CHARLOTTE, N.C. – We all hire help for our homes at some point, but a local woman sure does regret her choice of contractor after a handyman ruined some of her family’s furniture.
Sarah said Jeremy Thomas of Charlotte Pro Painting made a mistake that resulted in thousands of dollars in damages.
“It was an accident, he slipped on the ladder,” she told NBC Charlotte.
The end result was paint all over a sectional sofa, hardwood floors and the fireplace. Sarah said that when Jeremy was hired, he told her had insurance. Turns out, that wasn’t true.
“Initially, he said he’d get us the information, but then through follow-up, he said, ‘I’m sorry, I lied, I don’t have any insurance,’” Sarah explained.
NBC Charlotte’s Bill McGinty called Jeremy of Charlotte Pro Painting to ask him about fixing the disaster and paying for all the damage sooner rather than later. And when pressed about the insurance he told Sarah he had, Jeremy hung up. When McGinty tried to call back, there was no answer.
So here’s the lesson for everyone. You may not know this, but your homeowners policy will not cover mistakes and damages made by people you hire to work at your house. Even worse, if they hurt themselves or someone else on your property and they are not insured, you’re out of luck, your homeowners insurance will deny that, too. It’s important to see their insurance coverage before they climb a ladder or start the saw! If not, you’re financially exposed.
Sarah said it’s an expensive lesson as she thought her homeowners would cover the cost of replacing the furniture. Now, she’s just hoping that Jeremy Thomas of Charlotte Pro Painting, who also advertises as “Thomas Painting and More,” will make good on the promise to pay for the damage.
The big takeaway here is the financial transaction. If a buddy is helping you and gets hurt or damages something, it’ll likely be covered, but the minute you enter into a business transaction for work, your homeowners policy becomes a moot point for protection.