CSLB Annual CA Blitz

The Contractors State License Board, (CSLB) conducted 4 simultaneous undercover sting operations around the state to protect consumers, focusing upon repeat offenders & others who contract without a license. The two day day operation, conducted by 19 CSLB investigators on September 15th &16th, 2009, resulted in 103 people receiving Notices to Appear in court or administrative citations for various infractions, mostly for contracting without a license. This Fall 2009 Blitz involved stings in Los Angeles, Riverside, Monterey and Yolo counties. Later, Sacramento county was also the site for an undercover sting. CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team, (SWIFT) conducts these multi-county blitzes every fall and spring to enhance its smaller sting operations, which takes place on a weekly basis.
After the two day operation, CSLB released information to the media in an effort to educate, inform and protect Consumers. News media representatives from the greater Sacramento area reported on the CSLB Consumer protection operation, including the Yolo County operation which resulted in 22 misdemeanor citations being issued to unlicensed contractors in Woodland, CA.

CSLB spokeperson, Rick Lopes said homeowners who hire unlicensed contractors have little recourse if the work is not done properly or completed. Homeowners also risk a potential lawsuit if an unlicensed contractor or his employees are injured while working on the homeowner's property.

Consumers can verify a contractor's license by checking on-line at: www.cslb.ca.gov
or: www.checkTheLicenseFirst.com
or via CSLB's automated phone service at, 1-800-321-CSLB (2752).

In 2009, CSLB which operates under the umbrella of the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, marks its
80th anniversary of protecting Consumers by regulating California's construction industry. CSLB licenses about 315, 0000 contractors. In any given year, complaints are filed against only 3% of licensed contractors. Consumers recovered nearly $36 miillion in ordered restitution courtesy of the CSLB in fiscal year 2008-2009.

Please visit the CA Department of Consumer Affairs website at, www.dca.ca.gov
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LWR

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cslb
• dca
• undercover
• undercover stings
• consumer protection.

[MrHighway22]

It's time the CSLB goes after these crooks. Craigslist skilled trade section is full of these fake contractors.

[MrHighway22]

yujjjj

[scottdeshon]

thank god for north carolinas laws... a person can make an honest living.

[tzedekyahu]

@LIcensedContractor it has nothing to do with the altruistic motives they try to sell you, it is simply so that they can keep the bigger dogs off of their backs once a year. that is why they get the media involved.the codes enforcement in my town do the same thing with my neighborhood.once a year, they canvas the neighborhood with tv camera crews and hand out a bunch of fines, and condemn houses that have peeling paint or cracked glazing, putting more people homeless. ah...life in the ghetto.

[tzedekyahu]

@GiantBuilders will you loan me the $20,000 I need to be able to get my license :)

[stonethk]

How about going after big Contractors who default on Subcontractor payments?

[stonethk]

Good to know that the law WILL uphold oral agreements.

[bcrscahh198987]

CSLB doesn't protect consumers well or help legitimate licensed contractors maintain profitable business.

Everyone lose.

[GiantBuilders]

I'm a licensed general contractor, i know people have to work for a living, but law is the law must follow the law.

[LIcensedContractor]

What I've started to do is cancel my business licenses in the various cities where I've done business. Let the officials know that you're losing business to all of the unlicensed contractors out there who don't pay crap to anyone. Drop the problem back in their laps where they do have a vested interest. I'm tired of paying and subsidizing our officials overlooking the problem and their tacit approval.