Oregon Legal Research Blog
Sunday’s (4/29/07) Oregonian had a good story by Sarah Hunsberger “Remodel disaster: $50,000 vanishes, as does contractor,” on how limited Oregon law is when protecting consumers from contractors who do shoddy work or go out of business, even when the consumer takes all possible care to check out the contractor’s bona fides at the CCB and beyond:
‘As home improvement season gets under way and families gear up to make big investments this spring and summer, the O’Briens’ misfortune offers a reminder that even though Oregon regulates contractors, consumers still carry the burden to protect themselves.
An investigation by The Oregonian in 2005 revealed that weak state laws and passive enforcement by the state Construction Contractors Board have allowed unscrupulous or financially troubled contractors to remain in business and avoid paying penalties levied by the state agency.
As the board’s own Web site warns, state protections “are limited and do not provide a comprehensive safety net for consumers.”‘