A warning has now been issued to Alabama homeowners following recent severe weather. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board is urging citizens to be aware of illegitimate home repairs.
These scammers pray off vulnerable citizens who need immediate repairs after storms. These cons can jeopardize thousands of dollars on fake repair contracts as well as credit and bank information.
Chip Carden is the executive director of the State of Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board. He offered some suggestions on how to tell apart legitimate and illegitimate contractors.
“The best tip is to ask to see their license card. It has the company name, the designated qualifying representative’s name," he explained. "It has their address, and it’s watermarked for the current year. Roofers have to have them, limited license holders have to have them and unlimited license holders have to have them by state law.”
Carden said there are a few other red flags to watch out for when someone offers home repairs.
“They ask for a big down payment and then don’t sign a contract, don’t get change orders, raise the price, don’t do the work," he said. "Be wary of out of state contractors that don’t have a local office, local phone number. To be a licensee of the board, you’re supposed to have written contracts, and if things change, you’re supposed to have change orders.”
Carden also recommends Alabamians be patient on paying for repairs even if the home damage is severe.
For more information on how you can avoid home repair scams, you can visit the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board here.
