Us Roofing Systems

On 07/01/2011, a person representing US Roofing Systems knocked on my door and asked if they could look at my roof to see if there was hail damage. I had to leave for an hour but told the person that it was okay for someone to look at my roof. Later that day, I was contacted by a James Keating, who told me that there was hail damage to my roof. I had a little experience with hail damage and after looking at my roof agreed that there was damage. Mr.Keating told me that the next step was to contact my Insurance Company. Mr.Keating asked me who my Insurance Company was and I told him it was the Hartford Insurance Company. Mr.Keating was happy that it was the Hartford and when I asked why, he explained that the Hartford usually pays out very well compared to other companies such as State Farm. I signed a contract and we called my Insurance Company to make an appointment for the claims adjuster to see the roof. I asked Mr.Keating how much it would cost and if I could get an estimate. Mr.Keating told me that we should wait to see what the adjuster said first. The adjuster could say there was no damage after all. So it made sense to wait at the time. With hindsight, this was a mistake. I asked Mr.Keating how long he and his company had been in business and he replied for years and told me that he and his company were all licensed. To my knowledge, none of them are licensed with the contractors board. Thats misrepresentation. 07/15/2011 was the initial date for the adjuster to come out, but the adjuster called to reschedule to 07/22/2011. Mr.Keating was insistent on being present(which I have been told is a bad sign) and turned up on both dates. The adjuster told me that he did not need to be there. Mr.Keating told me that he was protecting my interests! In any event, Mr.Keating proceeded to call me constantly after the adjuster appointment, asking when he could get the check from the insurance company. I had yet to get a check at this juncture and I didn't even know what amount had been assigned to me. During these phone conversations, I asked when I would be getting a written estimate and Mr.Keating declined to give me one, stating that it wasn't in the contract. On 08/06/2011, Mr.Keating called me at 8:30 am on a Saturday morning, asking when he could come and get the check and get me to sign off on the work order. Mr.Keating then turned up at 5 pm that same day, again asking for a check and my signature. I hadn't even picked out the color for the shingles yet. I told him that I had yet to get a check. As Mr.Keating was writing up the work order, I presumed that there would be a breakdown of the cost to fix the roof. There was no breakdown or written estimate of what the repairs would cost. I told Mr.Keating point blank that I wanted an estimate. "WE DON"T DO THAT IAN!" A neighbor walking his dog did not understand why Mr.Keating refused to give me an estimate. Mr.Keating and I had a number of phone conversations that weekend. Mr.Keating actually left a message stating that he would have a work crew out in a few days. As well as pointing out that I had yet to pick a color for the shingles, I told Mr.Keating that without an estimate, there would be no job. Mr.Keating told me that he would refer me to US Roofing Systems legal department and that he would place a lien on my property. A roofing company with a legal department ought to make you run for cover and for a lien to be place on your property work actually has to be done(Mr.Keating was unaware of this). I did not understand why Mr.Keating and US Roofing Systems would not provide me with an estimate, so I had a couple of companies give me estimates. I still couldn't figure it out till I got my check and claim summary the following week. The estimates from the other companies were $1,000 to $1,500 less than the amount assigned to me by my Insurance company. To me, in conjecture with being asked for my claim summary, US Roofing Systems were trying to use me to defraud my Insurance Company. I told Mr.Keating that I felt they were trying to perpetuate fraud based on this and told him the contract was cancelled. On 08/09/2011 I spoke to a Rob Myers. Suffice to say that Mr.Myers refused to provide me with a written estimate. Mr.Myers told me that we had a contract that he expected me to honor. I told him that I wanted a written estimate and that without one could come to no other conclusion than that US Roofing Systems were trying to defraud me. When I told Mr.Myers about the estimates from other companies, his response was to excuse me of making a deal with one of the companies, where I would receive money under the table for letting them fix my roof. "WE KNOW HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED!" Mr.Myers told me contract states that US Roofing Systems needs to provide a written estimate. I replied that that was absurd and could not be true. I had actually misplaced my copy of the contract and Mr.Myers emailed me a copy via his secretary, Amanda Lingelbach. The contract in actual fact says nothing about an estimate one way or another. But US Roofing Systems can hardly put a contract clause stating they don't have to provide an estimate. I pointed this out to Mr.Myers and his response was to demand that I turn up that day with $2,000 if I wanted out of the contract. Mr.Myers then told me that he would give me a break and let me out of the contract for $1,000. And that I could give him my Insurance check to deposit, that he would take out the $1,000 and give me back the difference(yeah right!). But that if I didn't show with the money, my options were to honor the contract or be taken to court. Mr.Myers told me that I would be sued in Superior Court and that he would have both my Insurance Company and I deposed prior to the court date. On 08/10/2011, I emailed some questions for Mr.Myers via his secretary, Amanda Lingelbach. I asked for Mr.Myers email one time, but was told to go through Amanda. At the time, it never occurred to me they would have a web page with an email address for Mr.Myers. In any event, there is a clause in the US Roofing Systems contract that states that I have to provide "any necessary claim information". I asked what this could possibly be? What on earth can I have that would help US Roofing Systems expedite the replacement of my roof? I also asked when I could pick out my tile colors and how long it would take for them to do the job. I also called on 08/10/2011 and spoke to a Russ Ultes. Mr.Ultes was aware of my situation and was quite happy to let Mr.Myers try and extort money out of me. Mr.Myers then got on the phone and I informed Mr.Myers that I had sent an email with some questions for him. Mr.Myers told me he didn't have to respond to them. I would, however, get my reply to my questions on 08/15/2011. I then called my Insurance company and asked them to request a written estimate from Mr.Myers and US Roofing Systems. Without a written estimate, my Insurance company will withhold any more payments. On 08/11/2011 my Insurance company called US Roofing Systems asking for an estimate. Perhaps not surprisingly they got the answer machine and left a message. That same day, I called Mr.Myers and informed him that my Insurance company wanted a written estimate. Mr.Myers told me flat out that he would not provide either my Insurance company or I with a written estimate. At that point I told him that I canceled the contract. Mr.Myers told me that I would hear from his attorney and that he would see my Insurance company and I in court. That it would be the worst day of my life. On 08/12/2011, Mr.Myers left a message with my contact at the Insurance company that US Roofing Systems would not be providing them with a written estimate. On 08/15/2011, I got a response to my email questions via Mr.Myers secretary, Amanda Lingelbach. In the email, I was informed that the "necessary claim information" was in fact a copy of my claim summary sent to me by both my Insurance company and adjuster. Its a breakdown of all the money assigned to my claim and breaks it down item by item e.g. money for a chimney, money for the shingles, money for the gutters, money for a satellite dish etc. With a copy of the claim summary, Mr.Myers and US Roofing Systems could get every last dime out of my Insurance company. Both the adjuster and my Insurance company told me that I shouldn't give them a copy of my claim summary and that there is no scenario where I have to give them a copy of the claim summary. I found it odd that they sent this email after I canceled the contract and can only conclude that they thought they could salvage the deal. In any event, I thought the matter done. On 11/17/2011 I got a certified letter from Mr.Myers and US Roofing Systems. The letter was called 'a letter of default'. One half of the letter was filled with grammatical errors where it stated that I was in default of the contract, that I must therefore let US Roofing Systems replace my roof, but, if I paid them $500, they would drop the matter. The second half of the letter was without grammatical errors, but this was due to the second half of the letter clearly being copied and pasted from an actual debt collection letter(s). I called to tell him to take me to court. That I would love to see him explain himself to a judge. On 11/18/2011 I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Mr.Myers was unable to answer questions such as why he would not provide a written estimate etc. In any event, Mr.Russ Ultes decided to provide myself and the BBB with a letter of apology from US Roofing Systems that had no actual apology in it, but US Roofing Systems did cancel the contract. I replied that US Roofing Systems cannot cancel a contract that has already been canceled four months prior. US Roofing Systems are a disgrace and are nothing more than a bunch of crooks and con men. Stay away from this company.