WINK Investigates Reporter Olivia Jean
•8/27/2026
A Cape Coral man came to WINK Listens after running into trouble trying to sell his late parents’ home.
Gregory Tresenriter told WINK his parents were both 82 when they signed a 25-year solar agreement with Palmetto’s LightReach program in 2024.
His mother died about four months after the agreement was signed, Tresenriter said, while his father was battling pancreatic cancer.
“Why would they be involved in a 25-year lease at 82 years old in bad health?" he said at WINK Listens.
After both parents died, Tresenriter inherited the Cape Coral home with his brother and began trying to sell it.
He said the solar agreement became an obstacle.
“Nobody wants to accept the solar panels and the payments. It's a detriment in selling the house," Tresenriter said.
The contract shows an initial monthly payment of $282.72, with estimated lease payments totaling $123,532.56 over the 25-year term.
Tresenriter said he spent about six weeks trying to work with Palmetto before coming to WINK Listens. He said he provided the company with documents, including his parents’ death certificates, but was not able to get the resolution he wanted.
That’s when he asked WINK to get involved.
“I just want somebody to contact them and try to fight for the elderly," Tresenriter said.
WINK reached out to Palmetto on August 10. The company told WINK it offered Tresenriter a 50% prepayment discount on July 30. Tresenriter accepted the offer on August 10.
The company also said it terminated the UCC-1 lien on August 10, the same day WINK reached out.
A UCC-1, commonly referred to as a UCC lien, is a public financing statement that gives notice of a creditor’s secured interest in certain property. In this case, the filing was associated with the solar equipment.
The UCC-3 filing shows the financing statement was cancelled.
Tresenriter said a subsequent title check showed the filing had been removed.
“Now I have a better chance of selling my parents' house without this $120,000 lien," he said.
The company said the discount could be paid from the proceeds of the home sale, and that it regrets the experience Tresenriter had, particularly given the circumstances he faced.
Palmetto told WINK the matter is now resolved.
“This matter has been fully resolved to the customer’s satisfaction. Our goal is to provide for a good customer experience," a Palmetto assistant general counsel said.
For Tresenriter, he credits WINK with helping get the issue resolved: “
"I'm just so happy. I mean, WINK came through," Tresenriter said. “You took care of it in two days, and got straight to their attorneys, which I never did.”
He now has advice for other homeowners considering a long-term solar agreement: “If you got solar panels, look at the contract, see how much you're going to be paying at the end.”
