Don't get taken by a bad snow plow contractor

The leaves are still on the trees but people are already signing up for snow plow services in anticipation of what is to come in the not too distant future.

Snow plow complaints are something that the Better Business Bureau of Upstate NY (BBB) hears every winter.

Property damage is the most common complaint followed by contractors failing to show up.

Melanie McGovern, Communications Director for the BBB, said there are things that you should keep in mind when selecting a snow plow service. 

Those include:

-Always get a written contract, no verbal agreements.

-Research a contractor through the internet, friends and the BBB website at https://bbb.org.

-Be cautious of prices that look "too good to be true."

-Beware of contractors asking you to pay everything up-front.  Most legitimate contractors allow you to split payments.

-Is the service going to charge you per plow? Or per season?

-Does the contractor have insurance?  Are they required to have a permit or license from your municipality?

-Which insurance will cover any potential damage?  Your homeowners or the contractors?

-Beware of scams.  A company that is reluctant to answer questions, or fails to come to your house to do a pre-snow inspection, might not be reliable.

-Can the contractor handle the workload? 

Someone with a single plow truck and 30 customers will have a hard time keeping up in a snowstorm, explained McGovern.

-If you spot a company or offer that sounds like an illegal scheme or fraud, report it to the BBB's Scam Tracker. https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us

7 Eyewitness News Reporter Ed Reilly has more in his report.

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