Illinois Home Repair Fraud

When you hire a contractor to repair or remodel your home, the contractor is required by Illinois law to provide you with a consumer rights brochure.  The purpose of the brochure is both to inform you of your rights as a homeowner and provide you with tips to avoid being scammed. 

​Warning signs of fraud:

• Door-to-door salespersons who offer to perform work for less than the market price.
• Companies (especially out-of-state companies) that list only a telephone number and P.O. Box for contact info.
• Failure to provide customer references when requested.
• Offers to inspect your home for free.
• Demand for cash payment.
• Request that you make a check out to someone other than the company or its owner.

How to avoid fraud:

• Request a written estimate.
• Do not sign a contract with blank spaces.
• Do not sign a contract that you do not understand.
• If you are financing the work with a loan, do not sign the contract before your lender approves the loan.
• Call the secretary of state to see if the contractor’s business is a corporation in good standing.
• Make sure the contractor guarantees his work.
• Require that the work be performed before making final payment or signing a certificate of completion.
• Request lien waivers for all work performed by subcontractors. These state that subcontractors have been paid for their work by the general contractor and prevent them from filing a lien against your home.

You have three days to cancel after signing a contract for home repair or remodeling.  The contractor cannot deprive you of this right by beginning work within this three-day period. If you think you have been defrauded by a contractor, you should speak to an attorney in addition to reporting the fraud to the attorney general.  The toll-free number for the attorney general is (800)368-5438.