LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Your BBB offers the following tips for flood victims:
- Know your rights and responsibilities provided by the state Attorney General. Kentucky residents can contact the Kentucky Attorney General’s office at ag.ky.gov or call 502.696.5300. Indiana residents can contact the Indiana Attorney General’s office at in.gov/attorneygeneral or 317.232.6201.
- Businesses must be licensed. Contact the Revenue Commission at 502.574.4860 to check out a company’s licensure.
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- Many municipalities require a solicitation permit if sales people go door-to-door. Verify that they need to have a permit by contacting your local Township or Municipality or call Permits & Licensing at 502.574.3321
- While most roofing contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not know inspect your roof. An unethical contractor may actually create damage to get work.
- Try to get at least 3-4 quotes from contractors, and insist that payments be made to the company, not an individual.
- Do not pay for the job in advance. Be wary of any contractor who demands full or half payment upfront.
- Resist high-pressure sales tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the contractor on the spot.
- Get a written contract that specifies the price, the work to be done, the amount of liability insurance coverage maintained by the contractor, and a time frame. Require a copy of their current certificate of insurance.
- Pay by credit card, if possible; you may have additional protection if there’s a problem.
- Check that the contractor’s vehicle has signs or markings on it with the business name, phone number and license plates for your state.
- Beware of FEMA imposters. In the past, scammers impersonate FEMA to try to scam consumers. Remember that FEMA does not charge for inspections and they always wear ID badges. If you are still unsure, check with FEMA first at fema.gov or call 202.646.2500.
- If you are looking to donate to a charity, be sure to check out the charity first at give.org and other charity evaluators like Charity Navigator or Guidestar.
Report a scam here.
Find trustworthy businesses here.
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