Beware of Storm Chasers!

What could be worse than a storm hitting your roof and causing wind or hail damage and having to part with your hard earned money to repair or replace it? A shoddy job, a rip-off or a complete scam – that’s what! Read on for some tips on how to recognise a scam and what you can do to avoid being sucked in!

Unfortunately there will always be less-than-decent people out there looking to take advantage of hardworking and honest communities. Storm season often gives homeowners reasons for concern, and if their property is damaged during a storm, their vulnerability makes them a perfect target for dodgy businesses looking to make a few bucks and get out of town.

What does a scam look like?

Deposit snatcher

A common scam is the ‘deposit snatcher’ – where an inspection and quote is made and following a down payment of a few thousand dollars, the contractor is never to be seen or heard of again.

Wilful damage 

It’s also been heard that contractors will get on the roof and, knowing what insurance companies will be looking for in terms of extent of damage, will cause damage themselves. While this might appear to some as ‘helping’ owners claim insurance, it’s downright dishonest behaviour – and if they’re happy to do that before the job has even started, imagine what the job will look like 5 years down the track!

Poor workmanship or Shoddy Materials

At other times, the scam might not become apparent until years later, when poor workmanship and poor quality materials decrease the lifespan of your roof. By this time of course, the guys who did the job are typically uncontactable and untraceable.

Trust your instincts

Sometimes you can spot something dodgy from a mile away, while at other times the deception is more convoluted. Your gut instincts can come in handy in this regard! If you’ve just met with a contractor and something didn’t feel right, chances are it’s not.

Suspicions should be aroused if:

• You or your neighbours have never heard of the company before, or if they’ve just popped up out of nowhere following a storm event.
• They request payment of deposit or total job in cash.
• They aren’t advertised anywhere – that is either online or on paper…if they don’t exist in these places, they might not exist at all.
• Their only address is a PO Box.
• The price is too good to be true.

That’s not to say that a company with the above characteristics is absolutely fraudulent or dodgy – there may be legitimate reasons that a company doesn’t advertise, or that their listed address is a PO Box. These are simply things to look out for! If you notice any of these things, it might be worth doing a bit more research to ensure you’ve got the right guys for the job.

What can you do to avoid being taken advantage of?

In a perfect world there would be no dishonest trades and no need to alter your behaviour to avoid falling victim to scams. The unfortunate truth however, is that there will always be people out there unwilling to earn a living the honest way. The good news is though: increasing your awareness with a little research is all it might take.

• Ask to see proof of insurances.
• Check whether they are using genuine products – that’s Bluescope Steel!
• Check the roofer’s license on the QBCC online search site.
• Visit the roofer’s office and say G’day if you have time.
• Ask for references or check online reviews.
• Ensure the proper contracts are in place if you choose to go ahead – all jobs over $3300 (inc. GST) require a contract and QBCC home warranty insurance.
• Get multiple quotes to compare 

We hope you found the information in this blog useful!

If you'd like any further information on any of the issues above, or would like to discuss other roofing concerns, please don't hesitate to give us a call and have a chat with one of our friendly roofing experts!

1800 476 634

You can also request a complimentary roof inspection and quote by clicking this link:

Updated 13th Jan to provide most current information.