CHARLESTON W.Va. (WVDN) — West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey is urging residents who are dealing with storm damage to be cautious when hiring help to make repairs.
“The damage caused in some parts of the state is heartbreaking and now our communities are faced with the difficult challenge of cleaning up. We want to make sure that process isn’t any more difficult than it needs to be – so please, be aware of scammers who often target those facing hardships,” Attorney General McCuskey said. “Do your research before hiring people to make your repairs and know that our office is ready to stand up to those who prey on victims.”
Scammers often will canvas neighborhoods and offer to repair damaged property with deals that seem too good to be true. At times, they will imply they are working on nearby homes or suggest they are with the bank or insurance company.
All too often, the money is paid without the start or completion of the work.
Many times scammers fail to provide contact information such as a contractor’s license, business card or other identification, and they use high-pressure sales tactics to force immediate purchases.
The Attorney General is asking residents to take their time, research options and be very careful before hiring anyone to do work.
Here are a few tips:
- Evaluate the size and scope of the project.
- Get written estimates from multiple companies.
- Research companies that repair storm damage.
- Ask for references to verify the contractor’s prior work.
- Look for reviews of the company on trusted websites.
- Check to see if the contractor has a valid license by contacting the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board at 304-558-7890.
In addition, there are specific laws related to contractors who agree to work with your insurance company. If you are making an insurance claim to help pay for roof repairs, state law requires contractors to allow the consumer five days to cancel roofing contracts, as opposed to the three-day period for door-to-door sales, without penalty for any portion of repairs not covered by the consumer’s insurance policy. The clock begins with the consumer’s receipt of notice from the insurance company that all or part of the claim is not covered by insurance. The consumer must notify the contractor in writing of the cancellation. The written notice can be via email, letter or return of the company’s notice of cancellation.
Anyone with questions or a potential storm-related home repair scam should call the Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808. To file a report online, visit www.ago.wv.gov.
