Freedom Forever Bankruptcy: What Homeowners With Unfinished or Inactive Systems Can Do Before the Claim Deadline

Reviewed by Credible Law Editorial Team · Published September 29, 2026

Freedom Forever, once the second-largest residential solar installer in the country, is now being liquidated. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 15, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 26-10522). On August 7, 2026, the case was converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation after no qualified buyer emerged, and a Chapter 7 trustee was appointed to wind the company down.

For many homeowners, the Freedom Forever bankruptcy is not an abstract business story. Some have panels on the roof that were never turned on. Some have half-finished installations. Some are receiving loan or lease bills for a system that has never produced a kilowatt-hour. This article explains what you may still owe, how to find out who now controls your project, what federal and state law can do for you, and how to file a claim in the bankruptcy before the deadline. CredibleLaw is a national legal resource and attorney referral network, not a law firm. This article is general information, not legal advice.

Short answer: Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy does not usually cancel your solar loan, lease, or PPA, because those contracts are typically held by a separate finance company. But you are not necessarily stuck paying for a system that was never finished or turned on. Depending on your contract, the FTC Holder Rule, and your state’s law, you may be able to raise Freedom Forever’s failures against the lender or leasing company. Separately, homeowners with money claims against Freedom Forever itself generally need to file a proof of claim in the bankruptcy. The reported deadline is October 16, 2026.

Freedom Forever Bankruptcy: Key Dates and Facts

Item	Details
Debtor	Freedom Forever LLC; affiliates Freedom Forever Pennsylvania LLC and Freedom Forever Procurement LLC filed May 2, 2026 (jointly administered)
Court and case number	U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, Case No. 26-10522
Chapter 11 filing	April 15, 2026
Converted to Chapter 7	August 7, 2026 (liquidation)
Chapter 7 trustee	Alfred T. Giuliano
Proof of claim deadline	October 16, 2026 (general creditors, as reported; confirm on your notice)
Company size	About 6.1% U.S. residential solar market share in 2025, second only to Sunrun; more than 150,000 homeowners with Freedom Forever installations, according to Solar Power World

The claims deadline lines up with the bankruptcy rules. When a case converts to Chapter 7, a new 70-day period for filing proofs of claim begins (Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure 1019(2) and 3002(c)). Seventy days after August 7, 2026, is October 16, 2026. Always check the official notice in the case, because the court controls the deadline.

Do You Still Have to Pay Your Solar Loan or Lease?

In most cases, yes, at least for now, and stopping without a plan is risky. Freedom Forever was the installer. Homeowners usually paid for their systems through a separate company: a solar lender for a loan, or a leasing company or investor for a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA). Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy does not by itself cancel those contracts, because they belong to another company that is not in bankruptcy.

That does not mean you have no options. The answer depends on what you signed and where your project stands:

Your situation	What usually applies	Where to start
Loan, system installed and working	Loan continues; warranty and service become the problem	Keep paying; document performance; check manufacturer warranties
Loan, system unfinished or never turned on	Lender may be subject to your claims against Freedom Forever under the Holder Rule	Dispute in writing with the lender; see the Holder Rule guide
Lease or PPA, system not operating	Payment start often depends on the contract’s “in-service” or commencement date	Read the payment-start clause; dispute bills for a system that is not operating
Paid a deposit or cash, work not done	Claim against Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy estate	File a proof of claim by the deadline

One Tampa homeowner told reporters his panels were installed in March 2026 and eventually passed local inspection, but the system was still not connected to the grid months later. He described facing “essentially a $20,000 bill,” with lease payments set to begin in September on a system that was not running. That kind of situation, where payments start for a system that does not operate, is exactly where your contract terms and state law matter most.

Before you stop paying: Missing payments can damage your credit, trigger collection, and give the lender an argument that you breached first. A written dispute, a complaint to regulators, and an attorney’s letter are usually safer first steps. See what happens if you stop paying a solar loan.

How to Find Out Which Finance Company Now Controls Your Project

Freedom Forever worked with several outside finance companies. According to pv magazine’s report on the case, the bankruptcy court authorized seven finance companies to resume and complete stranded solar installations: GoodLeap, EnFin, EverBright, Credit Human, Participate, Project Solar, and Sunrun. Summaries of the earlier court record describe separate settlements with GoodLeap, covering third-party-owned (lease and PPA) projects as they reached funding milestones, and with EnFin, which was allowed to act for the company on designated work orders. Mosaic, a solar lender that went through its own bankruptcy in 2025, was listed as Freedom Forever’s largest creditor.

To find out who controls your contract:

• Check your paperwork. The loan agreement and Truth in Lending disclosure name the lender. A lease or PPA names the owner of the system, which may later assign it to another company.
• Look at your billing statements. The company collecting your payments, or the servicer named on the statement, is the one to contact.
• Search for a UCC filing. Many solar lenders and lessors record a UCC fixture filing with your county recorder. It names the secured party. See our guide to solar UCC liens.
• Call your utility. Ask whether an interconnection application was filed for your address, who filed it, and what is missing. This tells you how close the system is to permission to operate.
• Ask in writing. Send the lender or leasing company a written request asking who is responsible for completing your installation and obtaining permission to operate, and what timeline they will commit to.

Paying for a Freedom Forever system that isn’t finished or turned on? An independent attorney can review your loan or lease, your project status, and the bankruptcy deadline, and tell you what leverage you have. CredibleLaw can connect you with one at no cost to be matched. Request a Free Case Review →   or call 888-201-0441 CredibleLaw is an attorney referral network, not a law firm. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.

The FTC Holder Rule: Holding the Lender Responsible

If your system was financed with a loan arranged through Freedom Forever, the Federal Trade Commission’s Holder Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 433) may be your strongest tool. The rule requires consumer credit contracts arranged by the seller to include a notice stating that any holder of the contract “is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller.”

In plain terms, if Freedom Forever failed to finish the work, you may be able to raise that failure against the lender that holds your loan. There are important limits:

• Recovery is capped. The notice limits what you can recover from the lender to the amounts you have paid under the loan. It can also be used defensively, to resist paying for work that was never done.
• It applies to consumer credit. The Holder Rule is written for credit contracts. Whether it reaches a lease or PPA is far less clear, so lease and PPA customers usually rely on their contract terms and state law instead.
• The notice matters. Check your loan agreement for the notice. Courts are split on what happens when a required notice is missing.

The Holder Rule is not affected by Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy, because it is a claim against the lender, which is not the company in bankruptcy. Read more in our FTC Holder Rule guide and the solar loan problems hub.

Lease and PPA Payments Tied to Permission to Operate

Permission to operate (PTO) is the utility’s approval to connect and run your system. Until you have it, the system generally should not operate. For lease and PPA customers, the key question is when your payments were supposed to start.

• Read the payment-start clause. Look for terms like “in-service date,” “commencement date,” “placed in service,” or “interconnection.” Many agreements tie the first payment to one of these events. If yours does and the system has no PTO, a bill may be premature.
• Check production-based pricing. Under a PPA you typically pay per kilowatt-hour produced. A system that is not operating should not produce PPA charges.
• Look for performance guarantees. Many leases and PPAs promise a minimum level of production or uptime, with credits when the system underperforms.
• Know your state’s rule. Some states set the timing by law. Arizona bars lease payments until the system is energized and interconnected and the utility grants permission to operate (A.R.S. 44-1763). For purchase agreements signed on or after October 1, 2025, Nevada limits what a buyer must pay the installer beyond a deposit until the utility grants permission to connect (SB 379).

If your system is stuck without PTO, see our guides to solar installer problems and permission-to-operate delays.

How to File a Proof of Claim in the Freedom Forever Bankruptcy

A proof of claim tells the bankruptcy court that Freedom Forever owes you money. In a Chapter 7 case, a creditor generally must file a proof of claim for the claim to be allowed (Bankruptcy Rule 3002(a)). Homeowners might have claims for deposits paid for work never done, money paid for an unfinished installation, damage caused by the installation, or unpaid refunds.

1. Confirm the deadline. The reported deadline for general creditors is October 16, 2026. Check the Notice of Chapter 7 case or the court docket for Case No. 26-10522 to confirm.
2. Check whether you already filed. A proof of claim filed before the August 7 conversion is treated as filed in the Chapter 7 case (Rule 1019(4)). You do not need to file again.
3. Use Official Form 410. The standard proof of claim form is Official Form 410, available from the U.S. Courts website. Follow the filing instructions in the case notice, which may allow electronic filing.
4. Calculate your claim. Include deposits, payments made for work not completed, repair costs, and other losses. Attach contracts, receipts, invoices, photos, and correspondence.
5. Identify any priority amount. Individuals who paid a deposit for household goods or services that were never provided may be entitled to priority up to $3,800 under 11 U.S.C. § 507(a)(7) (amount adjusted April 1, 2025).
6. Keep proof of filing. Save the confirmation or a file-stamped copy.

Be realistic about recovery. In a Chapter 7 liquidation, secured lenders and priority claims are paid first, and general unsecured creditors often receive only a small percentage, if anything. For most homeowners, the bigger practical leverage lies with the lender or leasing company, not the bankrupt installer. Still, filing on time preserves your rights, and a late claim can be lost entirely.

The bankruptcy also puts an “automatic stay” in place, which generally stops lawsuits against Freedom Forever itself. It does not stop you from disputing bills or bringing claims against a separate lender or leasing company.

Florida and Texas: State Law Angles for Freedom Forever Customers

Freedom Forever had a large customer base in the Sun Belt. State law can add protections on top of your contract. For a full comparison, see solar contract laws by state.

Florida

• Solar disclosure law. Florida’s distributed energy statute (F.S. 520.20 to 520.26) required Freedom Forever to give Florida buyers written disclosures, including the installer’s license number, total costs and payment schedule, savings assumptions, roof and insurance notices, and a right to rescind of at least three business days (F.S. 520.23). Missing or inaccurate disclosures can support claims. For willful violations, F.S. 520.25 lets the owner recover finance charges and fees paid, plus attorney’s fees and costs.
• Home solicitation cancellation. If you signed at home, Florida gives three business days to cancel, counting Saturdays (F.S. 501.025).
• Deceptive practices. The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (F.S. 501.201 et seq.) allows consumers to recover actual damages. The court may award attorney’s fees to the prevailing party, which can be either side.
• Recovery fund. For contracts signed on or after July 1, 2024, the Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund can pay up to $30,000 on a claim against a contractor licensed under Part I of Chapter 489, such as a certified solar contractor, usually after a judgment, arbitration award, or board restitution order. Installers licensed only as electrical contractors are not covered. The Construction Industry Licensing Board may waive the judgment requirement when a bankruptcy prevents the homeowner from obtaining one (F.S. 489.141), so ask an attorney whether this path fits your contract.

Texas

• Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act. For contracts signed on or after September 1, 2025, Texas Occupations Code chapter 1806 gives five business days to cancel. If the lender was affiliated with or referred by the retailer, the contract must include a provision requiring the lender to cancel the loan when the sale is canceled.
• Missing cancellation address. If a covered contract left out the required cancellation address, the buyer may cancel by any reasonable method.
• Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The Texas DTPA (Bus. & Com. Code 17.41 et seq.) awards attorney’s fees to a prevailing consumer and allows up to three times economic damages for knowing violations. It can support claims based on how a system was sold.

State-law claims against Freedom Forever itself are subject to the bankruptcy, but many can also inform your dispute with the lender or leasing company, especially under the Holder Rule.

What Freedom Forever Customers Should Do This Week

• Save your records. Download everything from the customer portal and your email: contracts, disclosures, permits, inspection records, monitoring data, and payment history.
• Identify your finance company. Confirm who holds your loan, lease, or PPA and who is servicing it.
• Check your project status. Ask your utility about the interconnection application and your local building department about permits and inspections.
• Dispute in writing. Send the lender or leasing company a written notice describing the unfinished or inactive system and asking how they will complete it. Keep proof of delivery.
• File a proof of claim if you have one. If Freedom Forever owes you money, file before the October 16, 2026 deadline.
• File complaints. Your state attorney general, your contractor licensing board, and the CFPB (for loans) create a record that can help.
• Get a case review. An attorney can tell you whether the Holder Rule, your contract, or state law gives you leverage.

Mistakes Freedom Forever Customers Should Avoid

• Paying a “solar cancellation” company large upfront fees. Some charge thousands of dollars for form letters. Ask whether you are working with a licensed attorney and how fees are structured.
• Signing a new agreement without review. A finance company taking over your project may ask you to sign a new contract, change order, or release. Read it carefully before signing.
• Missing the claim deadline. A proof of claim filed late may be disallowed.
• Removing the panels yourself. This can breach your contract, void warranties, and create roof damage that becomes your responsibility.
• Letting a dispute go unwritten. Phone calls leave no record. Put every dispute in writing.

Talk to someone before the October 16 deadline CredibleLaw can connect Freedom Forever customers with independent attorneys who handle solar loan, lease, and bankruptcy-related disputes. Request a free case review to learn your options. Request a Free Case Review →   or call 888-201-0441 CredibleLaw is an attorney referral network, not a law firm. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Freedom Forever Bankruptcy FAQs

Did Freedom Forever file for bankruptcy?

Yes. Freedom Forever LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 15, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Case No. 26-10522. The case was converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation on August 7, 2026, and a Chapter 7 trustee was appointed.

Do I still have to pay my Freedom Forever solar loan?

Generally yes, because the loan is held by a separate lender that is not in bankruptcy. But if the system was never finished or turned on, the FTC Holder Rule may let you raise Freedom Forever’s failures against the lender, up to the amount you have paid. Dispute in writing and get advice before stopping payments.

Do I still have to pay my Freedom Forever solar lease or PPA?

Usually the lease or PPA continues with the leasing company. But many agreements tie the start of payments to the system being placed in service or receiving permission to operate, and PPA charges are typically based on production. If your system is not operating, read the payment-start clause and dispute premature bills in writing.

What is the deadline to file a claim in the Freedom Forever bankruptcy?

The reported deadline for general creditors is October 16, 2026, which matches the 70-day period that starts when a case converts to Chapter 7. Confirm the deadline on the official notice or court docket for Case No. 26-10522.

How do I file a proof of claim against Freedom Forever?

Use Official Form 410 and follow the filing instructions in the Chapter 7 case notice. Attach your contract, receipts, and other documents supporting the amount you are owed. If you already filed before the August 7, 2026 conversion, the claim is treated as filed in the Chapter 7 case.

Will I get my money back from the Freedom Forever bankruptcy?

Possibly only a portion, if anything. In a Chapter 7 liquidation, secured and priority claims are paid first, and general unsecured creditors often recover little. Individuals who paid deposits for undelivered household goods or services may have priority up to $3,800. The lender or leasing company is often the more practical source of relief.

Who will finish my Freedom Forever installation?

It depends on your finance company. According to pv magazine, the court authorized GoodLeap, EnFin, EverBright, Credit Human, Participate, Project Solar, and Sunrun to resume and complete stranded installations. Ask your lender or leasing company in writing who is responsible for completing your system.

What is the FTC Holder Rule?

It is a federal rule requiring seller-arranged consumer credit contracts to include a notice that the holder of the contract is subject to the claims and defenses the buyer could raise against the seller. It can let you assert an installer’s failures against the lender, with recovery capped at what you paid on the loan.

Does the bankruptcy stop me from suing the finance company?

No. The automatic stay generally stops lawsuits against Freedom Forever itself, but it does not protect a separate lender or leasing company. Disputes and claims against those companies can move forward.

What if I live in Texas or Florida?

Texas contracts signed on or after September 1, 2025, fall under the Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act, and the Texas DTPA may apply. Florida’s solar disclosure statute (F.S. 520.20 to 520.26), FDUTPA, and, for contracts with a Chapter 489 Part I licensee, the Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund may provide additional options.

Does CredibleLaw represent Freedom Forever customers?

No. CredibleLaw is a national legal resource and attorney referral network, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with Freedom Forever or any finance company. We connect homeowners with independent, licensed attorneys. Contacting CredibleLaw does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Freedom Forever Customers: Know Your Options Before October 16

The Freedom Forever bankruptcy has left many homeowners paying for systems that were never finished or never turned on. The bankruptcy itself may offer little money, but your lender, your leasing company, your contract, and your state’s laws may offer much more. If you are a Freedom Forever customer, you can request a free case review, and CredibleLaw can connect you with an independent attorney who handles solar disputes. Request a free case review or call 888-201-0441. For the general rules that apply when any installer fails, see what happens when a solar company goes bankrupt.

Related Solar Guides

• Solar company bankruptcy: your loan and warranty
• FTC Holder Rule and solar loans
• What happens if you stop paying a solar loan
• Solar loan problems
• How to get out of a solar lease or PPA
• Solar installer problems
• Solar contract laws by state
• Solar fraud attorney (pillar guide)

Sources

• Kroll Restructuring Administration, Freedom Forever LLC case information
• pv magazine USA, Freedom Forever bankruptcy converted to Chapter 7 liquidation (Sept. 9, 2026)
• PV Tech, Freedom Forever files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
• Solar Power World, What homeowners should do after Freedom Forever filed for bankruptcy
• Latitude Media, What Freedom Forever’s bankruptcy says about residential solar
• Yahoo Finance, Freedom Forever customers in limbo as bankruptcy moves to liquidation
• FTC Holder Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 433
• Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure 1019
• Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure 3002
• Elevenflo, Freedom Forever Chapter 11 capital stack and court orders
• Florida Statutes § 489.141
• Florida Statutes § 520.25
• 11 U.S.C. § 507 (priorities)
• Federal Register, Adjustment of Certain Dollar Amounts Applicable to Bankruptcy Cases (2025)
• U.S. Courts, Proof of Claim (Official Form 410)
• Florida Statutes § 520.23
• Florida Statutes § 489.143
• Texas SB 1036 (2025), enrolled text
• Arizona Revised Statutes § 44-1763

CredibleLaw is a national legal resource and attorney referral network, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice or representation. CredibleLaw is not affiliated with Freedom Forever, its bankruptcy trustee, or any lender or leasing company named in this article. This article is based on public case information and published news reports as of September 29, 2026, and bankruptcy deadlines and case developments can change. Contacting CredibleLaw does not create an attorney-client relationship. Any attorney you are referred to is independent and will explain their own fees and terms.