THE SHORT ANSWER
FTC guidance urges homeowners to understand whether they buy or lease, the contract term, maintenance responsibility, warranties and what happens when the home is sold. Turn those answers into a support map before signing. [1]
Separate the parties
List the seller, licensed installer, equipment manufacturers, financier or lessor, monitoring platform and utility. One logo on the proposal does not prove one company performs every role. Record legal names, contact channels and the document that creates each responsibility.
Define monitoring
Ask who creates the homeowner account, which measurements are included and who responds to an alert. Monitoring visibility is not continuous human supervision unless the contract explicitly provides it. Confirm how internet changes, account transfers and data gaps are handled.
Define maintenance and repair
Request the process for inspection, troubleshooting, truck rolls, warranty labor and equipment replacement. Product coverage and installer workmanship are different. Avoid a broad “covered for 25 years” statement unless the underlying documents identify the covered event, claimant and exclusions.
Plan for provider disappearance
Keep permits, one-line diagrams, serial numbers, commissioning records and utility approval outside the installer portal. Ask whether another qualified provider can service the equipment without voiding terms. No company can guarantee that every future part or third-party platform will remain available.
Use the map to compare offers
A lower payment may come with different ownership or service duties. Put the support map beside cash price, financing terms and production assumptions. Origin Direct can explain its proposed responsibilities for a specific project without claiming an affiliation or warranty that is not in the written agreement.
Before your next conversation
- List every company and its role.
- Read maintenance and warranty procedures.
- Store system records outside provider portals.
Primary sources
- Federal Trade Commission: Solar Power for Your Home
Primary reference checked September 9, 2026. Confirm current requirements with the named utility, manufacturer or authority for your property.
Planning examples and questions are Origin’s editorial guidance, not a property-specific diagnosis, engineering design, tax determination or promise of savings. Manufacturer and utility references do not imply an affiliation with Origin.
Make the decision specific to your home.
Bring competing support maps to Origin Direct along with the proposal pricing.
Book an Origin Direct review →Scope, pricing and availability are confirmed for your property. A consultation does not establish utility or incentive approval.