McDaniel
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel filed a consumer protection lawsuit on Tuesday against a Fayetteville roofing company that allegedly failed to deliver on promised roof repairs.
The lawsuit against Razorfast Roofing, its predecessor Razorback Roofing and owner Shawn Redmond alleges that the company failed to deliver after taking insurance payments from at least 19 homeowners in northwest Arkansas. The suit also states that the company engaged in aggressive marketing tactics to obtain roof repair contracts from homeowners in neighborhoods that had been damaged by storms. The company allegedly did not fulfill its obligations under those contracts.
The lawsuit was filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court. It alleges that the company violated the Arkansas Home Solicitation Sales Act and the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
"The defendants in this case were extremely eager to take money of Arkansans with storm-damaged homes, but reluctant to do the work they were paid to do," McDaniel said. "The defendants continued to seek more customers as homeowners who already turned over their insurance proceeds to the defendants waited for repairs. Arkansas consumers deserve better than these kinds of empty promises."
The lawsuit alleges that the company targeted its telemarketing efforts on neighborhoods with storm damage. Consumers provided payments from their insurance carrier and signed contracts for the roofing services, McDaniel said. Once the company had the money in hand, it allegedly either unfairly delayed work or neglected to provide the work at all.
In some instances, insurance carriers threatened to cancel homeowners' coverage because the roof repairs were not finished. When consumers exercised their right to cancel their home solicitations sale contract within three days of signing, the defendants allegedly refused to refund consumers' money, which is required by state law.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants promise a free inspection, but actually require homeowners to name Razorfast Roofing as their exclusive roofing provider so that they can receive the inspection.
The lawsuit asks for civil penalties as well as restitution for consumers.