In the wake of last week's deadly storms, state officials are warning residents and business owners to be wary of unlicensed contractors and scam artists.
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp said that when hiring someone to do construction work, consumers should watch out for these red flags: A person going door-to-door selling their services, a person offering services for a short time only, pressure to pay high up-front costs, refusal to set out specific contract terms and lack of a verifiable name, address and phone number of the business.
Kemp notes certain types of work, including major structural repair, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, require a licensed contractor. You can check whether a contractor is licensed, or file a complaint against a licensed contractor, on the Secretary of State's website.
Typical damage that does not require a licensed contractor includes roofing, painting, sheetrock, siding, mold remediation, flooring and foundation waterproofing.
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