.
“I do believe that was the reason they got them up there so fast because once they had them on the roof, we were in with them and there was no way out,” he recalled to the station.
Freedom Forever is part of a broader residential solar shakeout that has also included SunPower, Titan Solar Power, Lumio Solar, Vision Solar, iSun Inc., and ADT Solar.
Luke McCarr, owner of Aspire Solar, told WKMG that large solar firms can come apart fast when high overhead collides with changing market conditions. He said reduced incentives have added still more strain across the industry.
More background
Some homeowners get stuck before they can even confirm that their systems are fully functional, properly permitted, or approved to send electricity back to the grid.
That risk can grow when the sales process moves too fast. Door-to-door pitches, rushed installations, and contracts built on broad promises of savings can leave consumers holding the bag while companies collect money early.
Experiences like this can also erode confidence in clean energy more broadly. Solar can still save money and cut pollution when a stable, reputable company sizes and installs a system correctly, but misleading claims and reckless business choices can make a useful technology feel fraudulent.
McCarr told WKMG his company now regularly hears from “orphan customers,” meaning homeowners whose installers disappeared.
“They’re super upset,” he relayed to the outlet. “They’re very frustrated. And I’m the one who has to pick up the phone.”
What can be done?
Experts say homeowners whose installer has gone bankrupt should start by identifying the manufacturers of their panels and inverters. Those companies are often still operating and may be able to refer customers. McCarr, for his part, is filling in the gap in Florida, and cutting prices to lure unhappy customers.
