DIRTY LITTLE SECRET #2: The Homeowner Must Sign A Form Before The Inspector Gets On The Roof
This secret is even dirtier than a lot of them (although there is one that is dirtier!). Here’s how it happens. The “roofer” will ask you if you want him to inspect your roof. If you say, “Yes, go ahead,” he’ll present you with a paper and ask you to sign it before he can get on the roof. What does that imply about what it is that he’s asking you to sign? That it’s some sort of permission authorization or something. The homeowner thinks that he’s signing this to give the “roofer” permission to get on the roof. In fact, if you sign this, you may have just signed his contract which states that IF you file a claim and IF an adjuster accepts the claim, you MUST use this “roofer’s” company to have the work done. This is a pure intimidation tactic designed to make you feel locked in, because if you say that you will use a different roofer, or use no roofer at all, the “roofing contractor” company will threaten to sue you and charge you hefty fees.
These companies are just bluffing if they threaten to sue you. Don’t be intimidated by them. Hopefully you haven’t given them any money yet (hint: watch for Dirty Little Secret #6), so they’re really not entitled to sue you for anything. The fact is, however, that most people just don’t have the grit to stand up to a company which is telling them they will sue. This tactic is designed to be intimidating, and it IS intimidating. So the best thing to do is to not agree to let these “roofers” on your roof.