Residents warned of home renovation scam in Oakville, Burlington, Milton

The person at your door may be offering to fix the cracks on your driveway or do the interlock stone work you’d been looking to have done, but that the repair man may not be who you think he is.

Halton Regional Police are warning residents in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills about a home repair fraud operating in the region.

The fraud involves contractors travelling door-to-door selling services that are unsolicited by a consumer. These services include chimney or driveway repair and interlock stone work.

The resident will be provided quotes with lower prices than market value and once a deal is reached, the suspect will request a large cash payment. Based on previous complaints, initial renovation work may start, however the work will be sub-par and/or incomplete.

The consumer may then be approached to provide more money after some initial work to pay for supplies or to complete payment for the project. Once this additional or final payment is received, the contractor disappears and phone calls and text messages will go unanswered leaving the consumer with a damaged or partially completed project.

Halton Police have received multiple complaints with this similar mode of operation and suspects in the area. They also believe there may be additional victims in Halton, as well as victims outside of our region.

The suspects are described as middle-aged white males with Irish or possibly Scottish accents wearing high visibility construction vests.

A similar scam was investigated by the HRPS last summer (2022).

The “contractor” or suspects that are conducting these scams can be aggressive and eager to acquire an initial cash deposit from victims. A series of business cards, pamphlets, and printed contracts may also accompany door-to-door sales pitches.

The following consumer protection tips and information are being shared to help consumers when hiring a contractor for their home.

• Get recommendations from people you trust.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
• Do your research.
• Don’t be pressured to make a quick decision.
• Ensure the contractor is insured.
• Get multiple written estimates.
• Check references.
• Be cautious of unsolicited offers via the phone, or door to door.

Put it on Paper

• Work requested and agreed upon.
• Dates – Start, benchmarks, and finish.
• Exact Cost of the project.
• Acquire a receipt.
• Acquire a guarantee / warranty information.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Regional Fraud Unit at 905-465-8741.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through their website at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.