All Forum Posts by: Pedro L.

You can try Martindale-Hubbell http://www.martindale.com This is a site where you can find an attorney or law firm in a state and city you need. You can search by practice areas (real estate, bankruptcy, etc.) It also gives peer review ratings and client ratings on attorneys

Also there is the The Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association http://www.irela.org You can also do a search there too and this association is strictly real estate

I hope this helps you.

Jack

Social media often can get a response for a national company. Post on the company’s social media website. You can also post negative reviews on other sites or threaten to as a way of getting the refund. If they still refuse then go through with your threat and post on all review sites such as google, Angie’s list, etc..

It may also be worthwhile to hire an attorney whom could also send a letter. Perhaps there is a local news option too. For instance, there is a local news channel here which every week they post a story about someone whom was ripped off and then they contact the company or individual behind it and almost every time they get the person a refund or get the issue rectified. Your relative would have to consent to an interview of a local news channel has such an option. I have seen something similar traveling so perhaps checking the local news sites may give you an option of submitting your story online:

And lastly since they are licensed reporting them to the licensing board in your state could be useful as well.

Hi Pedro,

Have you thought of contacting the investigative reporters at either Channel 2 or Channel 5. They appear to get done what others cannot. It's pretty embarrassing to have reporters from major TV stations knocking at your door. Businesses used to dread having the 60 minutes crew drive into their parking lot as in, "You know it's going to be a bad day when...." Channel's 7 & 9 may have investigative reporters as well, but start with 2 & 5. They are especially interested in stories involving Seniors being taken advantage of. Also contact Senior Services and call 311 to see if they can offer assistance.

Appreciate the shout @Nathan Platter, though I'm certain I don't know IL construction law applicable here (MN/WI licenses only). What is most glaring to me here is that the company is holding onto more money than they claim to being owed. At the very least, you should demand that other $8K back right away. Sometimes companies will try to sneak in a "paid in full" or similar acknowledgement to make it look like the dispute is settled, so watch out for sneaky tricks. It is my sense (again, please don't take this as formal legal advice) that the lack of initial on one particular provision won't save that from being enforceable. But, there may be IL laws that say they can't hold onto more money than they claim to be owed. Construction laws generally allow for some reasonable cancellation fees provisions in contracts, if clear. But it sounds like this contract is ambiguous at best. If they return the $8K, then you'd be set for small claims court anyways. As it stands right now, the contractor is "unjustly enriched" (term of art) because they have possession of money that they haven't done any services for yet. Hope that gives you some things to think about @Pedro L.  From my vantage point, any construction attorney fluent in IL law should be able to tell you the most cost-effective way to proceed, ideally in a free consultation.

Have you asked the Following :

May I have a copy of your workers comp and liability binder?

May I have a copy of your license and a copy of your surety bond with the village?

You have 72 hours of the request . Either Certified mail it or Email it to him.

After 72 hours if said contractor does not give you those items stated above ... Well you have cause to cancel the contract.

After you cancel the contract request a refund due to non performance of the contract due to exposure to liability to the homeowner.

This guy sounds like a pro thief. Then I would post everything on social media and forewarn others of this . I would use the words "in my Opinion"  

Like this solution This is my opinion. Good luck ...  

If your relative is not wealthy they should check into Land of Lincoln or maybe it is Lincoln land law firm. They represent the poor for almost free. They sure represent tenants all the time.

K. Thought it was worth a lookey. If I was a company that got a huge amount of work from a great-paying client like an insurance company, who provided me with repeat business, who might drop me for having relations with unethical people, I might bend over backwards to avoid a PR scandal, maybe even pay the thing myself if the numbers worked out. Just sayin.

I wonder if State Farm could help, considering they recommended the company?

Also, my take away home lesson is “don’t pay anyone up front, but afterwards. Unless this legit business has been there for a long time and you have enough references.

Good luck.