Robbinsville contractor Charles L. Johnston Jr. is the subject of a complaint by state that says he cheated 75 customers
The state Division of Consumer Affairs has filed a complaint on behalf of 75 customers of a Robbinsville contractor for providing shoddy work, damaging homes and never completing work, authorities said Friday.
Acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs Steve Lee in this file photo. The complaint names Robbinsville resident Charles L. Johnston, Jr., and his companies, Basements 4 Less Inc., Choice Home Improvements, LLC, and C.L.J. Home Improvements, Inc., and says the companies ripped off customers in Monmouth, Mercer, Ocean, Somerset, Middlesex and Burlington counties, according to a release.
The complaint seeks to get customers' money back, plus court costs, and civil penalties. It also seeks to dissolve his current businesses and ban him from owning or operating a home improvement business in the state.
"When consumers spend money on home renovations, they rightfully expect to add value to their homes and gain pleasure from the upgrades," acting Attorney General Robert Lougy said. "They don't expect to have their homes damaged by a contractor who then abandons the project and runs off with their money. We will not tolerate contractors that disregard the rights of homeowners and our consumer protection laws."
The complaint alleges that between Jan. 2012 and April 2016 Johnston:
- Accepted payments, starting home improvement projects, and then abandoned them.
- Provided consumers with contracts that didn't represent the true and final cost of the project.
- Did substandard work and failed to make necessary repairs.
- Performed work that failed to pass inspection.
- Charged consumers for additional work and/or materials not specified in the contract without notice.
- Took money for project permits he never got.
The complaint says Johnston tried to hide his prior business practices from new customers by registering and operating multiple businesses under different names.
"It's bad enough when a contractor leaves a trail of unfinished projects and unhappy victims in his wake, but it's particularly egregious when he deliberately registers and operates under multiple names to continue defrauding customers without detection," Steve Lee, acting director of the state Division of Consumer Affairs, said. "We are pursuing every legal avenue to make sure that victimized homeowners are made whole and that significant civil penalties are imposed against dishonest contractors that violate the law."