Contractor banned in MA right after home enhancement cons
Richard Capachione to pay back $150,000 in restitution for household advancement fraud impacting dozens of individuals
BOSTON (WWLP) – A household improvement contractor is banned from performing small business in Massachusetts just after a settlement with the Lawyer General’s Business.
Legal professional Common Maura Healey introduced Tuesday, Richard Capachione, a home advancement contractor from Acton, has been banned from proudly owning or managing a design company and will pay $150,000 in restitution following allegations that he ripped off dozens of house owners in Massachusetts.
Capachione is required to near his a few corporations, New England Hardscapes, Inc., Aqua Outside Environments, and R and R Consulting, LLC beneath the consent judgment entered in Suffolk Excellent Court. Because 2013, Capachione presented development providers this sort of as, the set up and development of swimming pools and pool decks, and the building of outside residing spaces and retaining walls.
The investigation commenced in 2019 after the Attorney General’s Place of work acquired grievances from consumers alleging that they have been paying out for household advancement projects, only for these assignments to remain unfinished. Capachione eventually submitted for bankruptcy.
The AG’s Business alleged that Capachione violated condition customer protection regulations, and the Home Improvement Contractor Act by coming into into prepared agreements with new consumers that lacked important disclosures essential by the regulation, which includes the contractor’s registration selection, a thorough description of the perform to be performed, the day when the job was scheduled to start and considerably accomplished, and notice that the contractor was needed to be registered with the state’s Office environment of Buyer and Company Affairs (OCABR).
“Remodeling a property can be a substantial, high priced energy, and it is devastating when qualities are left in even worse issue than they began, with cash expended on unfinished do the job,” reported AG Healey. “This settlement returns countless numbers of pounds to Massachusetts householders who had been taken gain of by this contractor’s deceptive methods.”
Tips: Choosing a residence improvement contractor
- Store wisely and do analysis. Request your close friends and neighbors for recommendations about contractors they have applied and have faith in and constantly talk to contractors for references. Check to make positive your contractor is registered with the Office of Purchaser Affairs and Enterprise Regulation, which will make it possible for you to check out any grievance background.
- Solicitations. Be additional careful if a contractor solicits business enterprise by the phone or by knocking on the doorway.
- Get it in composing. Make sure you attain a penned agreement or selling price estimate that specifics the occupation that will be done. For much more elaborate jobs, request for an itemized estimate.
- Permits. Your registered household improvement contractor must get any creating permits necessary by your metropolis or town. If you pull the permits by yourself, you hurt your capability to get well if a thing goes erroneous.
- Upfront charges. Be cautious of contractors who need the full rate of the do the job up front. For most dwelling enhancement projects that exceed $1,000, customers can’t be required to make a deposit of far more than just one-3rd of the project value in advance, other than for orders of personalized-created components.
- Speak to the AG’s Office’s buyer help hotline with questions 617-727-8400 or file a criticism online here.
