Sunnova UCC release - getting termination filed properly after equipment removal

Sunnova should absolutely be filing that UCC-3 termination themselves since they were the secured party. The fact that they're dragging their feet is unfortunately common with solar companies. You can file it yourself but you'd need their authorization as the secured party. The debtor name variation you mentioned is actually pretty critical - if the termination doesn't match the exact debtor name on the original UCC-1, it could get rejected.

Three weeks is way too long for a termination after equipment removal. Contact their legal department directly, not customer service. Reference UCC Article 9-513 which requires secured parties to provide termination statements. The name thing is definitely an issue though - 'Limited Liability Company' vs 'LLC' will likely cause a rejection.

I've been dealing with post-installation UCC cleanups for years and this name mismatch thing trips up everyone. Before you do anything else, you need to verify exactly how the debtor name appears on the current UCC-1. I actually discovered this tool called Certana.ai that lets you upload your UCC documents and it automatically checks for these kinds of inconsistencies. Saved me from filing a termination that would have been rejected for name mismatch.

Ugh solar companies are THE WORST about this stuff!! We had panels removed in 2021 and it took FOREVER to get the lien released. They act like it's not their problem once the equipment is gone but legally they have to terminate the UCC filing. Don't let them off the hook!

You mentioned refinancing next month - definitely get this sorted ASAP. Lenders will want to see that UCC-3 termination filed and recorded before they'll close. The name discrepancy could delay everything if the termination gets rejected. I'd suggest calling Sunnova's main number and asking specifically for their 'UCC compliance department' or 'secured transaction department'.

Quick question - when you say the equipment was 'removed', was this a permanent removal or just temporary for the roof work? Because if it's temporary, Sunnova might argue they still have a security interest in the equipment even if it's not currently installed.

I work in commercial lending and see this all the time. The debtor name issue is definitely your biggest concern here. Even small variations like 'LLC' vs 'Limited Liability Company' or missing/extra commas can cause rejections. Before Sunnova files anything, make sure they have the exact legal name as it appears on your current articles of incorporation. Also, since you're refinancing, your new lender might want to see a UCC search report showing the termination was properly filed.

Had a similar situation and ended up using Certana.ai to double-check everything before pushing Sunnova to file. Turned out they had our business name wrong in their system from day one. Would have filed a termination that didn't match and caused a whole mess. The tool caught it immediately.

Just went through this exact scenario with a different solar company. The key is being persistent and documenting everything. Send Sunnova a certified letter demanding the UCC-3 termination within 30 days, referencing their obligation under UCC 9-513. That usually gets their attention.

One more thing to check - make sure Sunnova actually has authority to file the termination. Sometimes these solar loans get sold to other financing companies and the new servicer has to file the UCC-3, not the original installer. Check if your loan was transferred.

This is a really common issue with solar companies unfortunately. Since you're refinancing next month, I'd suggest a two-pronged approach: 1) Send that certified letter demanding the UCC-3 termination within 15 days (not 30 given your timeline), and 2) Do a UCC search immediately to confirm the exact debtor name on file. The name discrepancy between "LLC" and "Limited Liability Company" will absolutely cause a rejection if not handled properly. Also verify who actually owns the lien now - solar loans get sold frequently and you might be chasing the wrong company. If Sunnova keeps stalling, you may need to involve your refinancing lender's title company to apply pressure. They have more clout with these solar companies than individual borrowers do.

I went through almost the exact same situation with SunPower last year - equipment removed, loan paid off, but they dragged their feet on the UCC termination for months. What finally worked for me was escalating to their executive customer service team and threatening to file a complaint with the state attorney general's office for failure to comply with UCC Article 9-513. Within 48 hours I had the termination paperwork. The name variation issue is critical though - I made the mistake of assuming "close enough" would work and the Secretary of State rejected my first termination attempt. Had to refile with the exact name match from the original UCC-1. Given your tight refinancing timeline, I'd recommend doing that UCC search ASAP to see exactly how your LLC name appears, then call Sunnova's executive escalation line (not regular customer service) and give them a hard deadline. Also keep your title company in the loop - they can often expedite things with solar companies when there's a pending transaction.

I just went through something very similar with Sunrun about 6 months ago - equipment removed, loan paid in full, but they kept giving me the runaround on the UCC termination. What worked for me was getting really specific about the legal requirements in my communications with them. I sent them an email (copied their legal department) referencing UCC §9-513(a) which requires secured parties to send or file a termination statement within 20 days after there's no obligation secured by the financing statement. I also mentioned that failure to comply can result in statutory damages under §9-625. That got their attention fast! The name discrepancy thing is super important though - I had to provide them with a certified copy of our current articles of incorporation to make sure they used the exact legal entity name. One tip: if you're really pressed for time with the refinancing, you might consider having your title company reach out to Sunnova directly. Title companies deal with this stuff all the time and solar companies tend to respond much faster to them than to individual property owners.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation right now with Tesla Solar. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about the specific UCC code sections or the importance of exact name matching. My situation is a bit different (equipment is still installed but we paid off early and want to refinance), but Tesla has been just as unresponsive as everyone's describing with other solar companies. I'm definitely going to try the executive escalation approach and referencing UCC §9-513(a) in my next communication. The suggestion about having the title company reach out directly is brilliant - I never would have thought of that but it makes perfect sense that they'd have more leverage. One question for the group: has anyone dealt specifically with Tesla Solar on UCC terminations? Their customer service structure seems even more convoluted than the other companies mentioned here.

Welcome to the community! I've been following UCC termination issues in the solar industry for a while now, and your situation with Sunnova is unfortunately very typical. The key issues you've identified - the 3-week delay and the name discrepancy - are both serious problems that need immediate attention given your refinancing timeline. Here's what I'd recommend: First, do that UCC search immediately to confirm exactly how your LLC name appears on the original filing. Even minor variations like "LLC" vs "Limited Liability Company" will cause automatic rejections. Second, escalate beyond customer service to Sunnova's legal or compliance department - reference UCC Article 9-513 which requires them to provide the termination statement within a reasonable time after the obligation is satisfied. Third, get your title company involved now rather than waiting. They have established relationships with solar companies and can often expedite these terminations when there's a pending transaction. Finally, send Sunnova a certified letter with a hard 10-day deadline (given your tight timeline) referencing their legal obligations and the potential for statutory damages under UCC 9-625 if they fail to comply. Document everything - you may need this paper trail if you have to escalate further. The fact that the equipment is removed and loan is paid off makes this a clear-cut case, but solar companies notoriously drag their feet on the paperwork cleanup.

I'm dealing with a similar UCC termination nightmare with SolarCity (now Tesla) from 2019! Reading through everyone's advice here, I'm realizing I've been way too passive in my approach. The specific UCC code sections people are mentioning (9-513 and 9-625) are exactly what I needed - I had no idea there were statutory damages for non-compliance. My situation is slightly different since we're selling rather than refinancing, but the buyer's lender is flagging the active UCC lien even though we paid off the solar loan two years ago. I've been going through regular customer service for months with no luck. Going to try the executive escalation route and get our title company involved immediately. One question for the group - has anyone had success with filing complaints with state regulatory agencies? My state has a solar contractor licensing board and I'm wondering if that might be another pressure point to get these companies to respond faster.