To cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract, act within your state’s rescission period (typically 3 to 5 business days), submit a written cancellation notice by certified mail, and contact Peterson Dean directly. If the window has passed, review your contract terms or consult a solar contract attorney immediately.
What Is Peterson Dean Solar and Why Are Homeowners Seeking Contract Cancellation?
Peterson Dean was founded in 1984 and grew into one of the largest residential solar installers in the western United States, operating across California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas. The company offered solar installations bundled with long-term financing agreements, leases, and power purchase agreements running 20 to 25 years.
It is important to note that Peterson Dean filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2019. This significantly changes the landscape for homeowners still holding Peterson Dean contracts. Some contracts were sold to third-party servicers during the bankruptcy proceedings. This means your agreement may now be managed by a company you never directly worked with.
Understanding who currently holds your contract is the essential first step before you attempt to cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract.
Many homeowners sign these agreements quickly, often during high-pressure in-home sales visits. Common reasons people search for how to cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract include overstated savings projections, consistent system underperformance, home sale complications, and misrepresentations made during the original sales process.
Know Your Legal Rights Before You Act
Federal and state consumer protection laws give homeowners meaningful rights when it comes to solar contracts. Understanding these rights is the foundation of any successful cancellation strategy.
The most important protections are the rescission right, the right to accurate disclosures, and protections against deceptive trade practices. Each of these can become a tool in your effort to exit a Peterson Dean solar agreement, depending on your situation.
The FTC Cooling-Off Rule and Your Right to Rescind
The Federal Trade Commission’s Cooling-Off Rule gives every homeowner the right to cancel certain contracts signed at their home within three business days, penalty-free. This rule applies directly to solar contracts sold during in-home sales visits.
Many states extend this window further. California, which is Peterson Dean’s largest market, gives solar customers five business days to rescind under the Home Solicitation Sales Act. Hawaii and Nevada also have extended rescission protections for solar customers specifically.
If you are still inside this window, sending a written cancellation notice today is your fastest and cleanest path to get rid of a Peterson Dean solar contract at zero cost.
State-Level Consumer Protection Laws That Apply
Beyond the federal rescission rule, most states have consumer protection statutes that prohibit deceptive sales practices. If a Peterson Dean representative made false claims about your expected savings, tax credit eligibility, or equipment performance, those statements may constitute a violation of your state’s Unfair and Deceptive Acts laws.
The California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, for example, specifically protects homeowners against misrepresentation in home solicitation sales. These laws give you legal standing to pursue cancellation or compensation even after the rescission period has expired.
How to Cancel a Peterson Dean Solar Contract: Step-by-Step
Canceling your Peterson Dean solar contract requires a methodical approach. Rushing without documentation is the most common mistake homeowners make. Follow these steps in order.
Step 1: Identify Who Currently Holds Your Contract
Because Peterson Dean filed for bankruptcy in 2019, your contract may have been transferred to a third-party servicer or acquired by another solar company. Check your most recent billing statements and correspondence to confirm exactly which entity you owe obligations to.
This matters because your cancellation notice needs to go to the correct legal entity. Sending it to the wrong party can delay your case significantly.
Step 2: Gather All Your Documentation
Before you contact anyone, compile every document related to your agreement. This includes your original signed contract, all sales materials and brochures the rep provided, email correspondence, text messages, monthly energy production reports, and billing statements.
This documentation package is your evidence base. Every negotiation, complaint, or legal proceeding will rely on these materials.
Step 3: Send a Written Cancellation Notice
Whether you are inside or outside the rescission window, always initiate your exit in writing. Use certified mail with a return receipt requested. This creates a legal timestamp that cannot be disputed.
Your notice should include your full name, property address, contract or account number, a clear statement of your intent to cancel, and the legal basis for your cancellation if applicable. Keep the language factual and direct.
Step 4: Contact the Servicer or Current Contract Holder Directly
Follow your written notice with a formal written request to the company currently servicing your contract. Ask specifically about their early termination policy, any available buyout options, and their formal cancellation process.
Document every interaction. Send a written email summary after every phone call, confirming what was discussed and what was agreed.
Step 5: File Regulatory Complaints If Necessary
If the servicer refuses to engage or denies your request without explanation, file formal complaints with your state attorney general’s consumer protection division, the Better Business Bureau, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The CFPB specifically accepts complaints about solar loan products and financing agreements. A complaint on file with a federal regulator changes how companies prioritize your case.
Peterson Dean Solar Contract Cancellation: Situation-Specific Guidance
Different situations require different legal strategies. Here is how to approach the most common scenarios homeowners face when trying to exit a Peterson Dean solar agreement.
Canceling During a Home Sale
A Peterson Dean solar contract does not disappear when you sell your property. Leases and power purchase agreements are typically structured as obligations that transfer to the new buyer. Many buyers refuse to assume a solar contract, which can stall or collapse your sale entirely.
In this scenario, you generally have two options. You can negotiate a buyout of the remaining contract value with the current servicer, or you can work to transfer the obligation to the buyer with their full informed consent. Neither option is straightforward. Engage your real estate attorney before you list the property.
Canceling Based on Misrepresentation
If a Peterson Dean sales representative made specific promises about your energy savings, tax credit amounts, or system performance that turned out to be inaccurate or exaggerated, you may have a viable misrepresentation claim. This is one of the strongest grounds to terminate a Peterson Dean solar agreement after the rescission period.
To build this case, gather every piece of written material the sales rep provided. Retrieve any emails or text messages where specific numbers were promised. Compare those representations to what your contract actually guarantees and what your system has actually produced.
Misrepresentation claims can support a full contract cancellation or, at a minimum, a negotiated settlement well below the remaining contract value.
Canceling Due to System Underperformance
If your solar system has consistently produced less energy than the contract guaranteed, you may have a material breach claim against Peterson Dean or the current servicer. This is a legitimate legal ground to cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract.
Track your production data carefully. Download your monthly generation reports from your monitoring system. Compare each month’s actual output to the estimates written into your original agreement. If there is a consistent and significant gap, document it in a written letter to the servicer with the data attached.
Underperformance claims are stronger when supported by data over at least six to twelve months.
How to Get Out of a Peterson Dean Solar Contract for Free
Getting out of a Peterson Dean solar contract for free is realistic in specific circumstances. Within the rescission period, you have an absolute right to exit at no cost. After the rescission period, a proven material breach by Peterson Dean or its successor servicer can also support a free exit.
Outside these situations, a negotiated settlement is typically the most practical outcome. Settlement amounts vary widely based on how much time remains on the contract, the strength of your legal claims, and the quality of your representation.
Attorney-led negotiations consistently produce lower settlement figures than homeowners achieve on their own.
What Happens If You Stop Paying Your Peterson Dean Solar Contract
Stopping payments without a formal cancellation process is one of the most damaging decisions a homeowner can make. Depending on your contract structure, the current servicer can report missed payments to credit bureaus, initiate collection proceedings, or place a lien on your property.
A lien on your home affects your ability to refinance, sell, or take out a home equity loan. The financial consequences of an informal exit far outweigh the short-term relief of stopping payments. Always pursue a formal legal process before changing your payment behavior.
Can a Solar Contract Attorney Help in Getting You Out?
A solar contract attorney brings expertise that changes the outcome of these disputes meaningfully. They know how to read the specific language Peterson Dean used in its agreements. They recognize which clauses are legally enforceable and which are not. They understand how to build misrepresentation and breach of contract arguments that hold up in negotiations and in court.
When an attorney sends a formal demand letter, it carries legal weight that a homeowner’s phone call does not. Companies and servicers respond faster and more seriously to legal representation. According to the Solar Rights Alliance, homeowners who pursued formal legal channels to exit solar contracts achieved significantly better outcomes than those who negotiated alone.
The Peterson Dean bankruptcy also creates additional legal complexity that a specialist attorney navigates efficiently. Knowing which entity acquired your contract and what obligations transferred in the bankruptcy proceedings requires legal knowledge most homeowners do not have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract after installation?
Yes. Cancellation after installation is possible through negotiation, a proven breach of contract, or a buyout agreement. An attorney gives you the strongest position to achieve a favorable exit.
Who holds my Peterson Dean contract after their 2019 bankruptcy?
Peterson Dean’s contracts were transferred to third-party servicers during bankruptcy proceedings. Check your most recent billing statement to identify the current contract holder before taking any action.
How long do I have to cancel a Peterson Dean solar contract penalty-free?
Federal law provides three business days. California extends this to five business days under the Home Solicitation Sales Act. Check your specific state’s rules immediately after signing any solar agreement.
Does canceling a Peterson Dean solar contract damage my credit score?
Canceling within the rescission period has no credit impact. Stopping payments informally without a legal exit process can trigger collections and credit damage. Always pursue formal cancellation.
What if the current servicer refuses to cancel my Peterson Dean agreement?
File complaints with your state attorney general, the CFPB, and the BBB. Then engage a solar contract attorney immediately. Regulatory pressure combined with legal representation produces significantly better results than homeowner negotiations alone.
Conclusion
Canceling a Peterson Dean solar contract is a process that rewards preparation, documentation, and legal knowledge. Acting quickly within the rescission period is the easiest path. Beyond that window, building a case around misrepresentation, underperformance, or breach of contract gives you the strongest foundation.
If you need professional help navigating this process, Solar Equity Solutions is an attorney-led firm accredited by the BBB with over 5,000 clients helped across the country. Our clear three-step process, transparent refund policy, and plain-language approach make them a trusted resource for homeowners looking to exit Peterson Dean solar contracts without confusion or costly mistakes.