Two-day sting results in the arrest of 33 unlicensed contractors

A combined law enforcement team recently conducted a sting operation against illegal contractors operating in Ventura County.

Members of the Contractors State License Board's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team posed as homeowners at a house near Ventura's Ocean Avenue Park and invited suspected unlicensed contractors to bid on various home improvement projects, including landscaping, kitchen remodeling, concrete work, roofing and painting.

The two-day sting resulted in 33 unlicensed operators being ordered to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on misdemeanor charges for contracting without a license, for advertising violations and for demanding excessive down payments. Convictions can include jail time and fines of $1,000 to $4,500 and above.

By law, all contractors who perform work that totals $500 or more must be licensed by CSLB. Licensing provides for minimum standards of competency and business knowledge. All licensees undergo a thorough background check.

"Because many unlicensed operators don't comply with the workers' compensation and contractors bonding laws, they are often able to submit lower bids on jobs," said Steve Sands, CSLB registrar. "But if one of their workers is injured on the job, the homeowner could be found liable for his/her medical treatment. And if a deal goes bad with an unlicensed contractor, the homeowner has very few options."

The CSLB conducts sting operations around the state on a regular basis to highlight the dangers to consumers who hire unlicensed workers and to enforce state laws. Unlicensed contractors, when advertising for work, need to announce that they are unlicensed on their advertisement.