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New York's Attorney General Letitia James has put out a warning to residents and is asking them to be careful of scammers who are taking advantage of those in need.
She offered the following tips to help keep scammers at bay:
- Never pay the full price upfront: Establish a payment schedule and adhere to it and withhold final payment until the entire project is completed to your satisfaction and all required inspections and certificates of occupancy are finalized.
- Always be sure the contractor has valid insurance. If a worker is injured, or damage is caused on your property, you could be held liable if your contractor does not have the required insurance.
- Ask for references, check for licenses: Ask about local work contractors have done. Talk to the people who hired them; look at the jobs if you can.
- Make sure the contractor has any license required by your local government.
- Estimates are important: Get it in writing. Ask that all estimates for work be in writing and include a description of the material to be used. Be clear that you will not pay for work done that is not agreed upon in writing. Verify that the material used is the same as described in the estimate. Make sure any changes to the estimate are in writing.
- Check with your permits: Don’t let a contractor work without the necessary permits. Failing to get approvals can delay your project, or prevent you from occupying a completed building.
- Use a contractor with an address you can verify: If your contractor is “here today and gone tomorrow,” you may find it difficult to enforce the guarantee.
And, If you believe you are a victim of price gouging, file a complaint with the Consumer Frauds Bureau: (800) 771-7755 or at ag.ny.gov/price-gouging-complaint.
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