Montgomery, IL –The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 (65 to 85 mph) swept through Montgomery on Friday evening, March 31. The tornado tracked from 7:55-8:01P for approximately 5.6 miles beginning near Concord Drive (west side) and traveling northeast through the downtown riverside area and into Aurora. Unfortunately, confirmed tornado touchdowns often are invitations for solicitors and potential scammers to come to the community. Therefore, the Village of Montgomery warns residents of after-storm scams in the coming weeks.
Within the last week, close to 100 solicitors have filed permits through the Village Administrative Offices from primarily roofing companies. Each company representative must apply in person and submit to a background check before receiving a yellow permit card good for up to 30 days from the Village. The Village strongly advises that residents refrain from speaking to or answering the door for any solicitor that does not display proper Village of Montgomery authorization and credentials. If a solicitor comes to your door without a yellow permit displayed around their neck, please get in touch with the police department as soon as possible at 630-553-0554. The Village advises that the first step for homeowners is to contact their homeowners' insurance agent and do the necessary homework before entering contracts or paying potential contractors.
Additionally, warnings and suggestions from the Village are as follows:
- Contact your insurance agency immediately to report your claim and find out information about your terms of coverage. In addition, it is a good idea to ask your insurance company for their suggestions for a reputable repair company.
- Be aware of storm scammers. They may say your insurance company sent them or pretend to be with a well-known insurance company.
- Please don't sign documents or agree to any repair work on the spot after the initial consultation; instead, you can obtain the person's contact information.
- Get at least two written estimates to ensure you are not the victim of price gouging, and compare carefully.
- Be sure to confirm if there is a charge for estimates. Reputable contractors will do free estimates.
- All roofing contractors (or any contractor) soliciting door-to-door must be registered. All registered solicitors must undergo a background check and submit a photo for identification before receiving a permit. Permits are yellow and contain the Village seal. Be sure your contractor has a background check and up-to-date registration to work within the Village of Montgomery.
- Additional red flags include the request for full payment in advance, high-pressure sales tactics, and not requiring a written contract.
- The Better Business Bureau also suggests checking out contracts on their website (bbb.org) first and paying with a credit card since they have fraud protection.
- Any roofing work requires a permit from the Village before any work begins. This process is for the homeowner's safety as we verify the company's State of Illinois licensing and proof of liability insurance.
- With the influx of solicitor applications, the Village expects a high volume of permits to follow. Due to the increase, permit processing times will likely increase.
- The Kendall County Building Department handles Boulder Hill's solicitor permitting process. Residents of this area should contact them directly for additional information at 630-553-4141.
Building Permit Applications and more information are available online at montgomeryil.org/100/Permits. For questions about the permitting process or to confirm a contractor's registration with the Village of Montgomery, residents are encouraged to call the Building & Permitting Department at 331-212-9023 or email permits@montgomeryil.org. The Building Department's office hours are 8A-3:30P Monday through Friday.
To review the current list of authorized solicitors in the Village or add your address to the Do Not Solicit list maintained by the Village, visit montgomeryil.org/596/Solicitor-Permits. Additionally, the Village suggests posting a "No Soliciting" sign on your door if you prefer no solicitations.