Problems with license board

[Tim]

I have a question to see if anyone has had this happen.

I received a complaint about job done 500 miles from my home. This job was not done my me, yet the homeowner swears it was done by me. The homeowner says the workmanship is bad and things were not done correctly, etc. The homeowner has no contract and no cancelled check, etc. to show that I was ever there or entered into a contract or got paid or anything else. How she got my name and number. who knows? I got a call from the license board and they were pushing me to go and fix things, etc. without even knowing if I was ever even there. The homeowner has no proof I was there, NOTHING yet the board is telling me to go fix whatever is wrong. What can I do? It is real tough to prove I wasn't somewhere.

[RicodJour]

Not really. Show them receipts from the project you were working on, have the board contact the homeowner from the project you were working on, etc. You could also hire a lawyer to fire off a slander/libel letter to the homeowner and copy the board. The second alternative is more likely to cost you money.

R

[Dioclese]

I'd go with the libel/slander suit without prior written warning. A personal phone call should be the only precursor to determine her motive, assuming this person does not know you to begin with. Then, just keep quiet.

[RicodJour]

Filing suit costs money. I think the OP's idea is to not spend money and time on something that isn't his fault/problem.

The phone call is okay, but I'd just send a certified letter that this case of mistaken identity and erroneous charges, if continued, constitutes harassment and possibly libel and slander, and, if the mistaken owner doesn't rectify the situation, drop the case and notify all parties of their error, that a law suit will be filed seeking damages. At the bottom of the letter append:

cc: J. Thomas Hastings, Esq. File

On the other hand, we have only heard one side of the story. I suppose it is not impossible that someone let someone else use their company name for a permit, and the other someone didn't do right by someone. In that event the proper course is the same - a phone call or letter to find out the source of the homeowner's error.

R

[John Grabowski]

I would be concerned that someone is using your name and license number to do work. Maybe you should contact the homeowner and find out who actually did the work.