Attorney general sues 3 contractors over poor work, no refunds

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced Wednesday that he has filed lawsuits against three contractors doing business in Indiana that didn’t perform work as promised or misrepresented the urgency of needed repairs.

Zoeller sued Patriot Restoration of New Castle LLC in Henry County alleging the company, which approached consumers at their homes to make storm damage repairs, did not complete work, refunds were not issued, and the contracts didn’t meet state requirements. Since November 2011, at least 27 homeowners entered into contracts with the company totaling more than $66,000. Patriot Restoration is accused of violating the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, Indiana Home Solicitation Sales Act and the Home Improvement Contracts Act.

The attorney general accuses Reliable Home Improvements LLC of also failing to fulfill contracts or providing refunds after its owners helped customers obtain bank financing, including filling out credit applications. The suit, filed in Lake County, claims the company violated the Home Improvement Contracts Act, Credit Services Organizations Act and the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.

In a lawsuit filed targeting Indianapolis-based Mister Quik, a heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing company, the attorney general alleges the company charged unusually high prices for services it made appear more urgent than in actuality to customers. The suit says Mister Quik told two customers that their electrical panels needed replaced immediately or a fire could start. The company charged nearly $3,000 for the services, nearly twice as much as other contractors would have charged.

The complaint alleges the company violated the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and Indiana Home Improvement Contracts Act. The state is seeking injunctive relief, consumer restitution, investigative costs and civil penalties.