Today we hear from Rachel in Texas who’s annoyed. “I am trying to figure out how to verify if a company really exists and is paying taxes. My homeowners association pays, what until now, I thought was a single handyman. But when I asked for his qualifications they stated that he worked with a company. I can’t find the company name on my state comptroller’s website or my Secretary of State website. The only information I can get on the individual is his initial. Where else do I look?”
Dear Rachel,
It’s not really clear why the answer to “What are his qualifications?” is “He works for a company.”
But here are a couple of reasons why you may not be able to find the company on a state site:
1) They are not incorporated.
2) They are incorporated under another name.
Most likely, the company is just a proprietorship. In which case, they would have had to file a DBA. That would be recorded with the county recorder, or whatever the equivalent is in Texas.
On the other hand, you are paying association dues. Surely the association must have gotten the company’s business card, brochure and their qualifications when they put the job up for bid? And this information should be available to all homeowners to peruse. Ask nicely – but firmly, if this is important to you.
And if the real problem is, you don’t think he’s doing an adequate job, put your concerns in writing and be as specific as possible about what he’s done wrong, or what he has damaged. Turn that in to the Board before the next meeting and ask to have it brought up on the agenda so the entire association can address the problem.
And remember, you can find answers to all kinds of questions about tracking down businesses and all kinds of other tax issues, free. Where? Where else? At TaxMama.com
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