WXXI: New Website for Consumers Seeking Home Improvements (2008-09-22)

New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo was in Rochester Monday to promote a website that helps consumers identify bad contractors before they undergo home renovations.

Cuomo says regulations on contractors are uneven across the state, and because contractors are big campaign contributors, the assembly and senate haven't taken up licensing requirements. So Cuomo says he's going around the legislature, by putting up a website that gives the names of contractors who've had judgments brought against them.

Cuomo says the website help consumers "do their homework" before making home improvements, so they don't wind up having to make a complaint to the attorney general's office.

"When we get there, the damage is already done. And many of these contractors who we then bring a case against are what they call 'judgment proof'. You can't get the money back, the contractor spent the money, they declare bankruptcy, so we want to do everything we can to avoid the creation of the issue."

The website is www.nyknowyourcontractor.com.

Kirstie Steves is the executive director of the Electrical Association of Rochester, which represents electricians in Monroe County. Steves says she gets phone calls all the time from people who had bad experiences with electrical contractors, and don't know what to do.

"Anything that gets the word out there that there are bad contractors is great .. The only thing that I can do after the fact if they're not part of our referral program ... is tell them they need to get an attorney."

Cuomo points out that the contractors listed on the site aren't the only bad apples out there. He urges consumers to follow the links on the site to other databases that track contractors who do shoddy work or take payments and don't follow through.

Over 50 contractors are listed in the Rochester-Finger Lakes area, on the website. Cuomo says the Rochester area has the highest volume of complaints of any region on the state, which he attributes to the lack of licensing of contractors.