Avoiding renovation fraud: red flags and good reflexes

The classic traps

Renovation fraud almost always follows the same scripts: the cash deposit paid to someone you never see again; the “specialist” who rings the doorbell after a storm and pressures you to sign today; the unbeatable price that doubles mid-project; or the flattering online profile with no legal existence.

These situations share one thing: money changes hands before the work can be verified, and with no written record.

The red flags

Be wary if the person: demands a large cash deposit; refuses to put the work in writing; has no business address or stable phone number; pressures you to decide “today only”; or offers to bypass a platform, a warranty or an invoice “to save on taxes”. Any one of these alone calls for caution; two or more: walk away.

The good reflexes

Verify identity and, for construction work that requires it, the RBQ licence (the registry can be checked online for free). Always get it in writing: work description, price, date, what's included. Never pay a large share before the work starts, and keep proof of every payment.

This is exactly the problem AlloPro tackles head-on: workers are verified (identity and licence where applicable) before being activated; the agreement (price, date) is tracked in the negotiation; and above all, your payment is deposited in trust — the worker knows the funds exist, but is only paid after you approve the work. The vanished deposit simply becomes impossible.