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San Francisco, California - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued a consumer alert to Californians regarding home improvement scams.  As summer approaches, many consumers may consider home remodeling, repair, and maintenance projects.  Unfortunately, not all contractors are legitimate and the unwary may fall victim to home improvement scams, which peak during the summer.  Consumers should be aware of their rights under California laws governing home improvement contracts. 

This consumer alert provides some helpful tips for selecting reputable contractors, and provides an overview of homeowners’ rights in the event they encounter a home improvement scam.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

The Attorney General offers California consumers the following tips to help them select reputable contractors, and to understand their legal rights:

When selecting a contractor, be wary of unsolicited visits by contractors who claim to just “happen to be in the neighborhood” working on a nearby property or who promise large discounts because they have extra materials left over from other jobs.  Often, these contractors are not licensed, take large amounts of money upfront, and then fail to finish a job or do any work at all.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

To learn more about home improvement scams in general, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s webpage on home improvement scams.

The BBB has also published an article with other helpful tips, “Scam Alert – This Home Improvement Deal is Really a Scam: Summer Contracting Scam Tricks Homeowners.”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR
 

If you are unable to resolve a dispute with a home improvement contractor, CSLB provides information on how to file a consumer complaint and its arbitration program:

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) also provides information on how to file consumer complaints about a particular company..

Finally, the California Department of Justice protects the rights of consumers and collects complaints on scams in order to identify patterns of wrongful activity.  To submit a complaint to the California Department of Justice regarding a home improvement scam, please use one of the following complaint forms:

English: Consumer Complaint Against a Business or Company (English).  

En Español: Consumer Complaint Against a Business or Company (Spanish)

中文Consumer Complaint Against a Business or Company (Chinese) 

Tiếng ViệtConsumer Complaint Against a Business or Company (Vietnamese)