A weekly service of the Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs Division
Trap
Mr. T. from Boynton Beach was tired of looking at his faded blacktop driveway. He remembered the flyer left at his front door, “Driveway Repairs…FREE estimates.” He called and spoke with a nice guy who said he could come right over. He said he had some materials left over and could do the job today for a special cash price. Sensing a good deal, Mr. T. agreed and paid for the services. A half hour later, the job was done. However, after the first rain, the driveway’s shiny black finish was gone. Mr. T. called the business and heard a recording saying, “The cellular number you have dialed is no longer in service.” Mr. T. had no way to get in touch with the “nice guy.”
Tips
Mr. T. was looking to get the job done quickly and cheaply. He could have saved himself time and money by:
- being wary of anyone soliciting home repair work by distributing flyers
- always getting at least two written estimates and verifying that the business has an active city/county business tax receipt
- making sure the contract explains the terms completely and shows the name of the business and street address
- never paying cash or a large upfront fee to “get more materials” because you may never see the salesperson again
- asking for proof of worker’s compensation insurance because you may be responsible if someone gets hurt on your property.
If someone comes to your door unsolicited and uses high pressure sales tactics, decline the services, close the door and call the Sheriff or your local police department. If you need more information, call Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 561-712-6600 or visit www.pbcgov.com/consumer to see if other consumers have filed complaints against the company you are considering.
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Government
