Summer is one of the most relaxing times of the year, yet it can easily become stressful if your A/C unit breaks. To make matters worse, you could be hiring an “expert” who may be unreliable and possible untrustworthy. According to a study done by the Better Business Bureau, home improvement scams led to a median loss of $1,800.* Don’t break the bank and get completely scammed, do your research beforehand and save time and money.
Below are some tips to help make sure you pick the right home maintenance company—one that you can rely on and trust:
Complete a thorough background check
When looking for a reliable home maintenance company, check out their online reviews on websites such as Yelp.com and the Better Business Bureau. You can also check out the company’s social media pages and the comments on their posts to see if they’re reliable. If they have a Facebook page, users can give them a star rating and review—which can be a good way to find out if others recommend their services.
Review their website
Check their website and make sure they look legitimate. Some key checkmarks are a reliable phone number and address. Make sure to double check the address through Google Maps to see if the location looks legitimate. You can also search their email to see if it has been flagged as a scammer.
Additionally, on a desktop or mobile device, you can see whether the website is secure or not. The simple thing to do is check the URL bar at the top left corner of your screen and if the lock is green then it is secure.
Find out if they are an LLC
One great way to check a company’s legitimacy is to verify they are registered under an LLC. This means they are a certified company in your state. To check to see if a company is registered in Arizona, you can visit: https://ecorp.azcc.gov/EntitySearch/Index. This website confirms if the LLC is active as well as the address the business is registered under.
If you work with an illegitimate company, you run the risk of scammers taking your Social Security Number, getting ahold of your bank statements, and potentially getting your address and other personal information. Overall, due diligence goes a long way when hiring a maintenance professional. You can also use trusted apps, like SavonServices, to get connected with reliable maintenance companies that have already passed a background check.
Author: David Esposito, alongside Dave Euse, co-founded SavonServices LLC. SavonServices developed and maintains the first exclusive C2B referral network allowing homeowners and renters (called Members), to have direct access to select top-rated local contractors who agree to give pre-negotiated discounts to SavonServices members. SavonServices enables contractors (called Pros) to receive calls directly from its members using the SavonServices Mobile App allowing members to quickly connect for estimates or to set an appointment for repairs or service. SavonServices provides these exclusive lead calls to contractors for free in exchange for giving discounts to its members. For more information, please visit the SavonServices’ website: https://savonservices.com/.
