The recent damage done by tornadoes in Chattanooga and surrounding counties brings out the best in people as strangers reach out to help others in need. Unfortunately, a crisis also brings out contractors who take advantage of victims.
The Better Business Bureau is warning local residents affected by the recent storms to beware of storm chasers and out-of-town contractors soliciting business.
“It is not uncommon for out-of-town storm chasers to solicit business after storms like the ones we had this month,” said Jim Winsett, president of the Better Business Bureau Serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. “Storm chasers might not have proper licenses for our area and might offer quick fixes or make big promises to which they will not deliver.”
The Chattanooga BBB offers the following tips for storm victims:
Contractors must be registered with the Secretary of State in Georgia or the Department of Commerce & Insurance in Tennessee. Call 478-207-2440 in Georgia or 615-741-2241 in Tennessee, or visit www.sos.ga.gov for Georgia or www.tn.gov/commerce for Tennessee, to check whether a contractor is registered.
Many counties require registration if sales people go do-to-door. Verify that they have a permit by contacting your local county government. BBB suggests consumers be pro-active in selecting a contractor and not re-active to sales calls on the phone or door-to-door pitches.
While most roofing contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not know to inspect your roof. An unethical contractor might create damage to get work.
Try to get at least three to four quotes from contractors, and insist that payments be made to the company, not an individual.
Do not pay for the job in advance. Be wary of any contractor who demands full or half payment upfront.
Resist high-pressure sales tactics such as the “good deal” you will get only if you hire the contractor on the spot.
Get a written contract that specifies the price, the work to be done, the amount of liability insurance coverage maintained by the contractor, and a time frame. Require a copy of their current certificate of insurance.
Pay by credit card, if possible. Consumers might have additional protection if there is a problem.
Check that the contractor’s vehicle has signs or markings on it with the business name, phone number and Tennessee or Georgia state license plates.
The Chattanooga BBB is seeing out of state contractors setting up shop in the area trying to capture construction work caused by the tornadoes. BBB is warning area contractors to beware of storm chasers who are willing to pay local construction companies substantial amounts of money to use a local company’s established name, reputation and phone number so they can masquerade as a local business.
For lists of BBB accredited businesses by type of business, visit www.chattanooga.bbb.org or call 423-266-6144.
Source: Better Business Bureau