Proposed bill could protect homeowners from roof scammers
https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Proposed-bill-could-protect-homeowners-from-roof-scammers-505162121.html?jwsource=cl
COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (KBTX) -- A bill is being reviewed by the state legislative council that aims to help homeowners from getting scammed. It's called the “Re-roofing Registration Bill”. It was written by a Texas attorney who's hoping to regulate roofing contractors.
Roof contractors in College Station say they get complaints year-round from homeowners about scammers who tried to take their money and run.
"We've been in business a long time, and we deal with this yearly, constantly. We already know what to expect," said Michael Hubbard, the general manager of America’s Choice Roofing.
Hubbard hopes the bill passes.
"It will save a lot of citizens, as well as senior citizens, because I think senior citizens are real big targets," Hubbard said.
The man behind the bill, Steven Badger, tells KBTX he's represented hundreds of people who are out thousands of dollars due to scammers.
"It kind of makes everybody else look bad, so it's for the betterment of the entire industry," Hubbard said.
The bill suggests mandatory registration of all reroofing contractors in Texas, a statewide database of registered contractors, and standard contract requirements. It also includes a code of ethics for registered reroofing contractors, prohibition against waiving insurance deductibles, and criminal, administrative, and consumer protection penalties against contractors violating requirements
Badger says he's tired of seeing Texas homeowners ripped off by these fake roofers.
"It will make the community a much better and safer place, and make people trust more. I think we got away from trust because of things like this," Hubbard said.
Badger tells KBTX he hopes to have both Republican and Democrat sponsors in the state house and senate. They expect to file the bill in the next two weeks.