Ontario police warn of increase in driveway paving and roofing scams

Huge pile of asphalt left by workers at the end of Paulet Blenman's driveway in Ajax. (CTV News)

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has issued a warning following an increase in driveway paving and roofing scams they say are happening across the province.

According to the OPP, some contractors are going door-to-door using fake names, promising great deals and demanding cash, but doing poor quality work and leaving messes behind.

“All the information is not correct, they don’t answer the phone, there is no way you can leave a message. You can’t send an email, you can’t contact them,” Paulet Blenman of Ajax, Ont. told CTV News Toronto last week.

Blenman had her driveway paved a month ago and said the contractors who offered the services came knocking on the door, and once they completed the work, she said they left her driveway lumpy and uneven with ants already burrowing in it.

She ended up paying $6,000 to have it repaved.

In Luigi Raffaele’s case, he told CTV News someone also knocked on his door in East York.

That contractor said he would do a sealing job as well as some additional work, but once Raffaele paid $3,900 upfront, he said the contractor never came back.

“I feel cheated and that’s not nice.”

On Tuesday, OPP issued a warning stating contractors are going door-to-door pressuring homeowners into paving driveways, repairing roofs and other home renovations.

“They may seem professional, with flyers and websites, but often they are using fake names and false IDs,” said Sgt. Joe Brisebois, coordinator of media services with the OPP.

“They will ask for cash upfront and in the end, they will leave behind a poor quality job and you will never hear from them again,” Brisebois added.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, the OPP is urging the public to beware of unsolicited door-to-door sales, not to feel pressured into having work done, researching companies carefully, getting multiple quotes and to not pay in advance.

Police also said if you’re not careful, you could be the one picking up the pieces of a botched paving job.

But, if you do agree to have your driveway paved or your roof repaired and the contractor does a poor job, it doesn’t mean the police will get involved and lay charges.

Once someone is hired, it becomes a civil matter and you would have to take them to court.