(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is seeking consumer refunds of $105,000 from a central Ohio contractor accused of performing shoddy work and failing to complete home improvement projects.
“This guy took huge deposits from trusting clients but deserted the projects without providing refunds or answers,” Yost said. “It’s time to hold him accountable.”
The consumer protection lawsuit accuses George Franklin Capps Jr. of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Home Solicitation Sales Act. Capps, of Pickaway County, does business under the name Capps Construction.
Five consumers have filed complaints against Capps with Yost’s Consumer Protection Section and the Better Business Bureau in the past two years. The consumers are seeking refunds totaling $105,000.
The lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas requests an order requiring Capps to reimburse affected customers and pay civil penalties. It also requests an injunction ordering him to stop violating the state’s consumer protection laws.
Attorney General 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 cannot 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 that 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
