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Solar Owner Help In Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a home improvement contractor program with a Guaranty Fund, plus a detailed state guide to net metering. Former PosiGen customers in Massachusetts can also see Help For PosiGen Customers.

Who Registers Contractors

The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation runs the Home Improvement Contractor program. Its Home Improvement Contractor registration page says contractors that solicit, bid on, or perform contracting work on an existing, owner occupied residential property with one to four units must be registered, and that registration is different from a Construction Supervisor License. The page does not mention solar by name, so ask any company whether it holds a registration for your job and check the number.

Where To File A Complaint

The contractor complaint page says complaints go through the online MA Contractor Hub, and that you can file even if the contractor is not registered. It is clear about the limits: a complaint will not result in a money award for the homeowner, but may lead to disciplinary action after an enforcement hearing. The contractor gets 30 days to respond, and hearings are virtual. The page also says processing is currently significantly delayed.

The Guaranty Fund

The Guaranty Fund claim page says the fund is a last resort for homeowners who win in arbitration or court and cannot collect, and that it pays up to $25,000 of actual loss. To qualify, it says you must show there was a contract, the contractor was registered when the contract was signed, the contractor (not the homeowner) got the building permit, the home is a one to four family primary residence, and you made reasonable efforts to collect. The page words the deadline two ways. One passage says "You must submit your application for a Guaranty Fund within seven years of the date of the contract." The eligibility list says the application must be "filed within seven years of the arbitration award or court judgment." Because the two statements differ, confirm the deadline with the Home Improvement Contractor Program (617-648-2467) and file as early as you can.

Net Metering Status

The Department of Public Utilities net metering guide (last updated July 13, 2026) says customers of Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil may net meter, and that facilities of 60 kW or less are Class I. It explains that net metering is capped in each utility's territory, but that Class I facilities of 25 kW or less that meet the guide's conditions are cap exempt. As an example, it gives a net metering credit of about 27 cents per kWh for a Class I cap exempt facility in Eversource East for an R-1 customer in August 2024. Your credit depends on your utility and rate class.

The same guide says interconnection disputes go first to your electric company, then to the DPU through its dispute form. For a dispute with an installer, seller, or developer, it points to the Attorney General's Office, the Better Business Bureau, or your legal options. If your power comes from a utility other than the three named above, ask it about its own rules.

Steps For Any Orphaned System

1. Gather your contract, permit, equipment list, warranty papers, and any loan or lease documents.
2. Call each equipment maker with your serial numbers. EnergySage guide to installer bankruptcy (updated January 7, 2026) says manufacturer warranties remain valid regardless of installer status, and that the manufacturer can often point you to installers certified on its equipment. It also quotes a service coordinator warning that if an installer is not certified on your equipment, those warranties could be determined to be void, so ask the manufacturer before you hire.
3. If you lease or have a power purchase agreement, contact the company that owns the system before hiring anyone. See Solar Lease Or PPA When The Company Is Gone.
4. Check any new company's license with the agency above before you sign, and get the scope and price in writing.

Agency rules, rates, and contact details change. Treat the dates on the sources here as a snapshot and confirm on the agency's own site.

If you want a local service company to look at your system, describe it in the system check form. We name the one company before anyone contacts you.

Related: Installer Went Out Of Business, Solar Warranty Help, Solar System Not Producing.