How do I check how a gutter cleaner handles damage complaints after a job?

Start by asking whether complaints are recorded at all. A business that writes down each report, with the date, the customer, what happened and how it ended, usually handles them with more care. Ask to read several, including the harder ones, and note how long each took to settle and who paid.

Look at what the owner does when something is damaged: a cracked downspout, a scratched finish, a fallen shingle. Is there a standard approach, such as photos before and after, a call back the same day and a repair by a trusted tradesperson? Ask whether the crews are trained to report damage immediately, instead of hoping nobody notices.

Then look at patterns. Do complaints cluster around one crew, one kind of house or one season? Did the owner change the process after any of them? Ask what insurance claims were made, and whether the insurer has asked for changes. Your insurance adviser can explain how a change of owner affects coverage. Finally, with the seller’s permission, speak with a few customers who raised a concern. Their account of how it was resolved tells you more than the paperwork can.

Key takeaways

• Request the complaint log and read several cases, including difficult ones.
• Look for a consistent process for photos, reports and repairs.
• Check for patterns by crew, season or job type, and ask what changed.