Politics & Government

Lake Zurich Advises Flood Victims be Wary of Scams

Village offers tips to avoid scams and ensure residents are protected from unregistered contractors.

While Lake Zurich pubic works employees were helping residents pump out water from their basements, at least one resident paid $3,900 to a company to do the work, village officials said.

There have been companies showing up at flood victims’ doors soliciting work, companies that may not be licensed to do work in Lake Zurich.

“We’ve already had complaints of storm chasers,” said Daniel Peterson, building and inspections manager. He said companies who are not registered with the village have approached flood victims to do work like replacing hot water heaters, HVAC systems and electrical panels.

Find out what's happening in Lake Zurichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The problem is the work needs to be done by qualified, certified professionals who are registered with the village, Peterson said.

Unregistered contractors are a threat to both consumers and legitimate contractors, as they carry no bond or insurance to protect consumers. Consumers can face serious issues if anything goes wrong on a job, according to Lake Zurich’s website.

Find out what's happening in Lake Zurichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Village of Lake Zurich requires contractors to register before performing any work in the Village. A list of currently registered contractors can be viewed on its website.

If you question whether or not a contractor is registered, call the Building Department at 847-540-1698 to verify. As a general reminder, building permits are required for roofing, siding, and other projects, even when related to storm damage.

Tips to Protect Yourself from Contractor Fraud

  • Never sign an agreement on the spot with a contractor that shows up to your door without your specific invitation.
  • Always be sure to get at least three estimates on work to be done.  If there is a wide discrepancy, ask each to justify their prices.
  • Be sure to compare apples to apples
  • Check the contractor’s license and registration
  • Check insurance including worker’s compensation
  • Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
  • Check references
  • Make sure that everything that you have verbally agreed to is in the written contract

The Illinois Attorney General's Home Repair and Remodeling Act has additional information to protect consumers.

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Lake Zurich