Before you contract a contractor…

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has announced that consumers can now contact the Attorney General’s Office to check on the registration status of any home improvement contractor in Pennsylvania by visiting http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hiccon.aspx?id=4502 or by calling 1-888-520-6680. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which requires all contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year to register with the attorney general’s office, went into effect July 1. The intent of the act is to protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors, to provide new protection for consumers who hire home improvement contractors and to authorize criminal penalties for home improvement fraud.

Checking with the Attorney General’s office to see if a contractor is registered is important for a few reasons:

• It shows that the contractor is complying with the law.
• It shows the contractor’s insurance information. 
• It shows whether or not a contractor has a criminal record or if there were any civil judgments (including bankruptcy) against them.

The new web site includes information for each registered contractor, including:

• Contact and insurance information;
• A description of the company;
• Information on any prior home improvement businesses;
• Names of anyone with an interest in the business;
• Any contractor licenses;
• Bankruptcy, criminal plea and conviction history;
• A map showing where the business is located;

Along with checking with the Attorney General’s office when choosing a home improvement contractor, consumers should also contact the Better Business Bureau, check the contractors’ references and obtain multiple estimates – the Attorney General’s office is not endorsing any particular contractor’s quality of work or honesty.