News

04/30/2007

In the course of a sting operation that came to a head today, Westchester officials have nabbed 16 contractors for operating a home improvement business without a license. 

Using a county-owned house in Yorktown, undercover agents solicited bids on repair work from unlicensed home improvement contractors. Those contractors who responded and showed up at the house were arrested.

The three-week sting operation was conducted by the county departments of Consumer Protection and Pubic Safety.  The contractors, who were arraigned today in Yorktown, face up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both for violating county licensing laws.

“This was the first-ever sting in Westchester, but it won’t be the last,” said Gary Brown, director of Consumer Protection. “Let the unlicensed contractor beware.”
“Unlicensed contractors are a menace to consumers,” said Thomas Belfiore, commissioner of Public Safety. “Operating without a license is a criminal offense; we will vigorously enforce this law.”

Home improvement complaints have ranked as the top consumer complaint in Westchester for the past several years. While hiring a licensed contractor is no guarantee of customer satisfaction, many of the most serious complaints –  involving shoddy, substandard work or failure to perform any work at all – involve unlicensed contractors.

In the aftermath of  recent flooding in parts of Westchester, consumers are advised to be especially wary of unlicensed contractors who may go door-to-door soliciting work.

“These may be con artists who will rip you off, “ Brown said. “You may be distraught about flood damage, but now is not the time to let your guard down and hire an unlicensed contractor.”  
  
The sting used a county-owned house at 1270 Hanover St., Yorktown. Acting undercover, county police detectives posed as the homeowners, contacted unlicensed contractors and invited them to bid on various projects. Those who showed up at the house, took measurements and proposed bids were charged with a misdemeanor under county law.

Among those arrested were two who are already on the county’s “Renegade Renovator” list of problematic contractors who have generated repeated consumer complaints.

All home improvement contractors - - including roofers, driveway pavers, landscapers, tile setters, chimney sweeps, fence installers, exterior painters, masons, and persons who install or repair exterior siding, decks, windows, doors and swimming pools - - must be licensed by the Department of Consumer Protection. 

 To qualify for  a license, contractors must pass a background check, have adequate insurance and supply proof of financial responsibility. Any history of unresolved consumer complaints is also considered. There are over 6,800 licensed contractors in Westchester.

 “Hiring an unlicensed contractor is like playing Russian roulette,” said Brown. “You could be hiring someone who has a criminal record, a trail of unpaid judgments, no insurance and dissatisfied customers. Even in the best case, you’re hiring someone who didn’t meet a threshold requirement of doing business here.”

Consumers are encouraged to watch the county’s new video, “Choosing a Home Improvement Contractor,” which will be available in May on Cablevision Channel 504 and on www.westchestergov.com.

 The county offers these tips for hiring a home improvement contractor:

• Avoid unlicensed contractors.  To find out if a contractor is licensed you can check online at www.westchestergov.com/consumer or by telephone at 914-995-2155.You can also check to see whether there have been complaints against the contractor.

• Avoid contractors who show up at your doorstep unannounced or contact you through telemarketing. 

• Avoid transient contractors who only have a P.O. box address or a cell phone number.

• Avoid contractors who demand payment in cash or more than 1/3 of the total before work has begun.

• Get at least three estimates, especially if the job is big.  In assessing the estimates, don’t always go with the low bidder.  A higher price may be worth it if the contractor is the most experienced, will use better materials, will do a better job, and keep to a timeline.

• Be wary of an extremely low bid. It may be an indication that the contractor is over eager for your business, made a mistake in preparing the bid or is not including all the work quoted by the other bidders. 

• Ask each contractor for references, and call the references to see if they were satisfied with the work.  Also, see for yourself by visiting the homes where the contractor has done work.

• Once you’ve decided on a contractor, insist on a written contract that sets forth all important details of the job.  Do NOT agree to an oral contract.

• If you have a problem, you don’t have to fight it alone. The Department of Consumer Protection can help.