We see many people talking about home contractors working unethically and eating up money from customers. Homeowners have to deal with a lot of fraud while hiring contractors or builders. They need contractors for building or renovating homes. But a fraud contractor can be challenging for homeowners to recoup their losses.
Hundreds of homeowners need help from contractors to tackle the complex problems of home building and maintenance. However, with the current situations of fraudsters, it becomes difficult to rely on any company for that matter.
According to Criminal Law Firm Slaferek Callihoo , a construction project can turn into a total disaster, and you also end up at odds with your contractor. Asking for your money back is another task that needs patience. However, with some legal tips and advice, you can take action to get your money back and save it from getting wasted.
If you are having a hard time with your contractor, read our article to help yourself. We will guide you on what steps you can take to get your money back.
What Is A Contractor Fraud?
Contractor fraud is a team of home contractors who use illegal practices for home building, renovation, or repair. Contractor fraud also includes using substandard material and overbilling. Some of the most common contractor frauds include:
● Asking for a cash upfront
● Overbilling
● Using substandard materials
● Leaving key project details
● Running into unexpected problems
● Selling materials that are leftover from previous jobs
● Pressurizing you to give cash
Ways to Deal with A Fraud Contractor
Fire Those Fraudsters
The first step to avoiding fraud contractors is to fire them and stop working with them. There is no need to dig a deeper hole with them just for nothing. Going a long road with them will only cost you more.
Therefore, stop working with them even if it puts a pause on your working progress. This will save you from further damaging your budget.
Hire A Lawyer
There are many law firms that can help you in this matter. Lawyers can help you with getting back your money legally. People mostly avoid going legal and solving matters in court. However, if you don’t know about anything, seeking legal help can be relieving. Attorneys know legal laws, and they can find flaws in the contract. This can act as a weakness that they can use to win your case.
Hiring an attorney can be costly, but if you want to get your money back, it is the best option you can opt for.
Filing A Suit in Small Claims Court
What more you can do is to file a suit in small claims court. However, the limitation is the amount for which a plaintiff can sue. Small claims courts help solve any type of mediation, such as taking too much time to complete a project, over-budgeting, or misusing the materials.
You can ask your jurisdiction courthouse to ask for the forms to file a small claims court suit. This is a good option to solve issues without involving attorneys.
File Your Complaint with The State
Construction contractors are required to provide licenses to work legally under a state. They are compelled to submit their details to the licensing boards for registering. They are required to renew their registration every year or two.
If you are having any problem with your fraud contractor, you can register a complaint against them on the licensing board. This can damage the reputation of the contractor that can force him to give your money back.
Post A Negative Review
Nothing is more powerful than using an online platform for raising your voice. Any site can help, for example, using a Facebook page to review or Google reviews. Any social media platform can help you in raising your voice against such fraudsters.
Give a complete detail of your experience and how they are delivering less-than-quality work. Don't exaggerate about it and share your real experience. Most probably, when your contractor notices this review, he will contact you to have a deal with you.
Hiring and working with contractors requires research. A fraudulent contractor wastes your money and time. Getting help from an attorney can certainly help you win your case and give you the money back.
Braylon is an author, renowned blogger, and Consultant. He is also an engineer but writes on a variety of topics including Mechanical Engineering, Law, Millwrights, Towing, Business development, and construction management, etc
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