G E T S M A R T . . . Contractors Must Register
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Attorney General announces that registration is open for
home improvement contractors; under new law,
contractors must register by July 1
Attorney General Corbett announced that contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year must register with the Attorney General's Office and the Bureau of Consumer Protection, in order to comply with a new law that goes into effect July 1.
The intent of the Act is to:
- Protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors
- Provide new protection for consumers who hire home improvement contractors
- Authorize criminal penalties for home improvement fraud
As of July 1, 2009, consumers in Pennsylvania will be able to verify a contractor's registration with the Attorney General’s office by visiting our website, www.attorneygeneral.gov or by calling our toll-free hotline, 1-800-441-2555. In the coming months, our office will encourage consumers to use registered contractors when deciding to make home improvements.
The law requires that:
- All contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year must register with the Attorney General's Office and the Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Maintain minimum insurance coverage
- Use contracts that contain important information about home projects
- start date and completion date
- a description of work being performed with estimate and payment schedule
- consumers' rights under the law
- The registration is valid for two years
"Complaints involving home improvement or repair projects are one of the top subjects of calls to the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection," Corbett said. "This legislation will give us new tools to identify and prosecute problem contractors, while also helping consumers avoid frustrating and potentially expensive problems in the future."
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the Attorney General’s Office, the Bucks County Office on Consumer Protection
|
Attorney General announces that registration is open for
home improvement contractors; under new law,
contractors must register by July 1
Attorney General Corbett announced that contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year must register with the Attorney General's Office and the Bureau of Consumer Protection, in order to comply with a new law that goes into effect July 1.
The intent of the Act is to:
- Protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors
- Provide new protection for consumers who hire home improvement contractors
- Authorize criminal penalties for home improvement fraud
As of July 1, 2009, consumers in Pennsylvania will be able to verify a contractor's registration with the Attorney General’s office by visiting our website, www.attorneygeneral.gov or by calling our toll-free hotline, 1-800-441-2555. In the coming months, our office will encourage consumers to use registered contractors when deciding to make home improvements.
The law requires that:
- All contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year must register with the Attorney General's Office and the Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Maintain minimum insurance coverage
- Use contracts that contain important information about home projects
- start date and completion date
- a description of work being performed with estimate and payment schedule
- consumers' rights under the law
- The registration is valid for two years
"Complaints involving home improvement or repair projects are one of the top subjects of calls to the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection," Corbett said. "This legislation will give us new tools to identify and prosecute problem contractors, while also helping consumers avoid frustrating and potentially expensive problems in the future."
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the Attorney General’s Office, the Bucks County Office on Consumer Protection
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