Home renovators need to watch out for rip-off artists who'll resort to almost anything to scam money out of homeowners, according to building advisory service Archicentre.
"A famous one was the burglars who dressed up as termite inspectors," says Archicentre Queensland manager Ron Tanton.
"They evacuated the household - an elderly couple - and then looted the place." Tanton says renovators who get caught up in building scams often find themselves in lengthy and expensive caught cases, chasing money from a bankrupt or left with a half-finished project.
Archicentre offers the following tips to help avoid scams:
- Ensure there is a contract.
- Get an independent expert to assess the contract.
- Check the fine print.
- Before agreeing to any repair work, ask for:
- Proof of a contractor's licence.
- A written quote with a licence number on it.
- Company card or letterhead with ACN/ABN on it.
- An after hours contact telephone number.
- A street address for mailing documents.
- Confirmation of all the necessary insurance.
Original article: http://www.apimagazine.com.au/property-investment/avoiding-home-renovation-scams