Pasco County is cracking down on unlicensed contractors who leave residents on the hook for shoddy work, or who take the money and run without doing the job.
County officials and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office joined forces in October to launch a pilot program aimed at protecting consumers from unscrupulous contractors.
Licensed contractors also lobbied for tougher actions against competitors who don’t follow the rules, county officials said.
“Unlicensed contractors in Pasco County now risk felony charges in certain cases, as well as traditional financial penalties,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, speaking at a press conference to announce the pilot program. “When (licensed contractors) do things right, it’s not fair to compete with unlicensed contractors who undercut them and deliver an unsafe product.”
The county and sheriff’s office average 20 to 25 complaints a month, said Ainsley Caldwell, the county’s unlicensed contractor project manager.
Previously, a county building inspector would be pulled from regular duties and assigned to investigate complaints, Caldwell said. “Now we have a team that is dedicated full-time.”
That team is made up of Caldwell and a building inspector, code inspector and a detective from the sheriff’s economic crimes unit.
The Pasco county attorney’s office and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation are assisting, too.
The pilot program, which has been approved to operate this fiscal year, has a $500,000 budget.
Investigations are often complaint-driven, but not always.
“We drive through neighborhoods and do spot checks,” Caldwell said.
Other building and code inspectors pass on information to the team about possible scams and the sheriff’s detective is advised as well, he said.
In many cases, county inspectors issue citations to contractors suspected of doing unlicensed work.
Caldwell said cases are heard by judges who can levy fines, require restitution and, in some cases, impose jail sentences.
The sheriff’s economic crimes unit staged a sting operation in November that led to the arrest of 11 men who were charged with workmen’s compensation fraud and unlicensed construction services. Both are felonies.
Between October and December 2014, there were 13 misdemeanor arrests and 11 felony arrests, said Shawn Rozankowski, a detective with the Pasco sheriff’s office. Since January, there have been 10 misdemeanor and 10 felony arrests, he said.
Besides protecting consumers from shoddy work, the program aims to educate residents about the risks involved in hiring unlicensed contractors.
The education efforts include speaking at neighborhood association meetings and developing an informational brochure.
It may seem cheaper to hire an unlicensed contractor, but it can prove to be very costly, Caldwell said.
“(People) are not aware they are hooking themselves up to significant liability issues,” Caldwell said.
If the unlicensed contractor falls off a ladder, for example, the person who hired him can be sued or be held responsible for medical bills, Caldwell said.
And, if building inspections done at a later date uncover work that was done without permits, the owner could face substantial penalties for “after-the-fact” permits, Caldwell said.
Other costs could result from having to repair work that wasn’t done properly.
There can be other risks as well.
Among the 11 men arrested in the sting operation, seven had prior criminal records including motor vehicle theft, forgery and domestic battery, county officials said.
To verify building permits and licensed contractors, visit the county’s website, PascoCountyFl.net and click on the appropriate links.
To find out more, or to report an unlicensed contractor (reports can be made anonymously), call (727) 847-2411, ext. 2692.
Clues to spot an unlicensed contractor
You are asked to obtain the permit.
- The contractor tells you a permit is not necessary. Visit the Pasco County website, at PascoCountyFl.net, to verify whether either a permit or inspection is required.
- The contractor is not willing to put a contract in writing.
- You are asked for a large down payment before work begins, or you are asked to pay in cash.
- The contractor cannot provide proof of insurance or a copy of his license. To verify a locally licensed contractor visit PascoCountyFl.net.
- The contractor does not display a license number in contracts or advertisements or on business cards and business vehicles.
- The contractor will work only at night and/or weekends.
Published February 25, 2015
