NY AG Charges Contractor With Squeezing 88-Year Old Widow Out Of $80K+ For Repairs Never Done Or Grossly Substandard

From the Office of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo:

• Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo [last week] announced the arrest of a Western New York home improvement contractor for repeatedly pressuring an 88 year-old widow into paying more than $80,000 for home improvements that were never done or were done well below industry standards. Bryan Boone, 47, of Kenmore Avenue in Kenmore, was arraigned before Justice Thomas S. Kolbert in Cheektowaga Town Court for Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree (class C felony).

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• According to the complaint, all of the work Boone did was careless and incomplete. [...] Independent experts who reviewed Boone’s work at the request of the Attorney General’s office declared it to be grossly substandard and of little value to the homeowner. They estimated the cost of labor and materials to be no more than $11,000 to $13,000.

• According to the complaint, besides shoddy and incomplete work, Boone also failed to meet the legal requirements for home repair work, including obtaining the proper permits, providing a written contract to the consumer, and depositing payments into a trust account. Additionally, he has ignored requests from the homeowner to return any of her money, including $3,555 for an awning he never provided, and for an accounting of how he spent all of her payments to him.

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• Attorney General Cuomo strongly encourages all New Yorkers to visit www.nyknowyourcontractor.com before hiring a contractor for any home improvement or repair.

For more, see Attorney General Cuomo Announces Arrest Of Home Improvement Contractor For Scamming Western New York Senior Out Of More Than $80,000 (88 year-old widow pressured into writing more than 70 checks over seven months ~ Outside experts describe work as ‘grossly substandard’).

According to this press release, since January 1, 2007 the Attorney General’s Office has mediated more than 1550 complaints against contractors resulting in restitution of more than $800,000 to consumers.

For other posts on homeowners left in the lurch due to actions by builders/contractors, go here, go here, and go here.

Go here for other posts on other home improvement contractors hammered by the NY AG. Cuomo hammers contractors contractors stiff subs customers yelbow Cuomo hammers contractors