Homeowners: Consumer Protection

Toolkit 1 - Your First Steps After a Disaster. Hope starts here.

Module 3: Your Survival Mantra

1. “Don’t rush. Take a breath. Ask for help.”

2. Don’t rush into signing contracts and What to Look for in a Contract guide

Toolkit 4 - Asbestos and Smoke Contamination. And how to move your frustration.

Module 1: Asbestos

1. Asbestos video

2. Testing and abatement: the details

Module 2: Smoke contamination

1. Why smoke can be toxic 

2. How to test for smoke, soot, and ash contamination

Module 3: Cleaning up

1. Recipe for getting smoke smell out

2. Best practices for cleaning your home 

3. Cleaning tips & guidelines 

Toolkit 5 - Post-Disaster Logistics: Documents, Insurance, and Finding your Next Rental. A reminder to stay connected with support. 

Module 1: Replacing documents 

Module 3: Insuring your uninhabitable home and new rental

1. Homeowners: what insurance to have on home under repair and temporary home

Module 4: Paying for Utilities 

1. Turn off utilities and pay minimum to keep accounts open. 

Toolkit 7 - Replacing Belongings, Contents Pack Out & Setting Up Your Next Home. Moving forward and staying grounded amidst the turmoil. 

Module 1: The First Steps to Replacing your Belongings

1. Use shopping apps

2. Save receipts

Module 2: Restoration Companies & Your Contents

1. Content Pack Out: What you need to know

2. What your contractor provided inventory list should look like

Module 3: Getting settled into new or temporary housing 

1. Get what you are entitled to in your rental

2. Setting up your new or temporary home after a disaster

Toolkit 8 - The First Rebuild Decisions. Understanding your options and taking it slow.

Module 1: Shop around for contractors

1. Take your time and compare options

2. Contractor red flags

3. Interviewing contractors

Module 2: Contract fine print

1. What to look for in contract

2. Beware of Assignment of Benefits

Module 3: Should You Rebuild or Sell?

1. Understanding your options

2. Questions to ask yourself 

Toolkit 10 - HOAs, Subrogation, and Renters Being Held Responsible. And managing the anger that comes with these issues.

Module 1: Homeowners Associations: What to know 

1. Whose insurance covers what?

2. Loss Assessment Coverage

3. Paying your HOA dues 

Module 2: Subrogation

1. What is it and how it works

Toolkit 11 - Common Roadblocks with Insurance. But keep going, you’ve got this.

Module 4: Public Adjusters

1. When to hire one, what to know: 

2. What’s the Deal with Public Adjusters

Toolkit 12 - Getting the Rebuilding Process Started. Why clear communication will get you through.

Module 1: Agreeing on the estimate

1. The reconstruction estimate

2. Building ordinance or code upgrades

Module 2: Managing the construction process

1. You’re the project manager

2. Schedule weekly meetings

3. Stick to the payment schedule

4. The permit process 

Module 3: Avoiding Foreclosure

1. Types of loss mitigation

Module 4: Clear communication