Media contact: Janet C. Hart, APR, CFEE (704) 927-8617 office
UPDATE: 8/19/10 - 10 a.m. - The BBB is directing American Shingle customers
who live in N.C, who have any type of issue with American Shingle (roof repair, roof installation, signed contract, roof payment), to contact the N.C. Attorney General's office directly at 1-877-566-7226 or to visit
www.ncdoj.com to file a complaint online.
If you are an American Shingle customer and you have paid for a roof that has not yet been installed on your home, the BBB advises you to contact your homeowner's insurance immediately, in addition to contacting the N.C. Attorney General's office.
UPDATE: 8/18/10 11:45 a.m. - A Georgia television station is reporting a statement from American Shingle's president which says the company has closed and has 3,500 outstanding contracts. The statement says that the company has not cashed the most recent 50-70 insurance checks received in the last few days which total $300,000 and that those checks will be returned to the homeowners.
Here's a link to the television story: http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local_story.aspx?storyid=86831
More than 300 Consumers
Have Filed Complaints with the BBB
CHARLOTTE,
N.C. What started as a few complaints about delays in the installation of
new roofs is now turning into a nightmare for hundreds of homeowners in 11
states.
Headquartered in Atlanta, American Shingle & Siding began doing
business in Charlotte late last year. Since then, more than 2,000 homeowners
have checked on American Shingle & Siding with the Charlotte BBB. However,
until recently, there were no red flags of any kind.
American
Shingle aggressively worked its way through neighborhoods in NC, SC, TN, GA, AL
and six other states, allegedly bringing free pizza for homeowners to enjoy
while the company inspected their roofs for hail damage at no charge. After
finding hail damage, American Shingle’s sales representatives told homeowners
that the company would work with their insurance company to put a new roof on
their house at no out-of-pocket expense to the homeowner.
With
the cost of a roof replacement ranging from $4,000 to more than $10,000, the
lure of a new roof was an easy sale to homeowners with older homes or to
homeowners who may be looking to sell their home soon. American Shingle then
convinced homeowners to sign contracts, file insurance claims, and hand over
their insurance checks, reportedly promising to start work on the new roof
within days.
“When
the company missed promised start dates, homeowners began to question American
Shingle,” said BBB President Tom Bartholomy, “and that’s when the BBB began to
get complaints.”
More than 300 homeowners have filed complaints against
American Shingle & Siding. The BBB has sent the complaints to the Attorneys
General in NC and TN, and the Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs for
investigation. American Shingle & Siding abruptly closed its Charlotte, NC
office last week.
American
Shingle’s voice mail message (888-840-8906) states that the company
closed during its relocation, but would reopen and continue doing business on
August, 16, 2010. However, the BBB has not been able to confirm if the company
has filed for bankruptcy, reopened, or if it is operating under a new name.
“There
are basically two classes of homeowners who are negatively impacted by American
Shingle’s actions,” said Bartholomy, “homeowners who signed a contract with the
company for a new roof, but have not paid for it yet, and homeowners who have
signed a contract and have signed over their insurance check to American
Shingle.”
If
you have signed a contract with American Shingle, but have not paid, the BBB recommends that
you send a certified letter to American Shingle’s new address in Georgia (see
BBB report below for address) stating that you are canceling your contract
effective immediately and copy your homeowner’s insurance.
Link to American Shingle’s BBB Report
(Grade F): http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/roofing-contractors/american-shingle-and-siding-in-douglasville-ga-27257184
If
you have signed a contract and signed over your insurance check to American
Shingle,
the BBB recommends that you notify your insurance company immediately, and work
with the BBB and your state’s Attorney General to get American Shingle to
install a new roof on your home or to cancel your contract and refund your
money.
If
you filed a claim with your homeowner’s insurance for roof damage, whether it
was denied, approved or paid, your insurance company could raise your
homeowner’s insurance premiums or they could elect not to renew your
homeowner’s insurance policy at all.
“This
roofing company has gone bad fast,” Bartholomy added. “The advice that we offer
homeowners who may have hail damage is to do business with a local roofing
company that has a long history of providing services in our community.”
Homeowners
should start by checking the business out with the BBB. The BBB has a list of
local roofing companies that are BBB Accredited businesses with excellent
ratings and records of addressing and resolving consumer complaints.
Consumers
can check out a business and get a free Reliability Report online by visiting
the BBB website at www.bbb.org or by calling
the BBB (toll-free in N.C. and S.C.) at 1-877-317-7236.
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