These NJ building contractors were cited for $1M in fines and restitution

NEWARK — They walked out on jobs, didn't bother showing up at all, or left behind shoddy work, officials say. Now they're paying the price.

More than 100 contractors throughout the state last year were fined for ripping off homeowners, including victims of Hurricane Sandy, state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Department of Community Affairs announced Wednesday.

The 136 notices will mean penalties totaling $483,360 and restitution of $1.42 million. In addition to the citations, the state's Division of Consumer Affairs is suing contractors in Ocean and Atlantic counties over work related to Superstorm Sandy repairs.

"It is unacceptable that certain unscrupulous contractors are violating state law and not doing the work that they promised consumers, especially those still recovering from Superstorm Sandy," Porrino said. "Whether through the Superior Court or through Notices of Violations, contractors who break the law will continue to be held accountable."

Contractors in 19 of the state's 21 counties were cited with 17 coming from Camden County, which was the highest in the state. Atlantic, Burlington, Essex, Morris, and Union counties also had at least 10 citations issued. Only Mercer and Warren counties did not have reported violations, with 11 more sent to out-of-state contractors.

See the list below.

The violations ranged from $1,000 to $7,000, with restitution amounts of as low as $250 to as high as $134,093.

Nearly half of the violations were for working as an unregistered practice, with 48 resolving their citations through a consent order, 28 defaulting, and four having paid the penalties they were assessed. There are still 55 of the cases pending.

The complaints filed in the Superior Court in Ocean and Atlantic Counties "allege the contractors engaged in various unconscionable consumer practices that included taking money from consumers to repair, rebuild, and/or elevate storm-damaged homes and then failing to begin work, performing the work in a substandard manner, and/or abandoning unfinished projects without returning for weeks, months, or at all," officials said Wednesday in a prepared statement.

Some of the cases stem from instances where contractors were paid through funds from relief grants received from the RREM program, which was described as "the states' largest rebuilding initiative," and is managed by the Department of Community Affairs. In other cases the alleged victims lost money from the Landlord Rental Repair Program, which was also geared toward repair work after the storm for rental properties.

Steve Lee, the director of the Division of Consumer Affairs said, "We urge consumers who feel they have been the victims of fraud or other violations of law by contractors to report these actions to the Division immediately."

The Division of Consumer Affairs can be contacted by calling 1-800-242-5846 or through their website.

Fines and restitution levied against contractors

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Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com