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NEWS RELEASE

May 7, 2008

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Ulman Warns Residents to Watch Out for Traveling Home Improvement Scams

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Ken Ulman is warning Howard County residents to be alert for offers made by door-to-door solicitors offering to perform home improvement or handyman services.

“This time of year, ‘travelers’ (traveling home improvement con artists) begin to appear from out of nowhere, offering to pave or seal your driveway, repair or waterproof your roof, or trim your trees,” said Executive Ulman. “Unfortunately, our Office of Consumer Affairs has already started receiving reports of travelers soliciting work in Howard County – and these reports aren’t good.”

“The sales pitch may come in the form of ‘we have a little material left-over from a job down the street,’ and the price quoted usually sounds like a good deal,” said Rebecca Bowman, Office of Consumer Affairs Administrator.

The materials used, however, generally range from low to no quality. For example, driveway sealants may consist of nothing more than oil or paint which never dry or may simply wash away during the first rain. If the traveler is offering a service such as tree trimming, payment is usually requested up front for work to be done the next day. In these situations, the traveler is usually never seen again.

Travelers succeed in separating consumers from their money by giving them little time to consider the offer. They also seldom offer written contracts. When a contract is requested by a consumer, the traveler may produce a form contract or write one up by hand; however, the contact information listed for the traveler is usually bogus and the terms of the contract are usually vague. Even if the terms of the agreement are specific, they are seldom met.

“Guarantees are worthless since these con artists do not hang around to hear or respond to consumer’s complaints,” said Bowman. “Even worse, travelers have also been known to engage in home burglary while the repair scam is in progress.”

Seniors are often targeted by travelers; nevertheless, all consumers should be wary of door-to-door home repair offers. “My best advice is to decline all offers from traveling contractors, and report the solicitation immediately to the Office of Consumer Affairs,” said Ulman.

Consumers should also remember the following if they find a home-improvement contractor or handyman at their door:

• In Howard County, door-to-door salespeople are required to have an ID card issued by the Office of Consumer Affairs. If the salesperson does not have a card, don’t do business with him or her and report the solicitation to the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420.
• Paving, painting, and other home improvement work requires a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor’s license. If the contractor gives you a license number, call the Maryland Home Improvement Commission at 410-230-6309 to verify the validity of the contractor’s license before paying any money. If the contractor is unlicensed, report the solicitation to the Office of Consumer Affairs.
• In Maryland, home improvement contractors may not require you to pay more than one-third of the contract price up front. Do not be persuaded by hard luck stories to pay more than a third of the price of any home improvement contract in advance of the work being completed.
• While all door-to-door solicitors are required to give you a 3-day right to cancel your contract in writing, remember that you won’t be able to exercise that right if you (or local or state authorities) can not find the contractor. Once you pay your money, it may be impossible to get it back.
• If you ever feel threatened or intimidated by door-to-door solicitors, call the police immediately.

Questions on this topic or other consumer-related matters may be directed to the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420 or consumer@howardcountymd.gov.