Archicentre

Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects, today has released information on how to spot rip off merchants posing as legitimate tradespersons and preying on elderly home owners.

Archicentre runs a FREE Home Safety Inspection Service, funded by the Victorian Government through the Department of Human Services, for aged and disability pensioners or carers.

The service includes a safety inspection of the home by an Archicentre Accredited Architect, plus a report of any repairs required and an estimated costing which protects elderly users of the service from exposure to over-quoting and potential financial hardship.

The service, which has been accessed by over 50,000 Victorians, is aimed at assisting elderly Victorians remain in their own home safely, with a focus on repairing or upgrading the home with safety features such as bathroom modifications or ramps to avoid hazardous steps.

Archicentre State Manager Victoria, David Hallett said, Archicentre often receives calls when home owners become concerned over the quality of work being undertaken and a dispute has arisen with the elderly person over the excessive costs of the repair work, or people have paid up front and the tradesperson has disappeared without completing the work.

"Sadly in many of these cases it is too late to assist people as the work has been significantly completed, however, the best way to avert such problems is to start with a detailed inspection before the work starts and document the agreed standard."

Common Rip Off Sales Patter
.... We have been working up the street and have some extra material left over so we can do a cheap job for you now if you want to take advantage of the situation.
…. Will you be able to pay us cash for the job?
.….We are happy to take you down to the bank to draw out the money to pay.
…. This is a very rare offer and only available this week.
. …We are looking for promotional opportunities to put in a magazine.

Rip off Check List