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Your Condo | Contracting

Protecting Your Condo:

Safeguarding Against Snow Removal Contractor

By Lisa Ricci
The GTA may have only received a small appears on search engine results, has upon each service visitation
dose of true Canadian winter weather last a professional website, and has verified (be as specific as possible).
winter, but Toronto reviews all help validate that: a) the • Minimal snow accumulation
Police tend to issue company is legitimate, and b) they are threshold for service response
a news release each true to their service commitment. triggers.
year warning of snow 2) Get your service commitment • Requirement to provide WSIB
removal fraudsters. in writing clearance and commercial liability
Toronto Police say Most legitimate companies know to insurance certificate.
Lisa Ricci the fraudsters typi- have both theirs and their client’s obliga- • Total costs and due dates.
cally use various tions in the form of a legal and tangible 3) Never, ever pay up-front
social media platforms to advertise document (agreement), which must be Contractors asking for any sort of
their business and often get unsus- signed and dated by both parties. Any payment before an ounce of work is
pecting victims to pay in advance. company that insists on keeping their completed should raise a red flag.
But according to police, the businesses transactions to verbal discussion only These contractors will often use
don’t actually exist and the suspects should raise a red flag. excuses such as needing an upfront
never show up to clear the snow. Agreements should always include the payment in order to “secure your spot.”
Photo: © iStock.com/ fullvalue manager or board member, here are 5 • Commencement and termination securing your spot after receiving your
Most well-established and reputable
Don’t let your condo be the next following information:
companies are perfectly content with
victim this winter! As a property
• Full legal names and addresses
of both parties (the client and the
condo corporation number).
signed agreement.
important things to keep in mind when
Another excuse contractors will
selecting a snow removal company:
1) Research the company’s reputation
often use is that they require an upfront
dates.
payment to “purchase salt and other
A company that is researchable,
• Scope of work to be performed
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