Heading into spring Hamilton police warn public of seasonal renovation scams

Hamilton police are reminding residents to be cautious of scams involving hiring contractors for home repairs and renovations as the weather gets warmer.

Officers say each spring and summer, they see an increase in reports involving home renovation scams, where fraudsters target homeowners with offers for quick repairs or discounted work.

They say the scams involve people going door-to-door in neighbourhoods asking residents if they have noticed a problem with a roof, driveway or foundation.

Often, victims of the fraudulent offer are left paying thousands of dollars for poor-quality, incomplete or wholly unnecessary work.

Police say common warning signs of renovation scams involve:

• Unsolicited door-to-door offers, where someone claims they are working nearby and “noticed” damage to property;
• Prices that seem too good to be true and scammers offer a very discounted price, or say they have leftover materials from another job;
• Suddenly raising prices after work begins citing “serious problems” having been discovered;
• Intense pressure to homeowners to make an urgent decision or to pay immediately;
• Unmarked vehicles or unknown workers that lack any company logos, or seem to part a distance from the home;
• A mismatch between company names or the names on the contract does not match a name on payment requests;
• Fake websites or falsely obtained online reviews to create convincing advertisements or making social media pages look legitimate and;
• Poor quality or unfinished work from a rushed job, or with materials and tools where the warranties could be invalid.

Officers suggest making proper precautions before hiring a contractor, which involve being diligent in verifying sources and getting multiple estimates.

Key advice is to take your time, and not allow yourself to be pressured into snap decisions, as legitimate contractors are disinclined to make residents make rash decisions.

They suggest researching the company through reviews, references and credentials, and to always get a written contract that outlines the scope of the work, the cost, timeline and warranty information.

“If an offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is,” reads a statement from Hamilton police.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted or victimized by a renovation scam is encouraged to contact police, either through the non-emergency line at 905-546-4925, or online here.

READ MORE: Renovating your house? Beware of this Halton home repair scam