Category Archives: Contractor Fraud

Contractor Fraud

Temp-A-Cure Inc. fined for non-permitted work In WA

Temp-A-Cure, an out-of-state contractor, was fined more than $60,000 for electrical violations at 22 homes across Washington State.

Temp-A-Cure Inc. of Oregon City, Ore., received a $63,600 fine for working without an electrical license, having no electrical permits for the work, and employing unlicensed electricians as installers. L&I also fined three Temp-A-Cure employees a total of $5,000 for working without an electrical license.

In its investigation, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) noted this is the third time the firm has violated Washington law.

“This is an example of an out-of-state company unlicensed for electrical work hiring unqualified people for non-permitted projects,” said Steve Thornton, L&I chief electrical inspector. “The result takes work from honest businesses and contractors licensed in Washington, and creates a danger to public safety.”

Neither the company nor the employees appealed the violations by the December deadline. Temp-A-Cure and two employees now have until next month to pay the fines or face having their fines go to a private collection agency, which could significantly increase their costs, Thornton noted. The third employee has paid the fine.

The homes are located in Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Walla Walla, Pasco, and Kennewick. The work involved replacing furnace and air conditioning units.

Temp-A-Cure had previous run-ins with L&I in 2017 and earlier this year. Those violations were also for performing electrical work without a valid electrical license.

Hire smart. L&I can help

Thornton said another company contacted L&I to complain about bidding for a job that Temp-A-Cure won in Walla Walla. Thornton cautioned people to hire smart when looking for contractors to work on a home, including getting three written bids, and verifying the contractor’s electrical license.

To find out whether a contractor is licensed, has an up-to-date workers’ compensation account, or has any safety violations pending, go to L&I’s ‘verify’ web page. Find more tips on checking bids on L&I’s Protect My Home web page.

L&I uses a special group of inspectors, called the Electrical Compliance, Outreach, Regulation, and Education (ECORE) team, for its investigations. In fiscal year 2019, ECORE issued 3,766 violations against unlicensed contractors and uncertified electricians, working without permits, and failing to properly supervise trainees. ECORE collected more than $1.8 million in penalties.

Contractor Fraud

Same charge, Second Offense – Jail for Unregistered Contractor

SHELTON, WA — A roofer who was criminally charged twice in 13 months for working illegally as a contractor has been sentenced to 15 days behind bars.

Peter Daniel Yeaman, 57, pleaded guilty Thursday in Mason County District Court to a gross misdemeanor charge of unregistered contracting. Judge Victoria Meadows imposed the jail time, and ordered Yeaman to pay $1,000 in penalties and repay his victim $5,000.

The judge required Yeaman to begin serving the jail time no later than Aug. 9. If Yeaman doesn’t comply with the sentence or commits a crime in the next two years, he could face up to 349 more days in jail.

This is the second time the Washington Attorney General’s Office has prosecuted Yeaman based on a Department of Labor & Industries investigation into him and his company, Southgate Roofing, of Belfair.

Cashes check for new roofing job on same day as guilty plea

In the current case, Yeaman was not registered as a contractor when he agreed to reroof a house in Grapeview, south of Bremerton, and cashed a $5,000 check for the job on Nov. 23, 2015.

That was the very same day that he pleaded guilty and was sentenced in an older case on one count of unregistered contracting and one felony count of doing business after his workers’ compensation coverage was revoked. The sentence required, in part, that he not work as an unregistered contractor for two years.

“It’s hard to believe the audacity of this defendant,” said Elizabeth Smith, assistant director of L&I’s Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards.

“This is an especially serious case of someone who knew he was breaking the law for a second time, and chose to rip off a customer.”

In the 2015 case, Yeaman accepted the $5,000 check, and told the homeowner that the job would cost an additional $1,379. He said he would start the roofing job as soon as the rain “let up,” charging papers said.

That was in early December. The rain let up and months passed. The homeowner kept contacting Yeaman, who said in May 2016 that it would be a few more weeks before he could start. The homeowner then contacted L&I.

Multiple civil infractions for unregistered contracting

In the previous criminal case, Yeaman’s company started a roofing job in May 2014, but the owner of that home learned he was unregistered and asked for his money back. Yeaman never repaid him, and the owner hired a registered contractor to finish the job, costing the consumer $4,500 more than anticipated.

Since 2013, L&I has cited Yeaman nine times for unregistered contracting and twice for not obtaining a permit before altering a manufactured home.

L&I suspended his contractor registration in November 2012 for failing to pay his workers’ comp premiums.

He now owes L&I nearly $180,000 for unpaid contracting and safety infractions and workers’ comp premiums and penalties. The department is continuing efforts to collect the debt.

State law requires contractors to register with L&I, which confirms they have a business license, liability insurance and a bond to provide some recourse for consumers if problems arise. It’s illegal to work, offer, subcontract, submit bids or advertise as a contractor without being registered.

Consumers can verify contractor registration online (ProtectMyHome.net).

Note: prior post about Southgate Roofing from July 2015.