Social Media blurps on the Rescission Period – Is your Contractor informing you?

We’re in a whole new generation of Social Media where you will find more of the public speaking their minds on networks like Facebook, Twitter and other social formats.  Being a contractor, I definitely spend some of my free time reading informative articles, interacting on social venues (posting updates and responding to reviews) and searching random contractor review sites to observe consumer reviews and service provider responses.  I’d bet that I don’t spend as much time as social media analysts (or Google, for that matter…) but I’ve recently read a review posted on one of the most popular contractor review sites on the web where the “reviewer” most likely didn’t realize that they posted a violation of the Federal Rescission Law. 

“…everything seemed to go well.  We started work a day or two after signing…”

Obviously I did not witness the details of this $15,000.00 remodeling project, however, this phrase struck me as something an average homeowner would overlook.  It is a contractor’s responsibility to inform their clients of the federally mandated - 3 Day Right of Rescission.  This information must be detailed in the contractor’s business documents for ANY home improvement project of a value greater than $25.00.  The rescission period (or cooling off period) gives the consumer some time to ensure that they will follow through with the contracted scope of work.

Here are a few other tidbits that are required in a Pennsylvania Home Improvement contract:

• Contractor license information
• Scope of work, payment schedules and any required drawings or renderings
• LEGIBLE text format
• Warranty information
• Applicable Permits
• Legal requirements with disputes, default, insurance, assurances, severability etc…
• (Keep in mind that the above items may be required in your state)

On a side note, service professionals such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians etc… are prone to “emergency work”.   You may not have three days to wait for repairs on water leaks, drain clogs, electrical failure or broken central air.  These are times when you can legitimately bypass the law in a mutual agreement with a separate body of rules to follow which may vary from state to state.  Your contractor or service professional should have the details for Emergency Work Authorization on hand for your review and as a part of the service agreement.

On larger projects like kitchen and bathroom renovations you will find yourself in an extensive planning period.  After selections on paint, finishes, trim, cabinetry, tile flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures and so on (yes, it keeps going…), there will be great anticipation to get away from the showrooms and start work!  When you find a company that you’re comfortable with and spend the time with extensive design and product selections, I’d say that cancelling a contract within the rescission period rarely happens.  Unfortunately, there have been plenty of unscrupulous contractors over the years so the rescission laws were implemented as a consumer right that you should be informed of.