On Your Side Investigation: Frustrated Springfield roof customers wait one year; no movement in attorney general lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - One year ago, the Missouri Attorney General sued a roofing company that left Springfield customers in limbo. Not one hearing has happened in that lawsuit. There’s not even one scheduled.

This started with an On Your Side Investigation back in the spring of 2021. Customers paid Love Our Roof, also known as Xcel Roofing, thousands and never got what they were promised. Following our reporting, the Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the company, but not much has changed.

The same goes with the empty Love Our Roof office on South Fremont Avenue in Springfield. There’s still a sign despite the sudden closure two years ago. Back then, customers would tell you the ink was still drying on their paperwork when the doors closed.

“I don’t believe at all that when we wrote a contract the week before the business closed that they didn’t have some inclination that the business was failing financially,” said Laura Leclair in 2021.

Leclair paid a nearly $4,000 deposit for home improvements. On Your Side caught up with her recently after she hired another company to do the job.

“We paid for it twice when we lost the $4,000 deposit, and it created a much longer process than it could have been. We had to wait for about a year before we found a new contractor, and they were able to get us on the schedule and get materials,” she said.

Leclair, along with others, never got their money back. She filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General. She’s listed in the lawsuit that indicates the company made ‘false promises’ and ‘violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.’

“It would be nice to know if something was in the works. There are a lot of people who would like to see some sort of movement. Some sort of action. Our hands are tied if the AG isn’t doing anything because there’s nothing further we can proceed with,” Leclair said.

You might recall, Love Our Roof closed all locations, including its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Two supply companies sued and won judgments, nearly $1.5 million.

The Missouri Attorney General seeks restitution for customers and for Love Our Roof to pay penalties. The case was filed last January and hasn’t had one hearing in a Greene County courtroom. Not all defendants have been served.

For weeks, On Your Side has repeatedly asked the attorney general’s office for comment and to respond to these customer concerns. We were told they are ‘unable to offer any comment.’

In the case, there’s not an attorney representing Love Our Roof, but On Your Side contacted two who have in the past. One said he no longer represents Love Our Roof. We haven’t heard back from the other attorney.

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