By Sandra Guile
Better Business Bureau
The transition from summer into fall has the potential to produce severe storms that could cause damage to your home or rental property. Besides keeping an eye on the sky, now is a good time to take a quick inventory of your updated insurance policies for both home and auto and make sure they’re stored in a safe, dry place. This way, you can locate them quickly and easily.
After a large-scale weather event, BBB advises homeowners and landlords to be on the lookout for storm chasers showing up unannounced and knocking on doors. These people usually claim to be with a relief agency or local contractor but cannot provide documentation of such when asked. Typical storm chasers are usually a little too willing to help file an insurance claim or are suspiciously eager to offer their services and repair damage with materials they happen to have on hand.
If someone comes to your home or rental property and offers to fix a problem without prompting, ask for identification and information such as a business card or company badge. Legitimate sellers and contractors will give you the time you need to research their reputation and reliability. Many times a city or township will require a special license for people selling their services door-to-door, so check with your local government regarding the rules about solicitation in your neighborhood.
With a severe rain event, there is always the risk of a flash flood. This can cause irreparable damage to your home or property. Even though the damage can be devastating, if you don’t have flood insurance, you might not receive help during the recovery effort and will be expected to pay for many of the repairs out of pocket. Rather than waiting until after the damage has occurred, consult with your personal insurance agent as soon as possible and make sure you understand what is and what isn’t covered in your current policy.
If or when a flood does happen, the situation can leave a homeowner in search of a restoration company. A restoration company is typically the first company to come out to a water- or fire-damaged property to help remove water, mud, and sludge from the home. This removal is necessary to prevent additional structural damage caused by the disaster. BBB recommends researching at least three businesses, reading their reviews, and viewing their complaint history before settling on any company to work on the home.
Beware ‘storm chasers’
After a flood event – if you have decided to hire a company to work on your home – ask the restoration company or contractor for proof of general liability insurance. Using the documents they provide, call the insurance company listed and make sure the contractor has an active policy. Getting this information is important because it reduces the liability to you if something goes wrong on the worksite. If the company claims they are able to remove mold and mildew along with removing damage done by the flood, they should show proof they are certified to do so. A scam artist who offers their services after a storm usually insist they need to be paid in cash. If this happens, don’t feel pressured to pay even if it seems like an emergency. Always pay by a check payable to the company, not an individual, or a credit card.
In the weeks following a flood, monitor the areas in your home or property that were covered by water for signs of mold or mildew. Mold may appear as stains, cracks, or peeling paint in the rooms with the most water damage or a general musty smell coming from the carpeting or upholstery. Unfortunately, there are health risks associated with mold and mold growth, especially when items like sofas, mattresses, carpeting, and towels are affected. Any soft items that are found to have mold growth on them should be thrown away.
BBB recommends using the same research process for finding a mold removal businesses as they do for restoration services: obtain information on three businesses you are considering hiring, assess the reviews about their services, and read any complaints on file. Before making a hiring decision, ask questions about how the business gets rid of the mold, cleans the area, and if they are certified in the removal of mold.
If you have questions about a contractor or would like to report scam activity from suspected storm chasers, call BBB at (513) 421-3015. Visit bbb.org for more information on Storm Repair, Recovery, and Relief. Report all suspicious scam activity to BBB’s Scam Tracker.
Sandra Guile is the Community Outreach Specialist for BBB. She promotes BBB’s message of marketplace ethics through public speaking engagements, presentations, media relations, press releases, web content, and other written materials. Contact Sandra at (513) 639-9126 or sguile@cincinnati.bbb.org. Your BBB is located at 1 East 4th Street Suite 600 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 – to reach the office, call (513) 421-3015.