The Solar Lien That Could Stall Your Miami Home Sale
Can a Solar Lease Put a Lien on Your Miami Home?
Yes. Leased or loan-financed rooftop solar in Florida is typically secured against your home with a UCC-1 fixture filing, a lien-like claim that sits in a different public record index than your mortgage. Many title searches miss it, because UCC filings were historically a business-lending tool rather than a residential one. In Miami-Dade, where FPL's high solar buyback rate has driven aggressive leased-solar sales in large-roof neighborhoods, that gap surfaces often enough to be worth checking before you list.
By Lynley Ciorobea | August 24, 2026
Fifty-three thousand dollars. That's the lien one Florida homeowner didn't know was sitting on her title until it surfaced three weeks before closing. She hadn't taken out a second mortgage. She hadn't fallen behind on property taxes. She had solar panels installed by a door-to-door salesman years earlier, and the 25-year loan that paid for them was still attached to her house.
Most rooftop solar in Florida is leased or loan-financed rather than purchased outright. To secure that debt, the solar company files a UCC-1, a fixture filing that attaches to the property much the way a mortgage does. It just lives in a different index. Title companies pull county lien records as a matter of course. Fewer of them automatically search UCC filings, because those have historically been a business-lending mechanism, not a residential one. Several Miami-Dade title vendors flag this specifically: UCC and municipal records have to be checked separately from the standard lien search.
That gap matters more here than in most of the state. FPL credits excess solar generation at close to the full retail rate, currently around $0.148 per kilowatt-hour, among the highest buyback rates in Florida. Pair that with south Florida sun and the large rooflines common in Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and South Miami, and you get a housing stock that's been an obvious target for leased and financed solar sales for years.
The Florida Attorney General's office currently has active enforcement actions against multiple solar sales companies, Vision Solar and SetUp My Solar among them, over practices that left homeowners with liens they never fully understood. Some of those settlements have included loan cancellations and removal of the UCC lien itself. A Fox affiliate investigation out of the Treasure Coast in early August found homeowners, several of them retirees, carrying $40,000 to $60,000 in solar debt from door-to-door pitches. Some of the salespeople weren't even licensed to sell in Florida. At least fifteen solar installers have filed for bankruptcy since 2022, Sunnova and SunPower among them, which means some of these liens are now held by companies that barely exist anymore in any form you can call.
None of this is theoretical. One Florida buyer closed on a home advertised with "free" solar, then opened a letter eighteen months later revealing a $45,000 loan still attached to the system. Another bought a foreclosed property marketed as having paid-off panels, and only learned otherwise when she called the solar company to transfer service after closing. An 85-year-old homeowner in a similar situation had signed a 25-year lease that left a $53,000 lien on a house she'd owned outright. These aren't outliers pulled from nowhere. They're the pattern.
Miami-Dade County's building department publishes its own permitting checklist for residential solar installations, which tells you how routine this has become locally. It also means the volume of leased and financed systems sitting quietly on southern Miami-Dade rooftops, waiting to surface on a title search, is higher than most sellers assume.
If you have solar and you're getting ready to list, this usually resolves one of three ways:
You pay off the remaining balance, and the solar company files a UCC-3 to release the lien.
The buyer assumes the lease or loan, which requires the solar company's approval and a signed assignment, and it counts against the buyer's debt-to-income ratio if they're financing with FHA.
The panels come off before closing.
None of that happens fast. Attorneys and solar servicers who work these deals recommend contacting your solar company at least 45 days before your target closing date. Wait for the title commitment to surface it, and you're negotiating on someone else's clock instead of yours.
Florida treats an active solar lease or loan as a material fact. It belongs on your seller's disclosure whether or not you think it will come up. This is a different animal than a PACE lien, which finances solar, along with things like impact windows and roofing, through your property tax bill instead of a private loan. A PACE lien sits on the tax roll and is senior to your mortgage. A solar UCC-1 sits in the UCC index and behaves more like a car loan attached to your roof instead of your driveway. You could have one, the other, both, or neither, and each one clears differently at the closing table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a solar lease the same thing as a PACE lien in Florida?
No. A PACE lien is a government assessment recorded against the property tax roll, and it's senior to your mortgage. A solar UCC-1 is a private security filing tied to a lease or loan and sits in a completely different records index. You can carry both on the same house.
How do I find out if my home has a UCC lien from solar panels?
Call your solar provider directly and ask for the current payoff amount and lien status in writing. Don't assume your title company's standard search will catch it. Ask them specifically to run a UCC search, since that's a separate index from the county lien records most searches default to.
Can I still sell my Miami home if I owe money on my solar panels?
Yes. You pay off the balance at or before closing, the buyer formally assumes the lease or loan with the solar company's approval, or the panels come off first. All three are routine, but none of them happen overnight.
Does an as-is contract get me out of disclosing a solar lien?
No. An active lease, loan, or UCC-1 filing is a material fact under Florida law, and an as-is clause doesn't waive your obligation to disclose it.
How far ahead should I deal with this before listing?
Real estate attorneys and solar servicers generally recommend 45 days before your target closing date. If the lien surfaces on the title commitment instead, you're often working with two to three weeks and a buyer who's already anxious about the delay.
If your home has solar and you're even loosely thinking about listing in Pinecrest, South Miami, or anywhere else in southern Miami-Dade, don't wait for a title company to find this for you. Call your solar provider, ask directly whether a UCC-1 is filed against your property, and get the payoff figure in writing. It's one phone call now instead of a scramble three weeks before closing.
About Lynley Ciorobea
Lynley Ciorobea is a Miami-born real estate professional known for helping homeowners successfully prepare, position, and sell their homes across Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and the surrounding southern Miami neighborhoods. Since 2007, she has built her business around thoughtful strategy, strong negotiation, and a marketing-first approach designed to help listings stand out in an ever-evolving market.
A true local, Lynley grew up in Pinecrest and graduated from Palmer Trinity School before attending Duke University, where she earned a BA in Psychology. Her deep roots in Miami give her a nuanced understanding of the architecture, lifestyle, and character that make each neighborhood distinct. From classic Old Spanish homes in Coral Gables to newer construction in South Miami and Pinecrest, she brings a local perspective that goes far beyond surface-level market knowledge.
Over the years, Lynley has naturally become a trusted resource for homeowners preparing to sell. Many of her clients come to her long before their home ever hits the market, looking for guidance on timing, pricing, improvements, and how to position their property thoughtfully. She approaches each listing as a strategic launch rather than a simple transaction, combining market insight, negotiation experience, and elevated marketing to help sellers move forward with clarity and confidence.
As the founder of the Lynley Residential Group, Lynley remains personally involved in every listing she represents. She leads each transaction from initial strategy through closing, ensuring that every detail — from pricing and preparation to storytelling and exposure — reflects the uniqueness of the home itself. Her work often centers on architecturally interesting properties and homes where thoughtful positioning can make a meaningful difference in outcome.
Throughout her career, Lynley has consistently ranked among the top real estate agents in Miami. She has been recognized as part of EWM's Chairman's Club, placing in the top 5% of the company; in 2022 she was honored as the #2 individual agent at the company overall with $37 million in annual sales; and she's a leader in Miami with Real Broker. With more than $100 million in career transactions and more than 60 5-star Google reviews, her experience spans a wide range of property types while maintaining a strong focus on seller representation in southern Miami.
Beyond her work with clients, Lynley is known locally for her market insight and community-focused content. Through her weekly newsletter, neighborhood videos, blog posts, and social media, she shares thoughtful perspectives on the Miami real estate market and the lifestyle that surrounds it. Her approach is informative without being overwhelming, offering homeowners a clear understanding of how market conditions affect real decisions.
If you're preparing to sell a home in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, or nearby areas, Lynley offers a local perspective shaped by experience, relationships, and a genuine understanding of what makes Miami homes so special. Learn more at lynleyresidential.com.