It’s a good feeling: you finally win an arbitration case against a contractor or have a court rule in your favor. But then, the contractor still won’t pay the money owed.

What do you do?

According to the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation (OCABR), you can apply to the Home Improvement Contractor Guaranty Fund for up to $10,000 on actual loses if your contractor reneges on award or judgment pay. The branch of the state government created The Guaranty Fund with a one-time required fee from Massachusetts contractors in order to register.

When no other options exist, homeowners can visit www.mass.gov to learn how to collect money they are owed. OCABR states homeowners need to file a claim “within six months of the court judgment date or arbitration award.” In order to receive payment, six criteria need to be met. OCABR lists the following requirements:

• There was a contract for the job. 
• The contractor was registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs at the time of the contract.
• The contractor — not the homeowner — secured the building permit (with some exceptions).
• The contract was for work on a pre-existing 1-4 family residence in Massachusetts that is the owner’s primary residence.
• A court judgment or arbitration award in the homeowner’s favor has been issued, and all "reasonable efforts to collect" the judgment or award have been exhausted.
• A fund application was filed within six months of the arbitration award or court judgment