Financing Ads and Regulation Z for Roofers

Raftervio sells website design to roofing contractors. This guide explains the topic first and mentions our service only where it fits.

Why financing pages need care

A new roof is a large expense, and many roofing companies offer financing through a lender partner. Advertising that option makes sense. "As low as $129 a month" is a strong headline. But federal rules say that once an ad mentions certain credit terms, it has to tell the whole story.

The rules are in Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act. Section 1026.24 covers advertising.¹ Your website, ads, social posts and email campaigns are all advertising for this purpose.

This guide covers closed-end credit, such as an installment loan for a roof, because that is the most common setup. Open-end credit, such as a credit card or line of credit, has its own advertising rules in the same section.

Triggering terms

Section 1026.24(d)(1) lists four terms that trigger extra disclosures in a closed-end credit ad:¹

1. "The amount or percentage of any downpayment."
2. "The number of payments or period of repayment."
3. "The amount of any payment."
4. "The amount of any finance charge."

If an ad mentions any one of those, it must also meet section 1026.24(d)(2).

Required disclosures

Section 1026.24(d)(2) says an ad with a triggering term must state, as applicable:¹

• "The amount or percentage of the downpayment."
• "The terms of repayment, which reflect the repayment obligations over the full term of the loan," including any balloon payment
• The annual percentage rate, using that term, and whether the rate may increase after consummation

Examples

These examples are simplified. Promotional rates, deferred interest offers and variable rates have additional rules. Ask your lender partner for their approved advertising language, which is usually written with these rules in mind.

Practical ways to stay safe

• Keep general pages general: "Financing available through our lending partner, subject to credit approval."
• If you want to show a sample payment, put it on a dedicated financing page with the full disclosures beside it, not in a header banner
• Use the lender's approved example and wording, and keep a copy with the date you published it
• Make sure the APR and terms shown match the lender's current offer, and update the page when rates change
• Show disclosures clearly near the triggering term, in readable text, not hidden in an image or tiny print
• Do not promise approval

Financing and insurance work

Financing pages sometimes appear next to storm damage pages. Keep them separate. Phrases that tie financing to insurance outcomes can mix two sets of rules. For storm and insurance wording, see our storm advertising guide.

Who is responsible?

Treat the claims on your website as your responsibility, even when a lender supplies the financing program and the wording. A short review by the lender's compliance team or your attorney before publishing a financing page is time well spent.

Building a financing page

A good financing page for a roofer usually includes:

1. A plain explanation of how financing works with your partner
2. Who provides the credit, and a link to their site
3. The application process and what happens after approval
4. A representative example with full disclosures, if you show figures at all
5. A note that approval and terms depend on the lender's credit decision
6. A contact option for questions

If you are unsure, it is safer to describe financing without numbers and let the lender's application show exact terms.

Where financing messages appear

Financing wording tends to spread across a website over time: a banner on the homepage, a line on a service page, a social post, a door hanger and a landing page for ads. Each one is advertising. Keep a short list of every place that mentions financing, and check them together whenever the lender's terms change. A banner promising a payment amount that no longer exists is a common way for an old offer to linger.

A representative example done properly

If you decide to show figures, present them as one complete example rather than a headline number. For instance, a financing page might describe a sample loan amount, the APR, the number and amount of monthly payments and any down payment, all together and in the same size text as the rest of the paragraph. The lender should supply or approve the figures, and you should date the example so it is clear when it was accurate. If the lender offers several plans, either show each plan completely or describe them in general terms and let the application show exact numbers.

What to avoid

• Headline payment amounts with the disclosures hidden in a footnote or a separate page
• Rates or terms that apply only to a small share of applicants, presented as typical
• Wording such as "guaranteed approval" or "everyone qualifies"
• Mixing financing claims with insurance claim promises
• Leaving expired promotional terms on the site after the offer ends

Quick review checklist before publishing

• Does any sentence state a down payment, a number of payments, a repayment period, a payment amount or a finance charge?
• If so, are the down payment, full repayment terms and APR stated clearly nearby?
• Do the figures match the lender's current offer, and is the example dated?
• Is approval described as subject to credit approval rather than guaranteed?
• Has the lender or your attorney reviewed the wording?

Explaining financing in plain words

Homeowners considering financing usually want to know four things: who the lender is, whether applying affects their credit, how long a decision takes and what happens if they pay early. Answer those in plain language using information the lender provides, and link to the lender's own pages for exact terms. A calm, factual explanation builds more trust than a large payment figure, and it avoids the disclosure problems that come with advertising specific terms.