Police Crack Down on Unlicensed Home Projects

From May 10 to 14, Harrison Police arrested eight contractors for working on homes in the area without a permit. The arrests were part of a joint effort between the police department and the Westchester County Office of Consumer Protection, according to an official from that office and arrest reports.

"These types of issues, we don't want to see any of our residents getting scammed and we don't want to see anybody that is operating against county law," said Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini.

In order to work at another person's home a contractor, who can be anything from a landscaper to someone working on a home project, must be licensed with the county. The arrests were made as part of an effort to enforce the 22-year-old law, said Tom Kramer, deputy county sealer.

Throughout the county, 70 contractors were arrested this month out of over 550 random stops at work sites. The seven work sites where a contractor was arrested in Harrison (two were arrested at one site) can be viewed on the map at the top-right corner of this page.

The work site checks are nothing new, according to Marraccini, who said that they have been taking place for as long as he remembers.

Kramer said officials from his office spent the month going to work sites and asking for permits with the goal of enforcing a law that protects both the homeowner and the contractor.

"Most of the complaints we get against contractors are against unlicensed contractors," said Kramer. "Contractors who are licensed are certainly much more likely to deal properly with consumers and deal with any issues that come up in a responsible businesslike manner."

Although most of those arrested in Harrison told police they were not aware such a law existed, Kramer said that having a license to work on someone else's property is a law state-wide and is designed to protect contractors as well if there is ever a dispute about payment. Adding that if the contractor does not have a valid license he or she has no legal right to be compensated for work done.

The law also requires that anyone working at a job site be insured, which is crucial in the case of an accident.

"I think one of the critical things is the insurance," said Marraccini. "If you get a contractor and something happens, you really need somebody who is adequately insured,"

It is also important for homeowners to check with the county before hiring anyone to make sure workers have a license. Although the homeowner cannot face charges from the county for hiring someone without a license, they run the risk of either being ripped off or having work on their property stopped before being completed.

"We have shut down projects in the county who have contractors without licences. Leaving the homeowner, unfortunately, high and dry," Kramer said.

There have also been complaints against contractors who leave jobs unfinished or incomplete. If a contractor isn't licensed it is very unlikely that the county will be able to find or prosecute them.

"We are starting at a point where we don't know who they are," said Kramer. "We don't know necessarily where they are if they take advantage of customers."

In order to receive a permit, anyone working on another persons home must file with the county, pass a background check, a written test and provide documentation that their business is actually real.

The Westchester County Office of Consumer Protection urges anyone who is hiring outside help for a home project to contact them before making a decision. They can be reached at (914) 995-2155.

If not, the homeowner runs the risk of seeing the person they have hired arrested before a project can be completed.

"We work hand-in-hand with law enforcement agencies in order to basically create as level a playing field as possible," said Kramer. "We will go out to the job site."