State sues Hamilton contractor seeking $20K in consumer refunds

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“It’s a simple concept: keep your word and you can keep the money,” Yost said in a release. “This guy clearly doesn’t get it, so now we’ll have to explain it to him in court.”

Four consumers from Butler and Hamilton counties reported financial losses totaling $19,866 in complaints submitted to Yost’s Consumer Protection Section and the Better Business Bureau.

The lawsuit filed in the Common Pleas Court of Butler County requests an order requiring Colwell to reimburse affected customers and pay civil penalties and court costs. It also requests an injunction ordering him to stop violating the state’s consumer protection laws.

Yost reminds consumers to take the following steps before signing a contract for home improvement services:

• Check for any complaints against the contractor with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau.

• Make sure your contract includes notice of your right to cancel a door-to-door sale. Contractors generally can’t start working until the three-day “cooling-off” period ends.

• Get written estimates from several contractors before making a final decision.

• Check to make sure the written contract includes any verbal promises, the start and end dates, and an itemized list of all significant costs, labor and services.

• Be wary if the contract requires a large down payment or requires that you write a check directly to the contractor instead of his or her company.

• Check with the Ohio Secretary of State to confirm that the business is registered properly.

Consumers who suspect an unfair or deceptive business practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.