Fla. Stat. § 520.23 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 520 / Part II / Section 520.23
520.23 Disclosures required.
Status: in_force

Each agreement governing the sale or lease of a distributed energy generation system shall, at a minimum, include a written statement printed in at least 12-point type that is separate from the agreement, is separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, and includes the following information and disclosures, if applicable:

(1) The name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the buyer or lessee.

(2) The name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and valid state contractor license number of the person responsible for installing the distributed energy generation system.

(3) The name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and valid state contractor license number of the distributed energy generation system maintenance provider, if different from the person responsible for installing the distributed energy generation system.

(4) The customer contact center phone number for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

(5) A written statement indicating whether the distributed energy generation system is being purchased or leased. (a) If the distributed energy generation system will be leased, the written statement must include a disclosure in substantially the following form: “You are entering into an agreement to lease a distributed energy generation system. You will lease (not own) the system installed on your property.” (b) If the distributed energy generation system will be purchased, the written statement must include a disclosure in substantially the following form: “You are entering into an agreement to purchase a distributed energy generation system. You will own (not lease) the system installed on your property.”

(6) The total cost to be paid by the buyer or lessee, including any interest, installation fees, document preparation fees, service fees, or other fees.

(7) A payment schedule, including any amounts owed at contract signing, at the commencement of installation, at the completion of installation, and any final payments. If the distributed energy generation system is being leased, the written statement must include the frequency and amount of each payment due under the lease and the total estimated lease payments over the term of the lease.

(8) Each state or federal tax incentive or rebate, if any, relied upon by the seller in determining the price of the distributed energy generation system.

(9) A description of the assumptions used to calculate any savings estimates provided to the buyer or lessee, and if such estimates are provided, a statement in substantially the following form: “It is important to understand that future electric utility rates are estimates only. Your future electric utility rates may vary.”

(10) A description of any one-time or recurring fees, including, but not limited to, estimated system removal fees, maintenance fees, Internet connection fees, and automated clearinghouse fees. If late fees may apply, the description must describe the circumstances triggering such late fees.

(11) A statement notifying the buyer whether the distributed energy generation system is being financed and, if so, a statement in substantially the following form: “If your system is financed, carefully read any agreements and/or disclosure forms provided by your lender. This statement does not contain the terms of your financing agreement. If you have any questions about your financing agreement, contact your finance provider before signing a contract.”

(12) A statement notifying the buyer whether the seller is assisting in arranging financing of the distributed energy generation system and, if so, a statement in substantially the following form: “If your system is financed, carefully read any agreements and/or disclosure forms provided by your lender. This statement does not contain the terms of your financing agreement. If you have any questions about your financing agreement, contact your finance provider before signing a contract.”

(13) A provision notifying the buyer or lessee of the right to rescind the agreement for a period of at least 3 business days after the agreement is signed. This subsection does not apply to a contract to sell or lease a distributed energy generation system in a solar community in which the entire community has been marketed as a solar community and all of the homes in the community are intended to have a distributed energy generation system, or a solar community in which the developer has incorporated solar technology for purposes of meeting the Florida Building Code in s. 553.73.

(14) A description of the distributed energy generation system design assumptions, including the make and model of the major components, system size, estimated first-year energy production, and estimated annual energy production decreases, including the overall percentage degradation over the estimated life of the distributed energy generation system, and the status of utility compensation for excess energy generated by the system at the time of contract signing. A seller who provides a warranty or guarantee of the energy production output of the distributed energy generation system may provide a description of such warranty or guarantee in lieu of a description of the system design and components.

(15) A description of any performance or production guarantees.

(16) A description of the ownership and transferability of any tax credits, rebates, incentives, or renewable energy certificates associated with the distributed energy generation system, including a disclosure as to whether the seller will assign or sell any associated renewable energy certificates to a third party.

(17) A statement in substantially the following form: “You are responsible for property taxes on property you own. Consult a tax professional to understand any tax liability or eligibility for any tax credits that may result from the purchase of your distributed energy generation system.”

(18) The approximate start and completion dates for the installation of the distributed energy generation system.

(19) A disclosure as to whether maintenance and repairs of the distributed energy generation system are included in the purchase price.

(20) A disclosure as to whether any warranty or maintenance obligations related to the distributed energy generation system may be sold or transferred by the seller to a third party and, if so, a statement in substantially the following form: “Your contract may be assigned, sold, or transferred without your consent to a third party who will be bound to all the terms of the contract. If a transfer occurs, you will be notified if this will change the address or phone number to use for system maintenance or repair requests.”

(21) If the distributed energy generation system will be purchased, a disclosure notifying the buyer of the requirements for interconnecting the system to the utility system.

(22) A disclosure notifying the buyer or lessee of the party responsible for obtaining interconnection approval.

(23) A description of any roof warranties.

(24) A statement in substantially the following form: “You should consider the age and remaining life of your roof prior to installing a distributed energy generation system. Replacement of your roof may require reinstallment of the distributed energy generation system.”

(25) A disclosure notifying the lessee whether the seller will insure a leased distributed energy generation system against damage or loss and, if applicable, the circumstances under which the seller will not insure the system against damage or loss.

(26) A statement in substantially the following form: “You are responsible for obtaining insurance policies or coverage for any loss of or damage to the system. Consult an insurance professional to understand how to protect against the risk of loss or damage to the system.”

(27) A statement in substantially the following form: “Placing a distributed energy generation system on your roof may impact your future insurance premiums. You are responsible for contacting your insurance carrier, prior to entering into a purchase or lease agreement, to confirm whether your current policy or coverage will need to be modified upon installing the distributed energy generation system onto your dwelling.”

(28) A disclosure notifying the buyer or lessee whether the seller or lessor will place a lien on the buyer’s or lessee’s home or other property as a result of entering into a purchase or lease agreement for the distributed energy generation system.

(29) A disclosure notifying the buyer or lessee whether the seller or lessor will file a fixture filing or a State of Florida Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statement Form (UCC-1) on the distributed energy generation system.

(30) A disclosure identifying whether the agreement contains any restrictions on the buyer’s or lessee’s ability to modify or transfer ownership of a distributed energy generation system, including whether any modification or transfer is subject to review or approval by a third party.

(31) A disclosure as to whether the lease agreement may be transferred to a purchaser upon sale of the home or real property to which the system is affixed, and any conditions for such transfer.

(32) A blank section that allows the seller to provide additional relevant disclosures or explain disclosures made elsewhere in the disclosure form.

The requirement to provide a written statement under this section may be satisfied by the electronic delivery of a document within 24 hours after execution of the written statement containing the required statement if the intended recipient of the electronic document affirmatively acknowledges its receipt. An electronic document satisfies the font and other formatting standards required for the written statement if the format and the relative size of characters of the electronic document are reasonably similar to those required in the written document or if the information is otherwise displayed in a reasonably conspicuous manner.

History: s. 5, ch. 2017-118; s. 4, ch. 2023-130.