What To Do If the Contractor Doesn’t Call Back
Many homeowners love taking on renovation projects themselves. Throughout the country, DIY home reno’s are becoming more and more common (after all, who doesn’t love an excuse to grab a Home Depot hot dog with their drywall?). If you need to renovate a house that you’re trying to sell, hiring a contractor often seems like the most efficient way to make any renovations to the home before it goes on the market.
But we’ve all heard stories about the difficulties working with contractors. What if your contractor goes AWOL, never returning to finish the work they started? Here are some things you can do if your contractor doesn’t call back:
Document your phone records
Make sure to record any attempts you’ve made to reach out to the contractor. When your contractor doesn’t return any of your calls or emails, the documentation will be necessary if you’re forced to take legal action against the contractor. Ideally, you should send certified letters that lay out the burden the contractor has placed on you, demanding that the contractor respond to your requests.
If you do get in contact with the contractor, send an additional letter letting him or her know that you’ll be canceling any contract that has been made between the two of you for the renovations. If you’ve made a down payment for the work, insist on a refund.
Try to get the contractor’s license revoked
When a contractor leaves you high and dry, you’re essentially dealing with fraud. This may leave you no option than to pursue legal action. However, you can also contract your state’s contractor’s license board in the hopes of having the contractor’s license revoked. You’ll have to make sure to stay on top of the representatives that are taking care of your case. This can be difficult, as you’ll need a representative who will work relentlessly to pursue all options on your behalf.
Similarly, you can reach out to your local better business bureau or office of consumer protection to try and have the contractor’s license revoked.
Leave a review
You can also leverage your local better business bureau (and other review platforms) to leave an honest review of your experience with the contractor. Many contractors are dependent on the perception of their work for their business. Potential future victims of this contractor can read your review and be saved the same hassle.
Take legal action
Taking the contractor to court is, of course, an option. This should be your last resort, given the time and expenses involved in hiring a lawyer. You’re going to have to have an excellent case and a highly competent attorney to have a chance of receiving any financial award in a court of law.
All these efforts, especially if you’re trying to sell your home quickly, can take a tremendous emotional and financial toll. It’s hard enough to sell an entirely renovated house, let alone one where the renovations are incomplete. When this is the case, your best option might just be to sell the house outright to the real estate professionals. At We Buy Ugly Houses we’ll give you a cash buyout for your home in any condition, renovated or not. We can’t get the contractor to return to finish the job, but we can certainly ease your burden, selling the house as simply as possible, so you don’t have to.
