Legislation to give the Kentucky Attorney General’s office more power to crack down on crooked roofers is moving to the full house. The measure, which focuses on rebates, coupons, and false incentives by unscrupulous roofers, passed out of the House Licensing and Occupations Committee today.
Engineer Lyle Donan says there are scoping crews, posing as sales representatives, who intentionally create roof damage.
“You can, in fact, watch them up on the roof, doing what they do. And to a lay person, they’re circling damages on the roof, they’re measuring the roof. They’re doing what one thinks they’re actually doing. But, in fact, as they’re touching the roof, they’re so good at it, they’re actually inflicting damage in the process,” Donan said.
Committee member Darryl Owens worries that the measure could have an unintended negative impact.
“These persons who do this are gonna be gone. Even if you get a judgment, you’re not going to be able to collect. You give the person who’s offended the feeling that they have a remedy when they reality is they really don’t have a remedy,” Owens said.
Bill Sponsor Steve Riggs says his legislation would allow the Attorney General’s office to pursue penalties for roofers who offer deceitful bargains such as offering to pay half a claim, or paying a deductible.
“They don’t have enough power to deal with section one of the act,” Riggs said. “And section one was the part that prohibits the storm chasers from doing the things they do to get business with the shady deals.”
Riggs says fraudulent roof repair tops the list of complaints made to the Better Business Bureau. The veteran lawmaker previously sponsored legislation to develop state licensing for roofers. He says he would still like to see that measure approved.
