BALTIMORE (November 29, 2012)—Attorney Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a Cease and Desist Order against two unlicensed home improvement contractors who are charged with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Maryland consumers and failing to perform the services they had been paid to do.
The charges filed by the Division allege that Christopher Manion, of Huntingtown, and Albert Styles, of North Beach, sold and provided home improvement services without the required home improvement licenses and collected large payments for services they failed to perform. Under Maryland’s home improvement laws, contractors must possess licenses to both sell and perform home improvement services. Manion and Styles, who offered home improvement services using several different company names, including Comfortable Construction, D&M Construction, LLC, and Built-Tite Construction, LLC, held neither.
In support of its Order, the Division presented testimony from nine consumers who paid Manion and Styles $420,303.88 for services that were not performed. The Division’s order requires Manion and Styles to reimburse the nine known consumer victims, as well as any other consumers who paid for services that were not performed. The Division also ordered Manion and Styles to immediately cease and desist from offering and selling home improvement services unless they obtain the required licenses and post a bond or other cash security with the Division in the amount of $200,000 to protect consumers.
“Especially in these financially challenging times, the last thing consumers should have to worry about is whether the home improvement contractors they hire are misrepresenting their credentials or taking their hard-earned money,” said Attorney General Gansler. “Marylanders looking to hire contractors should always do their homework and ensure that the company or individual in question is properly licensed and has a good reputation.”
Consumers with complaints against Manion, Styles or any of their companies may call the Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6569 or write the Division at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Source: Office of Attorney Douglas F. Gansler