| Summer perfect time for home-repair scams Now that school-age children across central Ohio are trading the classroom for the swimming pool, it's also the time of year that homeowner parents learn their lesson - if they're not careful. Con artists even will play on victims' worst fears, claiming, for example, that a failure to "repair" the chimney immediately could expose the homeowners and their families to lethal carbon-monoxide poisoning. For many such "contractors," even the shortest, narrowest residential driveway can represent a veritable highway to fast cash. Maintaining that they have materials left over from another job nearby, they'll offer to seal a driveway for a rock-bottom price. Don't let anyone rush you into signing a contract. Before you shell out money or even allow anyone into your property, you might want to follow these recommendations from the BBB: Get the name and address of the company that the vendor says he or she represents. Consumers also should keep an eye out for would-be handymen who drive vehicles bearing out-of-state license plates or who set up temporary offices, the watchdog organization said. Pay only by check or credit card. Don't let work begin without a signed, written contract that includes all of the promises made orally, as well as start and end dates and a cost breakdown. If you make a down payment, it shouldn't be more than one-third of the project's total price. Sometimes, in search of corroborating evidence, they'll chip away mortar or pry bricks loose. Others will offer to clean out gutters - again, at an unbelievably low price. Verify that the person is licensed, bonded and insured. Whether the proposed work involves roofing, tree trimming or driveway resurfacing, homeowners should be wary of cut-rate offers, especially when the pitches come from people who show up unsolicited, the Better Business Bureau suggests. Pay only after the work is carried out to your complete satisfaction - and don't ever pay with cash. |
Monday, 4 June 2012
Summer perfect time for home-repair scams
