JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The City of Jackson wants to help you protect your most valuable asset,your home.
Home repair and fraud prevention experts taught residents how to guard against being taken by a contractor.
Jackson residents learned tools to use during a workshop conducted by the National Center for the Prevention of Home Improvement Fraud.
Homeowners were told to find a reputable licensed and bonded contractor.
They also learned what must be in the contract, how to pay the contractor and what should be in the warranty.
They also found out that the contractor should obtain the building permit and therefore the liability for the work.
"Contractors especially ones who are unscrupulous do it every day," Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. told participants.
The mayor said he too was a victim.
"I advanced him part of the money to buy the materials. The materials were bought. The work didn't get done and pretty soon the materials left," said Mayor Johnson.
"You also have people who are actually con men," said David Linzey and attorney with the Attorney General's Office.
He told residents the state agency has prosecuted hundreds of cases of home repair fraud.
Linzey recommended choosing a contractor registered with the Mississippi Board of Contractors.
He said getting convictions can be difficult without written detailed contracts and warranties.
Workshop organizers said homeowners must become their own quality control managers.
"We see people giving money up front, sign documents they didn't understand, let someone rush them into a project. Not overseeing the project so the performance from the contractor was shoddy work," said National Center for the Prevention of Home Improvement Fraud Executive Director Phae Howard.
Another must is including your insurance agent in the renovation or building process and updating your policy to include the completed work.
"Work with their agent to make sure that they choose a good reputable contractor, check references and again stay engaged in the process," said Roszell Gadson Public Affairs Media Specialist with State Farm Insurance.
The session offered model contracts and warranties.
The free "SmartPower" workshops take participants through the process from start to finish.
To learn more about protecting yourself from contractor scams go to www.preventcontractorfraud.org.
Copyright 2012 WLBT. All rights reserved.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
