Sunrun Complaints in Washington State — What Homeowners Report (2026)

Quick answer

Sunrun complaints in Washington State most commonly involve solar systems that underperform promised savings — particularly in western Washington's cloudy climate — high-pressure door-to-door sales in the Seattle-Tacoma metro, and 20-25 year lease agreements that complicate home sales. Washington homeowners have a 3-day right to cancel door-to-door contracts and strong remedies under the Washington Consumer Protection Act.

Sunrun is one of the largest solar companies operating in Washington State, with significant door-to-door sales activity throughout the Seattle-Tacoma metro, Eastside suburbs, and Eastern Washington. But Washington homeowners — particularly in cloud-heavy western Washington — are increasingly reporting that their Sunrun systems produce far less than the sales projections promised, and that the 20 or 25-year leases they signed create significant complications when they try to sell their homes. Here's what Washington law gives you.

The Western Washington Solar Problem

Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Kirkland, and most of western Washington receive significantly less solar irradiance than the national average used in many solar sales tools. The region's heavy cloud cover from October through April means solar production during those months can be 30-50% lower than projections based on national or California-derived averages. Sunrun sales reps who use optimistic production models in western Washington are setting homeowners up for years of underperformance relative to expectations.

Washington homeowners on Sunrun PPAs face the additional issue that they pay Sunrun per kilowatt-hour at a rate with annual escalators — meaning Sunrun's rate goes up every year while their system may be producing less than promised. Within 5-7 years, many Washington Sunrun PPA customers find they're paying more per kWh to Sunrun than they would to Puget Sound Energy or Seattle City Light.

Lease Complications in Washington's Real Estate Market

Washington's hot real estate markets — King County, Snohomish County, Pierce County — have created significant complications for homeowners trying to sell with Sunrun leases. Buyers using FHA or VA financing typically cannot assume solar leases, and many conventional buyers are wary of assuming a 15-20 year payment obligation. Sunrun buyout quotes for Washington homeowners typically range from $15,000 to $35,000, which can either kill deals or require significant price reductions to compensate buyers. Learn more about the challenges of selling a house with a solar lease.

Your Rights Under the Washington Consumer Protection Act

Washington's Consumer Protection Act (CPA) prohibits unfair and deceptive acts in commerce. If Sunrun's sales rep misrepresented your expected production, savings, or the ease of exiting the contract, those representations can form the basis of a CPA claim. Washington CPA allows recovery of actual damages, treble damages up to $25,000, and attorney's fees — making contingency representation viable for Washington solar cases.

Washington's Door-to-Door Sales Act provides a 3-business-day cancellation right for home solicitation contracts. If Sunrun failed to provide adequate written notice of this right, your cancellation window extends. See the complete guide on canceling a solar contract after signing.

What to Do Next

Document your actual vs. projected production, compare your PSE or Seattle City Light bills before and after installation, and get your contract reviewed. A free review at breakyoursolarcontract.com will identify your specific options under Washington CPA before you pay an attorney.

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