For the fifth consecutive year, an annual consumer protection survey finds home improvement and contractor-related complaints among the top five consumer gripes in 2002, landing in the number two spot behind automobile sales.

The Consumer Federation of America and the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators conducted the survey -- the twelfth annual.

"Typically high in years with numerous weather conditions affecting the nation's homeowners, home improvement complaints usually include failure to use a written contract, abandonment or refusal to complete work, workmanship issues and noncompliance with building code requirements," the report states.

Disasters, like October's devastating wildfires in Southern California that destroyed or damaged more than 2,500 homes, can also trigger an influx of unlicensed or unscrupulous contractors.

"Historically, we have seen contractors coming in from out of state to take advantage of those who have had their homes destroyed," Lynette Blumhardt, spokeswoman for the Contractors State License Board, said in a Nov. 18 San Diego Union Tribune article. "Some legitimately want to be helpful. Others follow natural disasters around the country and come in with the idea of taking advantage of people."

The problem is that contractors who don't obtain a state license can't be counted on to complete the work they were paid to perform, she said. Some request high up-front payments and disappear.

The problem came to a head after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, prompting the California Legislature to pass a law making it a felony to contract without a license in a declared disaster area, she said.

The only way for any contractor to legally work within the state is to perform jobs costing less than $500, she said. Acquiring a state license can take months.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry says there are plenty of professional contractors out there, but doing your homework is key.

The association requires its members to follow a strict code of ethics. It also provides a formal grievance resolution process for consumers who have issues with NARI members.

NARI, in a statement on its website addressing the consumer survey results, said it is dedicated to educating consumers about their rights, what to look for in a contractor, and points out what a contract should include, in addition to safety and environmental issues.

The remodeling group offers the following warning signs that indicate a contractor might be untrustworthy:

Published: December 15, 2003

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