Action 9 investigates contractor denying new roof warranties

ORLANDO,Fla. — Two families said they can't believe a big contractor refuses to fix leaks in their new roofs. The company told them Hurricane Matthew voided their warranties and they would have to repair it themselves.

“It was literally pouring and I had two huge pots right here,” Holli Drokes said.. She said her new roof had bad leaks just months after Jasper Contractors installed it.

She bought a two-year warranty.

“Did you think you were covered?” Action 9's Todd Ulrich asked.

“Of course. It's a brand-new roof,” Drokes said.

She called Jasper for repairs, but she heard her warranty was not any good because Hurricane Matthew caused the leak. Jasper told her to read the contract.

“Was there any wind damage in your neighborhood?” Ulrich asked.

“No, not a bit,” she replied.

The contract did have a full page of fine print that reads that the contractor is not responsible for excessive wind or acts of God.

Drokes said the roofer decided the storm caused the leaks without looking at it first.

Ulrich asked roofing consultant Joel Hammock to inspect the roof. He found no wind damage and blamed Jasper for leaks. “There are strictly installation errors and nothing to do with a windstorm,” Hammock said.

“And should be covered by the warranty?” Ulrich asked.

“Absolutely,” Hammock said.

Alysa Murray said Jasper refused to fix her new roof leaks for the same reason. "We've
had thunderstorms that were worse than we experienced during that hurricane," Murray said.

She said Jasper only fixed the leaks after she contacted Action 9 and threatened legal action. “That company is bad news,” Murray said.

The Florida Roofing Association told Action 9 standard contracts exempt warranty repairs after hurricanes, but only if a storm actually caused damage.

Ulrich went to Jasper’s Orlando office to seek answers.

“They can't get their leaks fixed. These are new roofs. Can I get them some help?” Ulrich said.

“You can call our office in Atlanta,” the manager said.

The corporate office has not responded.

“I feel very taken advantage of. I feel very bad,” Drokes said.

Both homeowners say they will fill out complaints against the contractor's state license.

Ulrich suggests that if a roofer denies your warranty claim, dispute it in writing and then get a second opinion.

Cox Media Group