Question: Last year I called the State...

Question: Last year I called the State Contractors License Board to complain about a contractor and was told that because the damages amounted to only a thousand dollars, I should sue the contractor in small claims court.

A few weeks ago, I called in a complaint about a roofing contractor and was told that the contractor did not have a contractor’s license and that there was nothing they could do. Isn’t the license board supposed to protect the public?

Answer: Yes. The board is a part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, and its primary function is to protect the public. The reason for licensing is to make sure that persons who are contracting in California have a minimum of four years experience and are able to pass an examination on the trade and on the legal aspects of contracting.

The board is seriously understaffed. While there are over 180,000 licensed contractors in California, approximately 35,000 complaints are registered with the department annually. Most have to do with home improvement work.

It is very difficult for the license board to service all of these complaints, and there is a tendency to recommend that minor problems be resolved in the small-claims courts.

Regarding unlicensed contractors, it is difficult to prove that this person has been acting illegally. As result, there are a number of unlicensed persons operating as contractors.

Virtually 99% of all licensed contractors are honest individuals trying to make a fair living.

My suggestion is to write to the license board and send a copy of the letter to the contractor. Usually, a legitimate contractor will respond immediately as he does not wish to have any problems with the license board. If this fails, then I would file a formal complaint with the board and send a copy to the contractor, again hoping to get satisfaction.

Continue to pursue the board so that you will get attention. The adage of the squeaking wheel getting the oil applies when working with state agencies.