Construction fraud is an extremely common problem for many San Diegans. Unfortunately, there are many people out there posing as contractors who in fact fail to be licensed. These unlicensed contractors may be misrepresenting their license qualification or simply falsifying the value of labor and materials of the project being done on your home.
However, it is in fact illegal for an unlicensed contractor to perform any contracting work for a project that is valued over $500 in combined labor and material costs. Besides being illegal, unlicensed contractors lack accountability and have a high rate of involvement in construction scams. Not only that, these unlicensed contractors are unfair competition for the rest of the industry.
What does CA law say?
Under the California law, any person who uses a fraudulent contractor’s license number is subject to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment. Repeat offenders are subject to a mandatory 90-day jail sentence plus steep fines.
If you’ve suspected your contractor provided you with a fraudulent license number or you just want to be sure they are in fact licensed, you can check their credentials at cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx.
Get real estate legal assistance
Are you in need of legal assistance with a real estate and/or construction contractor issue? Some of our clients have experienced counter lawsuits by unlicensed contractors for the moneys the unlicensed contractor believes they are owed for work already done. However, no unlicensed contractors can bring or maintain an action for the collection of costs for work done that required a license.
If you believe you are a victim to an unlicensed contractor or you need assistance bringing an action against one, contact our offices today online or at (858) 926-5797.