Financing Disputes
THE TERMS BEHIND YOUR INVESTMENTA closer look at the full picture.
UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN
Look at each figure.
Ask what it means.
A monthly payment is one part of a financing agreement. The project price, loan figures, repayment schedule, and conditions may each answer a different question. Explore the four topics below, then use the plain-language definitions to identify what you want explained. A difference between figures needs context; it does not establish the reason for the difference.
01
Compare figures with the same meaning.
Start with the original quote and the signed documents for the same equipment and work. Record the exact label beside each figure: cash price, principal, Amount Financed, current balance, or Total of Payments. These labels describe different things. Do not treat them as interchangeable or assume that a difference is automatically an unexplained fee.
- The project: whether both documents include the same equipment, services, and later changes.
- The figure: its label, amount, document date, and any itemized explanation.
- The sales explanation: how the price and financing costs were described before you signed.
Illustrative example: Your proposal lists a project price, but the loan disclosure shows a different figure. Keep both documents and identify their labels before asking what accounts for the difference.
Get your records ready02
Find the condition behind the new payment.
Identify the payment you expected, the amount now requested, and when the change began. Some solar loan agreements condition a quoted payment on an additional payment toward principal by a stated date. The applicable condition depends on your agreement; a higher payment does not, by itself, explain what changed.
- The schedule: the payment amounts and dates shown in the original documents.
- The condition: any later payment or other requirement the company says affects the amount due.
- The notice: the change date, explanation given, and any related payment you made.
Illustrative example: A notice requests a higher monthly payment and refers to an additional payment described in the agreement. Save the notice and explain what you were told about that condition during the sale.
Get your records ready03
Separate an estimate from a promise.
Explain whether the sale relied on expected electricity savings or an anticipated tax benefit. Keep the wording and assumptions, including whether a benefit was presented as certain or only possible. The CFPB’s 2024 solar-loan advisory describes concerns about estimates used in sales presentations; it does not determine your eligibility for a current tax benefit.
- The statement: who described the savings or benefit, when, and in what material or conversation.
- The assumption: what had to happen for the estimate or advertised payment to apply.
- The concern: how the statement affected your decision and what later differed from your understanding.
Illustrative example: A proposal presents a lower cost after an anticipated benefit, while the signed loan shows a larger obligation. Identify which figure you understood you would repay and the explanation you received.
Get your records ready04
Identify the entry you want explained.
Name the particular charge, payment entry, or balance that you cannot match to your records. A clear question is more useful than a general statement that the bill is wrong. Compare the statement with your payment confirmation and keep any explanation from the company that sends the bill.
- The entry: the amount, description, and date shown on the statement.
- Your record: the payment date, amount, confirmation, or other document that relates to it.
- The response: what you asked the company, what it said, and what remains unclear.
Illustrative example: You have a confirmation for a payment, but you cannot identify the corresponding entry on a later statement. Keep both records and the company’s response to your question.
Get your records readySix loan terms, in plain language
- Cash price
- The quoted price of the project without financing. Check that the quote covers the same equipment and work before comparing it with a financed offer.
- Amount Financed
- The net credit provided to you or on your behalf, as identified in the disclosure. It is not necessarily the original principal or the total you will repay.
- Principal
- The loan’s borrowed-money component, separate from interest. Original principal and remaining principal balance refer to different points in time.
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- A yearly measure of credit cost that reflects interest and certain finance charges. It is different from the interest rate alone and does not represent every project expense.
- Payment schedule and loan term
- The schedule describes the number, amounts, and timing of payments. The term is the length of the loan. Read any conditions affecting scheduled amounts.
- Total of Payments
- The sum of the scheduled payments shown in the disclosure. It is not your current balance or necessarily the amount needed to pay off the loan today.
PAYMENT PERSPECTIVE
See the payment story.
Month by month.
One monthly figure can leave out part of the picture. Compare what you expected with the amounts shown in a schedule or notice, and turn the difference into a clear question.
Explore the financing examples and records guide, or contact the office. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive payment comparison.
These figures are fictional. Change the amounts or comparison period to see how the picture changes.
01 / SET THE COMPARISON
Start with the monthly amounts.
Use amounts for the same financing arrangement. Month 1 means the first payment month you are comparing, not a calendar month or necessarily the start of the loan.
Enter a whole month from 1 to 120. The later amount applies starting in that month, including the change month itself.
Leave unknown amounts blank. Enter 0 only when the monthly amount is zero. Use USD amounts from $0 to $100,000, with up to two decimal places.
02 / EXPLORE THE TIMELINE
A change you can see.
Choose a window from 1 to 60 months. This is a selected period, not necessarily the full loan term.
Expected monthly amountEntered schedule
Enter the monthly amounts to see the timeline.
See how the figures are calculated
These sums include only the monthly amounts entered. They exclude separate fees, one-time payments, tax benefits, and other amounts. No interest or loan balance is calculated.
THE AMOUNTS ARE ONLY PART OF THE STORY
If the document mentions a separate payment or condition, describe it here. This simplified chart does not include that amount or calculate whether a condition was met.
03 / BRING THE QUESTION INTO FOCUS
Make the numbers
easier to discuss.
Review your summary, then add it to the inquiry. You can edit it in the contact form before submitting.
Find the supporting records Call (888) 742-2880Example summary · not sent0 / 1,800
Example figures cannot be added to an inquiry. Start your own comparison when ready.
A simple comparison of entered monthly amounts, not a loan quote, payoff, account balance, disclosed Total of Payments, or estimate of recovery. It does not determine whether a charge is correct or a claim exists. Exploring sends nothing. Entries stay in this page until you add them to the contact form and choose “Submit Request.” An inquiry does not change your payment obligations or create an attorney-client relationship.
FINANCING USE CASES
Common loan concerns.
Explained step by step.
Choose the situation closest to your financing concern. Each fictional example explains what to compare, which records can help, and how to prepare a focused question for the firm. More than one situation may apply to your loan or project.
SELECT A SITUATION TO EXPLORE
Swipe through the choices, then tap one to read it below.
EXAMPLE 01 / ORIGINAL PRICE & FINANCING
The loan documents show an amount different from the project price you expected.
Start with the exact label beside each figure. A cash price, original principal, Amount Financed, and Total of Payments describe different things. Compare documents for the same equipment and work, including later changes. The question is how the original financing was put together and explained, not simply whether two numbers differ.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner keeps a cash-price proposal for a solar installation. The signed loan documents show a larger original principal, and the homeowner cannot find a clear explanation of the difference. The seller says the financed offer used different pricing. The homeowner wants to understand the itemized costs and what was explained before signing.
Records that can help
- Comparable project proposals: Cash and financed offers showing the equipment, work, price, date, and any later additions or removals.
- Complete financing documents: The signed agreement, credit-cost disclosures, payment schedule, and any available itemization of the original amount.
- Pricing explanations: Sales messages or notes about the difference between paying cash and financing, together with later company responses.
Questions to clarify
- What is the exact label and date of each figure you are comparing?
- Do the proposals and loan cover the same equipment, work, and approved changes?
- What itemized explanation has the company given for the original loan amount?
EXAMPLE 02 / PAYMENT CHANGES
Your monthly payment increases even though you expected it to stay the same.
Compare the original schedule with the change notice and the explanation given during the sale. Some agreements condition a lower monthly amount on an additional payment toward the loan balance. Identify whether that or another term is being cited. A fixed interest rate does not by itself answer whether every scheduled payment is the same.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner makes the monthly payments shown in a solar proposal. Later, the lender requests a higher amount and points to a condition requiring an additional payment toward principal. The homeowner understood the quoted monthly figure would continue and does not recall that condition being explained during the sale.
Records that can help
- The original payment explanation: The proposal, illustration, or sales message describing the monthly amount and how long it would apply.
- The schedule and change notice: The signed payment terms, the condition cited, and the notice identifying the new amount and date.
- Relevant payment history: Statements and confirmations for regular or additional payments that relate to the stated condition.
Questions to clarify
- What amount did you expect, what is now requested, and when did the change begin?
- Which specific condition or schedule entry does the company say explains the change?
- How was that condition explained, and what do your payment records show?
EXAMPLE 03 / FINANCING & PROJECT STATUS
Loan bills begin while the financed work or system activation is still unresolved.
Put the project timeline beside the loan timeline. Identify what the agreement or sales explanation said about the first payment and any event linked to it, such as completion or activation. An unfinished project and a loan billing question are connected concerns, but one does not by itself establish the answer to the other.
A fictional homeowner example
Solar equipment is installed, but the homeowner is still waiting for the remaining steps before it can operate as expected. A first loan bill arrives. The homeowner recalls being told payments would start only after activation, while the lender refers to a date in the agreement. The installer has not provided a clear completion update.
Records that can help
- First-payment terms: The loan schedule and any sales message connecting billing to installation, completion, or activation.
- Project-status records: The work agreement, dated progress messages, available approval records, and any completion confirmation you received.
- Bills and company explanations: The first bill and each company’s response about why billing began and what work remains.
Questions to clarify
- Which date or event was supposed to trigger the first payment, and where is that stated?
- What work or activation step is still unresolved according to the available records?
- What explanation has each company given for the project status and billing start?
EXAMPLE 04 / PAYMENTS & ACCOUNT HISTORY
You have a payment record, but cannot match it to the loan account.
Identify one transaction at a time: its amount, date, recipient, and status. A payment scheduled or initiated is not necessarily the same as a completed payment recorded on the account. Compare your confirmation with the statement and the company’s explanation, including any later posting, return, reversal, or allocation shown in the records.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner has a bank record showing money sent toward a home-improvement loan. A later account statement does not show the entry they expected. The company says it is investigating how the payment was recorded. The homeowner wants to understand whether it was received and how it affected the balance and amount due.
Records that can help
- The payment confirmation: The date, amount, intended recipient, transaction reference, and available record of whether the payment completed or was returned.
- Relevant account statements: Statements before and after the payment and any transaction history showing how the amount was recorded.
- Requests and responses: Your question to the billing company, its explanation, any investigation reference, and later corrections or updates.
Questions to clarify
- What do the records show about when the payment was sent, received, or returned?
- Which account entry or balance change did you expect to see, and why?
- How does the company say the payment was recorded or applied?
EXAMPLE 05 / LATER ACCOUNT CHARGES
A later statement includes a fee or charge you cannot reconcile with your records.
Focus on the specific charge rather than the overall account total. Record its label, amount, date, and the event the company says triggered it. A charge may need to be compared with both the agreement and the transaction history. An unfamiliar label alone does not explain whether the charge was properly assessed.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner sees a returned-payment fee on a home-project loan statement. Their bank record appears to show a completed transfer, and they do not know which transaction the fee concerns. The company gives a general explanation but has not identified the payment it says was returned.
Records that can help
- The statement entry: The exact charge description, amount, date, and any earlier or later version of the statement.
- The cited terms and event: The agreement language or notice the company refers to, plus records of the payment or event said to trigger the fee.
- The item-specific response: Your request for an explanation and any reply identifying a transaction, calculation, or correction.
Questions to clarify
- Which exact entry do you question, and is it a new charge or an amount carried forward?
- What event and agreement provision does the company say support that charge?
- Which record agrees or conflicts with that explanation, and what remains unanswered?
EXAMPLE 06 / PAYING OFF A LOAN
A payoff quote is different from the balance you expected to repay.
A payoff quote concerns the amount needed to close the loan as of a stated date. It may differ from a balance shown for another date and can include interest or other listed amounts. Identify the quote’s date and breakdown rather than treating the remaining scheduled payments or an earlier statement balance as an automatic payoff figure.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner considering paying off a solar loan requests a quote. The amount is higher than the balance on an earlier statement. The quote lists interest and another charge, but the homeowner cannot connect each item to the agreement or payment history. They want the difference explained before deciding how to proceed.
Records that can help
- The dated payoff quote: The full breakdown, issue date, date through which the quote applies, and any instructions or conditions included.
- The comparison balance: The statement or account record showing the labeled figure you expected, its date, and any payments made afterward.
- Terms and explanations: Relevant loan provisions and the company’s explanation of each interest amount, fee, or other item in the quote.
Questions to clarify
- Are the quote and the balance you are comparing calculated for the same date?
- What components make up the quote, and which specific item is unclear?
- Does the quote account for the relevant recent payments and any adjustments shown in your records?
EXAMPLE 07 / CANCELLATION, REFUNDS & BALANCES
The seller promised a refund or cancellation, but the loan still shows a balance.
Separate the seller’s promise from any action recorded by the lender or billing company. Identify whether a refund was supposed to go to you or toward the loan, whether it was actually sent, and how it was supposed to affect the account. A request to cancel a project does not by itself establish that the financing was canceled.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner and a home-improvement company exchange emails about canceling work that has not begun. The company says it will return an amount to the lender. Later loan statements still show a balance, and the homeowner has no confirmation that the promised funds were sent or applied.
Records that can help
- The written agreement or promise: Cancellation or refund messages, the amount discussed, any conditions, and the party expected to receive the funds.
- Available transaction records: A refund or transfer confirmation, any partial credit, or a statement that the promised action is still pending.
- Loan status and responses: Statements before and after the promise and the lender’s or billing company’s explanation of the current account status.
Questions to clarify
- What exactly did the company agree to do, for what amount, and subject to which conditions?
- Was the money intended for you or the loan, and what evidence shows it was sent or received?
- What adjustment is visible on the account, and what part remains unresolved?
EXAMPLE 08 / ROLES & UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
The seller, installer, and lender give different answers about the same concern.
Identify each company and the particular question it has been asked. The seller may have described the financing, another company may perform the work, and a lender or separate billing company may maintain the account. Their explanations may address different parts of the problem. A referral to another company is not, by itself, a determination of legal responsibility.
A fictional homeowner example
A homeowner asks about a charge tied to a change in a financed solar project. The seller points to the lender, the lender requests information from the installer, and the installer says billing is outside its role. The homeowner has several replies but no explanation connecting the project change to the loan entry.
Records that can help
- Company names and roles: The project and financing agreements, billing notices, and any notice that account handling moved to another company.
- The shared issue: The specific change, charge, payment, or document each company was asked to explain.
- The response history: Dated requests, replies, reference numbers, referrals, and any follow-up or action promised by each company.
Questions to clarify
- Who made the sales statement, performed the work, provided financing, and handled the relevant bill?
- Did each company receive the same specific question and supporting information?
- Which part has been explained, and which question still has no clear answer?
These fictional examples help organize an inquiry; they are not the firm’s cases or results and do not determine whether a legal claim exists. Selecting a situation does not submit an inquiry, cancel an agreement, or change payment obligations. Use the contact form to describe your own concern.
MAKE THE INFORMATION CLEARER
Connect the documents.
Show what changed.
Three groups of records can explain the original arrangement, the later payment history, and the questions that remain. Select a category to see what each group can show. Keep the document title and date with each figure so the office can understand the comparison.
CONNECT THE DETAILS / 01
What was offered, explained, and signed?
Keep the full financing agreement alongside the project proposal and any written cost explanations. Include attachments and later changes. Together, these records help identify the project price, loan terms, and conditions you received.
If the sales explanation was spoken, make a note of who gave it, when, and what you remember. Clearly distinguish your recollection from exact words in a document. Identify any question you asked before signing and the answer you received.
WHAT TO LOCATE AND WHY
- Project quotes: the cash-price or financed proposal, included work, equipment, and any approved changes.
- Complete loan documents: signed terms, cost disclosures, payment schedules, and related attachments.
- Sales explanations: emails, texts, presentations, and notes about price, payments, savings, or conditions.
CONNECT THE DETAILS / 02
What does the account history show?
Put statements and payment confirmations in date order. Identify the first statement or notice that raised the question and the specific entry involved. This helps separate the original expectation from what was later billed or recorded.
If you made an additional payment, note its date and amount and keep the confirmation. If a project or system problem happened at the same time, describe it separately so the financing concern and the project concern can be understood together.
WHAT TO LOCATE AND WHY
- Account statements: the relevant balances, charges, payment entries, and statement dates.
- Payment confirmations: receipts or records showing the payments that relate to your concern.
- Change notices: letters or messages explaining a new payment, a condition, or an account change.
CONNECT THE DETAILS / 03
Which question still needs an answer?
Keep the request you made and the response from each company. The seller, installer, lender, and company handling billing may have different roles. Name the company that made each statement rather than referring to everyone as “they.”
A short timeline can show when the concern arose, who you contacted, and what remains unresolved. Include any notice or date that needs attention so you can discuss its significance with the office.
WHAT TO LOCATE AND WHY
- Your requests: emails, messages, complaint references, and the particular question you asked.
- Company explanations: written replies and dated notes of calls, including any promised follow-up.
- The current status: what has been explained, what changed, and what help you want to discuss.
You can make an initial inquiry without every record. Tell the office what you have and what is missing. These categories help organize information; they do not determine whether you have a claim. Ask how to share documents if the office requests them.
QUESTIONS HOMEOWNERS ASK
Your financing questions,
answered clearly.
These answers explain how to begin. The available options depend on the actual agreement, the facts, and the rules that apply to the transaction.
Why does a loan figure differ from the price I remember?
First identify what each figure represents and whether the documents describe the same project. A quoted cash price, original principal, disclosed Amount Financed, current balance, and scheduled Total of Payments are different measures. Ask for the itemized explanation of the figure you question.
The CFPB’s 2024 advisory identified some solar financing arrangements involving dealer markups—costs added to the financed price. That does not establish that your loan includes the same charge or explain every difference. Your own documents and the sales explanation are the starting point.
Can a case review automatically cancel my loan?
No. Requesting a conversation through this website does not cancel, rewrite, or reduce a loan. A review is an opportunity to understand the concern and discuss whether the firm may be able to assist; it does not guarantee cancellation, a refund, or a lower balance.
Describe the outcome you want to discuss without assuming it is available. Ask whether an initial review has a charge. If representation is proposed, discuss the work and fees before agreeing. An inquiry or acknowledgment does not itself establish representation.
Should I change my payments while questioning the loan?
This website cannot decide that for you. Submitting an inquiry here does not itself change your loan terms. Discuss the particular agreement, notices, and circumstances with qualified counsel before deciding what to do about payments.
If a due date, collection notice, or other time-sensitive issue is approaching, call the office and identify it. Do not assume that sending a form means the firm has agreed to act or that the date has been extended.
Why might the scheduled monthly payment change?
Look for the written payment schedule and the specific condition cited in the notice. An advertised payment may have been based on an additional payment toward principal by a stated date. The agreement and your actual payment records are needed to understand whether that explanation applies.
A fixed interest rate and a payment that stays the same are separate questions. Compare the schedule, the sales explanation, and the later notice. Identify the condition you did not understand and what you were told about it before signing.
What if the sale relied on expected savings or a tax benefit?
Keep the original estimate, its date, and the wording used to describe the benefit. Explain whether you understood it as a possibility or a promise, how it affected your decision, and which later bill, payment, or result raised the concern.
This page does not establish that a tax benefit is currently available or that you qualify for it. Current tax treatment needs a separate review of the applicable rules and your circumstances. The archived 2024 CFPB advisory below is historical background, not a statement of current eligibility.
What if the lender, seller, and installer are different companies?
List each company you know about and its role. Identify who made the sales statement, who provided the financing, who performed the work, and who sends or handles the bills. Keep each agreement and response with the correct company’s name.
A financing question can overlap with unfinished work, solar performance, or a sales concern. Explain the connected issues together; you do not have to decide which company is legally responsible before contacting the office. Include the property’s state so the office can confirm whether it may be able to assist.
Public consumer resources: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explains credit-cost terminology. Its archived solar-financing advisory describes concerns identified in 2024; use it as historical background, not as current tax-eligibility guidance.
CFPB: Solar financing concerns (2024 advisory) (opens in a new tab)CFPB: Interest rate and APR (opens in a new tab)LET’S START A CONVERSATION
Tell us which figure, payment, or bill you want explained.
Call (888) 742-2880 or use the form to request a conversation. Describe the project, the companies involved, and the specific financing concern. The office can discuss whether additional information is needed and whether the matter may be a fit.
REQUEST A CASE REVIEW
Tell Us How
We Can Help.
Use this form to request contact about your concern. Choose email or phone as your preferred contact method; an email address is required for the submission confirmation. Fields marked are required.
A helpful financing inquiry includes:
- The background: the project, property’s state, company names and roles, and approximate dates.
- The difference: the labeled figure or payment you expected, what later changed, and what you were told before signing.
- The current question: the explanation you requested, any company response, and the help you want to discuss.
The form accepts a general summary, not attachments. Leave out account numbers and confidential financial records; ask the office how to provide documents if requested.
THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING LEX BELLATOR
Request received.
Thank you for sharing your concern. Our team will review your contact information and follow up with you to discuss your inquiry.
For a time-sensitive matter, please call the office. Submitting an inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship.