SB1539 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 07659 JLS 37731 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB1539

Introduced 2/13/2013, by Sen. Chapin Rose

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

815 ILCS 513/18

Amends the Home Repair and Remodeling Act. Provides that provisions concerning home repair services following damaging weather shall not be construed to prohibit a contractor from discounting the total cost of any home repair or remodeling project when a person requesting services performs some of the work necessary to complete the requested home repair or remodeling project. Provides that when a written contract with a contractor offering home repair or remodeling services to provide goods or services to be paid from the proceeds of a property and casualty insurance policy is cancelled, the contractor shall tender to the insured only those payments, partial payments, or deposits made by the insured that are in excess of any restocking fees paid by the contractor upon returning materials or supplies bought in anticipation of full performance under the contract. Provides that a contractor offering home repair or remodeling services may post a bond in order to ensure that full contract performance is completed and upon posting of a bond, full payment shall be rendered to the contractor.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning business.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Home Repair and Remodeling Act is amended by changing Section 18 as follows:

(815 ILCS 513/18)

Sec. 18. Repairs following damaging weather.

(a) As used in this Section, "catastrophe" means a natural occurrence, including but not limited to flood, drought, earthquake, tornado, windstorm, or hailstorm, which damages or destroys more than one residence.

(b) A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall not advertise or promise to pay or rebate all or any portion of any insurance deductible as an inducement to the sale of goods or services. As used in this Section, a promise to pay or rebate includes granting any allowance or offering any discount against the fees to be charged or paying the insured or any person directly or indirectly associated with the property any form of compensation. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit a contractor from discounting the total cost of any home repair or remodeling project when a person requesting services performs some of the work necessary to complete the requested home repair or remodeling project.

(c) A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall not accept money or any form of compensation in exchange for allowing an out of area contractor to use its business name or license.

(d) A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall include its Illinois State roofing contractor license name and number as it appears on its Illinois State roofing license on all contracts, bids, and advertisements involving roofing work as required by the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act.

(e) A person who has entered into a written contract with a contractor offering home repair or remodeling services to provide goods or services to be paid from the proceeds of a property and casualty insurance policy may cancel the contract prior to midnight on the earlier of the fifth business day after the insured has received written notice from the insurer that all or any part of the claim or contract is not a covered loss under the insurance policy or the thirtieth business day after receipt of a properly executed proof of loss by the insurer from the insured. Cancellation is evidenced by the insured giving written notice of cancellation to the contractor offering home repair or remodeling services at the address stated in the contract. Notice of cancellation, if given by mail, is effective upon deposit into the United States mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the contractor. Notice of cancellation may be given by delivering or mailing a signed and dated copy of the written notice of cancellation to the contractor's business address as stated in the contract. Notice of cancellation shall include a copy of the written notice from the insurer to the effect that all or part of the claim is not a covered loss under the insurance policy. Notice of cancellation need not take a particular form and is sufficient if it indicates, by any form of written expression, the intention of the insured not to be bound by the contract.

(f) Any contract referred to in subsection (e), must contain a statement in at least 10 point boldface, in substantially the following form:

"You may cancel this contract at any time before midnight on the earlier of the fifth business day after you have received written notification from your insurer that all or any part of the claim or contract is not a covered loss under the insurance policy or the thirtieth business day after your insurer has received properly executed proof(s) of loss from you. See attached notice of cancellation form for an explanation of this right."

(g) Upon executing a contract referred to in subsection (e), furnish each insured a fully completed form in duplicate, captioned "NOTICE OF CANCELLATION", which shall be attached to the contract but easily detachable, and which shall contain boldface type of a minimum size of 10 points the following statement with the appropriate fields completed by the contractor:

"NOTICE OF CANCELLATION

If you are notified by your insurer that all or any part of the claim or contract is not a covered loss under the insurance policy, you may cancel the contract by mailing or delivering a signed and dated copy of this cancellation notice or any other written notice to (name of contractor) at (address of contractor's place of business) at any time prior to midnight on the earlier of the fifth business day after you have received such notice from your insurer or the thirtieth business day after your insurer has received properly executed proof(s) of loss from you. If you cancel, any payments made by you under the contract, other than payments for goods or services related to a catastrophe which you agreed in writing to be necessary to prevent damage to your property, will be returned to you within 10 business days following receipt by the contractor of your cancellation notice.

I HEREBY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION

................................

(date)

................................

(insured's signature)".

(h) Within 10 days after a contract referred to in subsection (e) has been cancelled, the contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall tender to the insured any payments, partial payments, or deposits made by the insured, in excess of any restocking fees paid by the contractor upon returning materials or supplies bought in anticipation of full performance under the contract, and any note or other evidence of indebtedness. If, however, the contractor has provided any goods or services related to a catastrophe, acknowledged and agreed to by the insured in writing to be necessary to prevent damage to the premises, the contractor is entitled to the reasonable value of such goods and services. Any provision in a contract referred to in subsection (e) that requires the payment of any fee for anything except goods or services related to a catastrophe shall not be enforceable against any insured who has cancelled a contract pursuant to this Section.

(i) A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall not represent, or offer or advertise to represent, on behalf of a homeowner on any insurance claim in connection with the repair or replacement of roof systems, or the performance of any other interior or exterior repair, replacement, construction or reconstruction work; or otherwise violate the Public Adjusters Law (Public Act 96-1332). A Public Adjuster means any person who acts on behalf of the insured in preparing and adjusting a claim for loss or damage covered by an insurance contract. A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall not call in or file a claim to an insurance carrier on the insured's behalf. A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services shall not climb on a roof or inspect for exterior damage without the insured's express permission. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a residential contractor from: (1) providing an insured an estimate for repair, replacement, construction, or reconstruction of the insured's property and any such estimate may be submitted to the insured's insurance company; (2) conferring with an insurance company's representative about damage to an insured's property; or (3) discussing repair or replacement options with an insurance company's representative or the insured about options for the repair or replacement of the damage.

(j) A contractor offering home repair or remodeling services may post a bond in order to ensure that full contract performance is completed and upon posting of a bond, full payment shall be rendered to the contractor.

(Source: P.A. 97-235, eff. 1-1-12.)