Roofing contractor says he’s paying back $4K for work he never did

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A roofing contractor who took a $4,000 payment from one of his customers and disappeared is attempting to repay the funds.

The roofer promised a bi-weekly payment plan of $500. His first payment was half - $250 - but he promised Atlanta News First Investigates and Better Call Harry he would continue making payments until the debt was paid.

Original story

A roofing contractor is vowing to return the $4,000 insurance claim check he took from one of his customers in 2022.

The unnamed roofer said he intended to do the work but claims a shoulder injury, broken down cars, and other things happened that prevented him from doing the work.

“I broke my phone and ended up getting cut off on the highway and messing up the front end of my truck,” the roofer said. “It was right around [Dec.] 27th before I even got my phone back up and working. And on the sixth (of January), my father passed away.”

Betty Collins is the customer who hired the roofer previously. She said he did excellent work when he worked for another roofing company. When a springtime storm damaged her roof in 2022, she called the roofer again and learned he was working for himself.

The roofer wrote a contract for a new roof, and Collins agreed to sign over a $4,000 insurance claim check. She agreed to pay an additional $2,900 when he completed the work.

Collins said the last time she spoke with the roofer was August 2022. She told Atlanta News First Consumer Investigator Better Call Harry she wants her money back “so I can put a roof on my house.”

The roofer claimed he started a new job and nearly a year later, wants to return the money. He promised to repay the money in $500 installments beginning March 3.

Atlanta News First Investigates and Better Call Harry are not naming the roofer or his business because five other contractors in Georgia share the same name.

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The unnamed roofer said he intended to do the work but claims a shoulder injury, broken down cars, and other things happened that prevented him from doing the work.

“But I broke my phone and ended up getting cut off on the highway and messing up the front end of my truck. It was right around the 27th before I even got my phone back up and working. And on the sixth (of January), my father passed away.

Betty Collins is the customer who hired the roofer twice before. She said he did excellent work when he worked for another roofing company.

RELATED: Roofing contractor disappears with customer’s $4,000 check

When a 2022 springtime storm damaged her roof, Collins called the same roofer and learned he was working for himself. He gave her a contract for a new roof, and Collins agreed to sign over a $4,000 insurance claim check. She agreed to pay an additional $2,900 when the roofer completed the work.

Collins said that was the last time she saw him.

Takeaways

In Georgia, there are no licensing requirements for roofing companies and roofing contractors.

Hire an established company that uses its own crews and insurance and Google the company for complaints or scams.
You may be required to make a deposit but do not sign over the insurance check in advance.
Do not make the final payment until the work is completed.
Georgia’s Consumer Protection Division has these tips to avoid scams.

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