Estimated reading time: 10 minutes.
Key facts
- What happened: Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements on October 23, 2026, with solar company Sunrun, Inc., its installation subsidiary, the sales company Elevate Solar Solutions LLC, and two salespeople, resolving most of a 2024 state lawsuit over solar sales tactics.
- The case: State of Connecticut v. Sunrun, Inc., et al., Docket No. X07-HHD-CV-24-6188068-S, Connecticut Superior Court, Complex Litigation Docket at Hartford.
- The core allegations: The state alleged salespeople selling Sunrun systems forged homeowners' electronic signatures, impersonated a homeowner on a recorded verification call, installed panels without permits, and locked people into 25-year leases they did not agree to.
- What Sunrun must do: Pay $300,000 to the state, notify affected customers, investigate fraud claims and respond within 60 days, and offer relief such as cash, account credits, contract cancellation or system removal when fraud is substantiated. The attorney general says there is no cap on restitution.
- How to file a claim: The attorney general's office says consumers may submit claims to CTSupport@sunrun.com.
- Admission: The defendants did not admit liability. Claims against a third company, Bright Planet Solar, Inc., remain pending.
In this article
- What the settlement does
- Who the parties are
- How residential solar sales work
- What the state alleged
- The laws involved
- How the case got here
- Who can seek relief and how
- What remains unclear
- What happens next
- Frequently asked questions
What the settlement does
The settlement ends Connecticut's claims against Sunrun and its subsidiary, and separately against Elevate Solar and the two salespeople named in the suit. According to the attorney general's announcement:
Sunrun must:
- Pay $300,000 to the State of Connecticut.
- Notify all consumers whose contracts were solicited by Elevate, Sierra Howes or Dakota Grumet, or by anyone associated with them believed to be engaging in similar conduct.
- Investigate every claim of fraudulent conduct and give the consumer a response within 60 days.
- Where its investigation substantiates fraud, offer one or more options: cash payments, account credits, contract cancellation and/or removal of the solar system.
- Let consumers cancel their Sunrun contract if they say they never received a copy and Sunrun cannot prove they did.
- Pay for an independent arbitrator if a consumer disputes the outcome.
The attorney general's office says there is no cap on the restitution Sunrun may have to provide.
Elevate Solar, Grumet and Howes face a $200,000 penalty, suspended after $100,000 is paid, to ensure ongoing compliance. Elevate must dissolve. Grumet may not own a home solicitation or home improvement sales company for 10 years, must work under a company's direct supervision, and must keep records of any unsolicited door-to-door or phone marketing he does. Howes must surrender her home improvement salesperson registrations with the Department of Consumer Protection and may not apply for a salesperson or contractor registration for 10 years.
"This settlement carries significant financial penalties, and forces SunRun to make things right for Connecticut customers," Tong said. "We will be watching this process closely and will not hesitate to aggressively enforce the terms of this agreement."
What changed Homeowners whose Sunrun contracts came through these salespeople now have a defined path to ask Sunrun for cancellation, credits, cash or removal, with a 60-day response requirement and a free independent arbitrator if they disagree with the result.
Who the parties are
The State of Connecticut. The lawsuit was brought by Attorney General Tong at the request of Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. DCP registers home improvement contractors and salespeople, and it referred the consumer complaints that led to the suit, according to the 2024 announcement.
Sunrun, Inc. and Sunrun Installation Services Inc. Sunrun, Inc. is a publicly traded company based in San Francisco that sells and installs home solar systems, which customers can buy or lease through multi-year leases, loans or other financing. In 2024, the attorney general described Sunrun as claiming to be the largest residential solar installer in the United States. Sunrun Installation Services is a subsidiary registered in Connecticut as a home improvement contractor. The state's complaint says Sunrun began offering installation services in Connecticut around November 2010.
Bright Planet Solar, Inc. A Massachusetts company based in Worcester that, according to the complaint, marketed, sold and installed Sunrun systems in Connecticut under contracts with Sunrun. The attorney general says Bright Planet is no longer represented by counsel and the case against it remains pending.
Elevate Solar Solutions LLC. A West Hartford, Connecticut, sales company. The complaint says Bright Planet passed sales work to a company called A&D Solar, which in turn passed it to Elevate.
Dakota Grumet and Sierra Howes. Grumet was a principal and managing member of Elevate, and Howes was its registered agent. The complaint says they also used the names Dakota Ford and Sierra Ford, and alleges neither was registered as a home improvement salesperson, as Connecticut law requires.
How residential solar sales work
Rooftop solar systems are meant to stay on a house for decades and can cost tens of thousands of dollars, the state's complaint notes. Because of that cost, many customers sign leases or loans that run 20 years or more, with monthly payments that may rise each year.
Large solar companies often rely on local partners. The complaint says Sunrun contracts with local companies for door-to-door marketing, sales and installation, and that its agreement with Bright Planet allowed subcontracting while letting Sunrun approve or reject subcontractors and individual salespeople.
One safeguard in these sales is the verification call. As the complaint describes it, the salesperson, often sitting in the customer's home, calls the solar or finance company and hands the phone to the customer, who confirms the contract terms on a recorded line. Sunrun requires these calls and asks the salesperson to identify themselves. The state's case turns partly on allegations that this safeguard was faked.
What the state alleged
These are allegations from the state's complaint, which the defendants did not admit. The complaint describes three homeowners' experiences.
Windsor. A salesperson presenting as a Bright Planet representative pitched a 25-year Sunrun lease at $306.98 a month on August 14, 2023. The homeowner said no, and so did her father when contacted later. The complaint alleges someone then applied an electronic signature in her name, with her first and last names reversed, to a lease dated August 14. On the recorded verification call, the salesperson identified as "Sierra Ford," and a deep male voice claiming to be the female homeowner agreed to the lease, again reversing her name. A 36-panel system was installed on her roof in October 2023, and she received the lease only afterward. Sunrun refused to cancel the lease or remove the panels, the state says.
Stafford Springs. Over a Zoom call in November 2022, the complaint says, a homeowner accepted a 25-year lease at $314 a month without being told payments would rise 2.9% a year, totaling $135,693 over the lease. She later found an electronic signature on a contract she had never seen, and learned the contract was with Sunrun. The panels went up in December 2022, more than six months before the town approved the building permit on June 6, 2023, and the system was not activated on time.
Wethersfield. A homeowner signed electronically for a $106.18-a-month lease in October 2022 but never received a copy of the contract. The complaint says panels were installed before the electrical permit was approved and the system was not activated on time.
The complaint also alleges broader problems: misstated payment amounts or total costs, work started without permits, long delays, and unresponsiveness to roof leaks and malfunctions.
Allegations, not findings No court decided whether these events happened as described. The settlement resolves the claims without any admission of liability by Sunrun, Elevate, Grumet or Howes.
The laws involved
Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA). The state's main consumer protection law bans unfair or deceptive acts in business. It lets the attorney general seek court orders, restitution, disgorgement of profits and civil penalties.
Home Improvement Act. This law requires home improvement contractors and salespeople to register with DCP. It requires a written contract signed by the homeowner that includes a notice of cancellation rights, a completed copy given to the homeowner at signing, and required permits before work begins. The state says violations count automatically as CUTPA violations.
Home Solicitation Sales Act. This law covers sales made at a consumer's home. It requires sellers to give the buyer a complete receipt or copy of the contract when it is signed. The complaint says violations of this law are also automatic CUTPA violations.
A central legal question was whether Sunrun could be held responsible for what salespeople several layers of contracts away did. The state argued that Sunrun controlled the sales process closely enough that the salespeople acted as its agents.
How the case got here
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2022 to October 2023 | The Wethersfield, Stafford Springs and Windsor transactions occur, according to the complaint |
| July 19, 2024 | Attorney General Tong announces the lawsuit |
| December 6, 2024 | Sunrun moves to strike the claims against it |
| June 5, 2025 | Judge Stewart strikes the deception count against Sunrun, finding the agency relationship was not adequately pleaded, but keeps the unfairness and willful-conduct counts |
| September 3, 2025 | The state asks to file a second amended complaint adding detail about Sunrun's control over its sales partners |
| October 23, 2026 | Settlements with Sunrun, Elevate, Grumet and Howes announced |
Who can seek relief and how
Based on the attorney general's announcement, the settlement's notice and investigation process covers Connecticut consumers whose Sunrun contracts were solicited by Elevate, Howes or Grumet, or by others associated with them believed to be engaging in similar conduct. Sunrun must notify those customers.
If you believe you were affected:
- Submit a claim to CTSupport@sunrun.com, the address listed by the attorney general.
- Expect a response within 60 days, under the settlement terms described by the state. The announcement does not say exactly when that period starts.
- If you never got a copy of your contract and Sunrun cannot show you did, the settlement lets you cancel.
- If you disagree with Sunrun's decision, Sunrun must pay for an independent arbitrator.
Connecticut residents with complaints about any solar company can also file with the attorney general at ct.gov/agcomplaints or with DCP's complaint center.
Gather your paperwork first Your lease or loan documents, any emails or texts from the salesperson, payment records and permit dates can help Sunrun or an arbitrator evaluate a claim. The settlement does not guarantee any particular outcome.
For other cases that may be open to claims, see our list of class action cases you can join.
What remains unclear
- The settlement text. We did not find the signed settlement documents in public sources. Terms here come from the attorney general's announcement.
- Deadlines. The announcement does not give a deadline for submitting claims or say when Sunrun's notices will go out.
- How many homeowners are covered. The state has not said how many contracts the notice requirement reaches.
- Sunrun's response. We did not find a public statement from Sunrun about the settlement.
- Court approval. The announcement does not say whether a judge has entered the settlement as a court order.
This article is for information only and is not legal advice.
What happens next
Sunrun's notice and investigation process is the next step for affected homeowners. The attorney general's office says it will monitor compliance. The case against Bright Planet Solar remains pending in Hartford Superior Court.
The settlement is part of a series of Connecticut solar enforcement actions. The attorney general cites an active investigation of SunStrong Management LLC, a $100,000 settlement with solar servicer Spruce Power 3, LLC, a $20,000 settlement with lead generator EnergyBillCruncher.com, a $5 million stipulated judgment against Vision Solar, which filed for bankruptcy, and a 2025 settlement with Vision Solar's largest financing partner, Dividend Finance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sunrun Connecticut settlement?
It resolves a 2024 lawsuit by Connecticut's attorney general alleging deceptive solar sales tied to Sunrun. Sunrun will pay $300,000 to the state and must investigate fraud claims and provide relief to affected homeowners.
How do I file a claim against Sunrun in Connecticut?
The attorney general's office says consumers may submit claims to CTSupport@sunrun.com. Sunrun must respond within 60 days, according to the announced terms.
What relief can homeowners get?
If Sunrun's investigation substantiates fraud, it must offer one or more options: cash payments, account credits, contract cancellation or system removal. Homeowners who never got a copy of their contract can cancel if Sunrun cannot prove delivery.
Does Sunrun admit wrongdoing?
No. The attorney general says the defendants did not admit liability.
Is this a class action?
No. It is an enforcement action brought by the State of Connecticut under its consumer protection laws, not a private class action. Relief runs through Sunrun's claims process described in the settlement.
What happens to Bright Planet Solar?
The state's case against Bright Planet Solar, Inc. remains pending. The attorney general says the company is no longer represented by counsel.
