Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
I'm up now, so here is a quick analysis using your power bill.
If I interpret you numbers correctly over the course of the month you produced 1143.3 kwhrs of power. Your house consumed 818 kwhrs which made the difference, 327 kwhrs available to sell to the power company.
The next step is more complicated. We have no data on which panels are the rental ones plus you have panels facing north, south, east and west. The south facing panels are the most prolific.
I'll simplify it by assuming it all averages out. Your total capacity is 7.8 plus 3.87 for a total of 11.67. Kw. The rental panels are 33% of the present system. If you get rid of the rental panels you'll only produce 743 kwhrs and you'll have to purchase an additional 62 kwhrs every month at an average of 0.30 per kwhr, possibly more. That will cost you $18.60 per month. Plus you'll no longer get the credit for the 327 kwhr that you are currently selling to the power company which is worth 327 x .30 = $98.You'll be out $116 per month. While this is less than $150 per month, your prize is only $34 per month. For this you'll get holes in your roof and a possible decommissioning charge and a smaller house value. I'd keep those panels.
Thanks for the calculations. The only issue is that the sell back is at .04/kw not .30, so the numbers look a lot different.
Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by KrisZ
I can't imagine a contract being tied to the property, as property is not an entity and you cannot go into a contract with a property.
It's possible the solar system lease is tied to the title of the house, like described in this article, although this is from a different solar company:
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019-sunrun-solar-panels/
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=424259155041676
The only way it is tied to the title is by a lien. As the first article you linked says, the new buyers got the estate to buy out the panels and then the solar company removed them. The lien alone will not bind the new buyers to the solar contract, but it will make it impossible for them to sell it later on.
But you have to do all this work upfront. If you bought the house without sorting out the panels first, I have a feeling you also signed a paper assuming the lease. Many simply dont realize it since there are so many things to sign.
Like I said earlier, it doesn't look like the lease take over is some sort of an automatic thing when you buy the house.
In the purchase agreement of the house, one of the conditions was to takeover the lease on the solar panels.
From my review of the contract, the only viable option for cancellation is to buy out the lease at the market rate, but I am waiting to hear back from solar city.
Originally Posted by alarmguy
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Call the solar company. I think you are in a tight spot.
Solar companies know people sell houses.
I THINK the lease is tied to the house, not the purchaser.
Leases are for people who cannot bear the purchase cost; it is not nearly as cost beneficial as compared to a purchase.
The cost of solar in CA continues to go down. I paid $17K less the tax credit earlier this year for a 5.x kWh system.
This was excellent at the time; prices are even better now.
I pay about $15 per month to be on the PGE grid. I love my solar.
Good luck Michael; I hope you are not stuck.
He isnt stuck, even IF on the outside chance the lease was tied to the house, much like, lets say a mortgage by the current owner.
The title company would make sure its "paid" at time of closing, just like a loan is paid, it comes from the sellers proceeds.
A home i s always delivered free and clear.
I do agree with all of you on one thing, this thread didnt need to exist. You dont buy a home and get answers on BITOG, one quick phone call to the attorney would have taken 5 minutes.
As I mentioned in the original post, this wasn't a deal breaker item. Not sure how else to put it, but either outcome is acceptable. I already have an inquiry opened with Tesla/Solar City and once I have more info, we can all discuss further.
