Attorney General Josh Shapiro Announces Lawsuit Against Pike County Home Improvement Business

February 21, 2019 | Topic: Consumers

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that his Bureau of Consumer Protection filed a lawsuit against T.E.N., LLC, Erika Sherlock, and Torrie Kolb, on claims they failed to perform home renovations or performed the work in a substandard manner after entering into contracts to perform home improvement services for renovations to consumers’ homes.

One Pike County senior consumer filed a complaint saying the defendants kept asking for more money after he paid the full original contract price of $11,000 for a roof installation before the work even began. After the consumer reluctantly provided the defendants an additional $10,000, the defendants removed the roof and demanded an additional $8,000 to continue to work. The consumer was scammed out of a total of $21,000.

“Consumers relied on these defendants to perform work on their home that they desperately needed on their homes,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “When Pennsylvania consumers enter into a contract with a home renovation company, pay up front for a project, then never sees the project completed in their home—this is a scam and my office will fight for you.”

The lawsuit further alleges that the defendants failed to: properly register as a home improvement contractor; respond to consumer complaints and refund requests; provide refunds to consumers; repair unsatisfactory and/or deficient work; and use contracts which complied with state law requirements—all of which are in violation of the Consumer Protection Law and the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA).

The complaint requests the court order the defendants to:

Be permanently enjoined from any practices that violate the Consumer Protection Law and HICPA;

  • Pay restitution to all consumers who have suffered losses as a result of the defendants’ conduct;
  • Be permanently enjoined from doing business as a home improvement contractor in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
  • Pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law and $3,000 for each violation involving a consumer age 60 or older.

The Attorney General encourages anyone who feels they were victimized by T.E.N., LLC, Erika Sherlock, and Torrie Kolb to file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling 1-800-441-2555, or submitting a complaint online here: www.attorneygeneral.gov.

The Complaint was filed in the Pike County Court of Common Pleas by Deputy Attorney General Timothy R. Murphy of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

 

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