Home Repair Scams

Beware of anyone who comes to your home and offers to fix a problem you were unaware of.

Many scammers will show up and claim that your roof needs repair or your driveway needs to be repaved and offer to do the work immediately at what they claim is a great price. Don’t fall for this trick. If you’re concerned, contact a reputable repair company to determine if there really is a problem.

If you need repairs done, ask your friends, neighbors or co-workers who have had repairs done recently for recommendations.

• Check out a company before you decide to work with them. Check credentials and contact the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau to learn about any complaints against the company.  You can also ask the company for references.
• Get written estimates and compare bids. Instead of deciding to do business with someone who knocks on your door, get at least three estimates in writing if possible. Before work begins make sure you get a written contract that lists all the work to be performed, its costs and a completion date.
• Beware of up-sells. Some companies will come to your house to perform a service or repair at a low advertised rate but when they arrive they point out various expensive and alarming problems that supposedly need attention right away.  By the time they leave, you may have paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for unneeded services.
• Ask about guarantees. Most companies will guarantee their work or the product for a certain period of time. Make sure to get this information in writing.
• Do not pay for work up front. Inspect the work and make sure you’re satisfied before you pay. A reasonable down payment may be required, but don’t pay anything without getting a written contract. Avoid paying with cash; use a check or a credit card instead.
• Remember your right to cancel. Transactions that take place at a location that is not the seller’s normal place of business, including your home, are eligible under state law to be canceled up to three days after you sign the contract. The seller should include instructions on how to cancel in the written contract. You must notify them in writing if you change your mind within that three day period.

We can help

If you have a complaint about a home repair company or want to report a home repair scam, contact us for help or call toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

For more about avoiding home construction and renovation scams watch The Money Pit, an excerpt from our consumer protection video Standing Up, Fighting Back.