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OK as you may or may not know at HomeDepot there are sales reps there from Sunrun solar. Who promote they (Sunrun) will install a solar system for you they do all the maintenance and upkeep. So no upfront out of pocket but you do have to sign a lease with them I think for 20 years or something. You still would have the minimum connect fee from HELCO which I think with taxes etc is like $30 a month but then you only pay sunrun a set amount each month which is supposedly lower then what your monthly would be straight using HELCO wired.
I know there has to be a catch somewhere as it sounds one of those - Too good to be true. I asked about what if you had to break your lease before the 20 years and the sales rep just fumbled their words like they did not know how to answer.
Has anyone used this company for solar? What are the Pro's & Con's.
http://www.sunrun.com
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What rate are they going to charge you on the "estimated" HELCO increases to base your payment over the lease would be a start. If they estimate the annual HELCO rate to increase annually, say at 4% and your monthly lease payment is reflected on that increase, but it only goes up, say 2%, you,lose in the long run. Also, I believe you,would not be able to get all the available tax breaks if you were to purchase the system.
Another question on the lease is what are your upgrade options as technology increases over the 20 year lease. Is a panel replacement, or brain box available if the technology considers it as "standard equipment" ten to fifteen years down the line. Are you able to have a backup generator tied to,the system, and if you do, is the lease warranty compromised?
More questions to wade through on the lease agreement than one would think, but better be safe than sorry. JMO
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Solarman. Local. Runs a business out of HPP near Hilo. Look no further.
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You can't fix Samsara.
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I have not signed up with them - just wondering if anyone else already has and what is the Pro's and Con's they experienced. I wanted to get some input from an existing customer before I called them and got the "sales" speech. "Tink" I will ask them about the estimated increases although the sales rep at Homedepot stated your monthly amount will not raise during your lease it's one set rate and one rate only for the length of your lease and they use your latest HELO bill to set up your payment. So I "think" according to her your locked into what ever monthly rate they quote you initially no matter how much "OR" little power consumption you use. According to her your monthly payment usually runs around half of what your average HELCO bill would be. See sounds to good to be true "gotta be some caught.
I bet since its a lease if we sold our home or moved and the new owners did not want the service you would be liable to payoff the remaining payments on the lease. Got to be something like that.
I guess will call them - hope they do not a "hard sales" pitch. I am not easily influenced just do not like when companies do that type of sales.
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A 20-year lease on top of a continued commitment to HELCO seems like a pretty bad deal.
Just sayin'.
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also remember helco is selling out. will new company have to honor the lease?
arent they already talking about changing the 30 dollar to 75 dollar? how could sunruns contract cover helco/florida buyers fees? i would stay away which i do everytime they approach me at HD
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OK thanks.. Knew it was one of those "sounds to good to be true" yeah we are passing on this one. Mahalo for the advice appreciate it!
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Solar leases are very common. It allows someone without enough cash to buy, the ability to get solar now. The added plus is that you are locked into a set price. You also do not have to worry about maintenance or repairs.
If you sell the house before the lease is up, you need to transfer that solar lease to the new buyer.
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What IF the new buyer DOES not want the lease or the service? Then I suppose you are stuck paying of the remainder of the lease?
There are already proven prototypes that more than double the efficiency of solar cells. This technology will probably hit the market is a couple of years. Big issue is still century old battery technology. Solar has become a no brainer. If I was building a new house I would not bother to hook it up to the grid if there was a pole on my property line.
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You can't fix Samsara.
