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It’s a problem that families across our area reach out to Action News Jax about all the time: A contractor cashes your deposit to the tune of thousands of dollars, but never completes the work.
We’re breaking down two options for ripped-off homeowners that don’t involve lawyering up.
Many customers feel like they’ve tried everything to get their money back from a contractor who’s not getting the work done, and they don’t want to pay a lawyer thousands more to go after the company.
“People work hard for their money, and it’s a shame that we’re putting so much out there and we’re not getting anything back in return,” said Carlson Enterprises customer Denise Daley in Oct. 2017.
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“I just want my money back. So I’m out that little over $7,000. I still need to get a new roof,” said First Coast Roofing customer Peter Gallant on March 1.
If you’ve lost $5,000 or less, you can file in small claims court. It’s a simple form and you don’t need a lawyer.
In Duval County, you can file a hard copy at the Clerk of Court's office or file online here.
Most roofing deposits are more than $5,000 ... which brings us to option No. 2.
You may be able to get money from the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund.
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It’s set up for homeowners who signed an agreement with a licensed contractor and lost money because of that contractor’s actions.
Before you can get money from the fund, the Construction Industry Licensing Board or a judge must have already ordered that the contractor pay up.
You can find more information about how to qualify here and the form you need here.