How to rate a customer without getting sued
The number-one reason contractors don't review customers is fear of a lawsuit. Fair. But the law is more on your side than you think — if you write the review the right way. Here's how, in plain English. (Not legal advice — for that, talk to a lawyer in your state.)
The two rules that do most of the work
- 01
Facts must be true — and provable
"The final check arrived 74 days after substantial completion" is a fact. If it's true and you can back it up (invoices, emails, texts), it is not defamation, full stop. Truth is a complete defense in every state. Keep the paperwork that proves anything you state as fact.
- 02
Opinions must be honest — and labeled as yours
"I felt like he was looking for reasons not to pay" is an opinion, and honest opinions are protected speech. What you can't do is dress a false fact up as an opinion: "in my opinion he commits fraud" is still a factual claim, and if it's false, it's still defamation.
Write it like this
Risky
"This guy is a crook and a scammer. He steals from contractors and his whole family is trash. Avoid 123 Maple St at all costs."
Safe
"Final payment of $8,400 was due on completion March 3. It was paid May 16 after three follow-up invoices. He asked for a 15% discount after the walkthrough with no punch-list items outstanding. In my experience he was polite but slow to decide on change orders."
The checklist before you hit submit
- 01
Only review jobs you actually worked
Firsthand experience is the whole ballgame. Reviewing a customer your buddy told you about, or a homeowner you never contracted with, turns your honest opinion into a false factual claim about why you know what you know.
- 02
Leave private info out
No phone numbers, no kids' names, no medical details, no photos of the inside of their home. The address identifies the property for other contractors — everything beyond that is risk with zero upside.
- 03
Check your contract for a gag clause
Some contracts include non-disparagement clauses. If you signed one, a truthful review can still breach the contract even though it isn't defamation. Read what you signed before you post.
- 04
Skip the threats and the heat of the moment
'Pay me or I'll post a review' can cross into extortion territory. Write the review after the job is done, when you're calm, and never use a review as leverage in a payment dispute.
- 05
Let moderation be your second set of eyes
Every Union Break report is read by a human before it goes live. If something in your draft is risky — private info, an unprovable claim, a legal threat — it gets rejected, not published. That rejection is protecting you.
If someone threatens to sue anyway
Threats are cheap; lawsuits are expensive, and the customer has to prove what you wrote was false. Many states have anti-SLAPP laws that can get meritless suits over protected speech thrown out early — sometimes with the filer paying your legal fees. If you get a real demand letter (not just an angry text), take it to a lawyer before responding. The deeper dive is here:
Is it legal to review a customer? The full breakdown →Ready when you are
File a report the safe way: five scores, one honest story, human review before anything goes live.
File a report