Up & Coming Weekly

SENIOR CORNER SENIOR CORNER Home Improvement Scams Often Target Seniors by MARTHA OWEN and SUSAN GUY A 78 year-old client was recently widowed. Her husband took care of everything around the house. A window in her home had been leaking, so she found a contractor in the yellow-pages and called him to fix it. After fixing the leak, he ad- vised her to install all new windows in the house. Skeptical, she used her good judgment and called a friend to help determine if she was becoming the victim of a home improve- ment scam. After some investigation and a reliable second opinion, she learned her windows did NOT need to be replaced, saving almost $10,000. Complaints against contractors and home-improvement organizations are the most common complaints received by consumer agencies. Unscrupulous individuals who prey on older adults often use home improvement scams to bilk thousands of dollars from seniors, sometimes even putting their home owner- ship in jeopardy. Unfortunately, seniors become an easy target in these particu- lar scams. Fortunately, there are simple ways to prevent this from happening to you and to help you with the process. The following are some tips from the National Consumer Law Center: • Tell the contractor that you want references and also seek out a second opinion. Most companies will offer free estimates for the work they contract and a credible company also will let you talk with satisfied customers and look at other jobs they’ve performed. When you’re talking with references, ask if they were satisfied and whether any problems occurred. • Never deal with any door-to-door contractors. Talk with local tradespeo- Contractors and home repair businesses often prey on seniors. ple recommended by friends or reputable building supply stores. • Get a written contract describing explicit specifications of the work, the price (including details of any financing or credit terms), the responsibility for cleaning up, and the hourly rate for any added work. Ask for guarantees and other promises to be made in writing. Do not agree to final payment until the project is finished. • Remember the three day right to cancel that applies to door-to-door sales and home improvement loans even after the papers have been signed. • Do not allow a contractor to begin work until financial arrangements to pay for the work are complete. • Never endorse the check over to the contractor before all work is satisfac- torily completed. • Do not consolidate other debts with a home improvement loan. • Stay away from “one day only special deals.” Loved ones are important in the prevention of home improvement scams. Scam artists often will stay away from older adults who have a support net- work. Make your presence visible in your senior loved one’s life. If you can’t be there, consider recommending to your mother-in-law that she hire a second set of eyes and ears. Home Instead Senior Care employs CAREGivers to look out for the best interests of older adults by providing non-medical services in the home. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and serve as advocates for seniors throughout the world. MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY Contributing Writers COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com 20 UCW APRIL 7-13, 2010 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM

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