Renovation Trust
Homeowner and Contractor Protection
Disputes And Dispute Resolution 
Avoid Disputes By Using The Renovation Trust Tools
Communicate
Show Your Progress
Document Everything
No Verbal Agreements
Get Approvals
Always Communicate With Your Customer
No Verbal Agreements
Avoid verbal agreements and document everything from the start to the end of your project. It is especially important to document change orders that may either alter the scope of work, change the project, or change the price of the project. A complete history of changes will be available to you in your Renovation Trust account. Our project tools make documenting the project and its changes easier. In every instance, both homeowners and contractors must approve any change to the project. This allows your customer to approve and fund the changes before you do them.
Show Your Work And Get Approvals
When moving along with a project, show your customer what is happening and let them see the work and approve it - never assume - especially where they have described what they want or shown you pictures. If the customer is at work, send them a picture or a video from your phone. Keep all correspondence. If a customer has an issue at the end of a job, you'll have proof that they had seen and approved the work you did.
Make your agreements clear, concise and all-inclusive so both you and your customer know the expectations. Be clear about what is included and what is not. Be clear about where the work starts and where the work stops. Be clear about what your customer is to supply and when or what you are supplying. Make sure both your contract and the scope of work in your Renovation Trust project are the same. Add your contract to the project documents. All of this assists in making sure you and your customer are on the same page. By uploading contracts and other important documents, everything is documented if a dispute were to arise.
Only start work once your customer funds the project - wait for Renovation Trust to notify you. Only proceed to work on the next milestone after your customer has released funds for completing the previous milestone.
How The Dispute Resolution Process Works
If you run into a problem, disagreement or dispute with your customer, we have a process to help you. Misunderstandings happen and we are here to help.
Raise A Concern
If your customer has a concern about a milestone you've requested the release of, they can raise a concern. The project will freeze and no changes will able to be made on the project until the concern has been resolved between you and your customer.
At this stage, you can talk, email or text with your customer - see if you can work things out. Really work hard to come to a solution. Sometimes you may have to compromise.
File A Dispute
If you cannot reach a resolution and settle the concern, you may file a dispute. To file a dispute, click the "Dispute" button on the milestone in question.
Pay The Nominal Fee
Both you and your customer must pay an $89 Dispute fee to commence the dispute resolution process. Doing so will do a few things:
- Freeze the money. Neither you nor the homeowner will have access to the money allocated towards this project while a dispute is ongoing.
- A Renovation Trust Dispute Negotiator will be assigned - someone who will try to help you and your customer settle the dispute.
If the Renovation Trust Dispute Negotiator isn't able to help settle the dispute, the money will continue to be frozen until a mutual settlement is reached, or an arbitrator/court with standing provides a resolution.
We will do our best to assist you through the process while protecting your money. Have questions? Contact us.