CBS13 Forum in Lewiston Draws Homeowners With Contractor Disputes

Homeowners brought complaints about stalled renovations, unfinished work and unresponsive contractors to a Contractor Concerns Community Forum held by the CBS13 I-Team in Lewiston on October 21, WGME reported.

Attendees could meet one-on-one with Brooke Bailey, a civil litigation attorney with Legal-Ease, along with representatives of AARP Maine and people from the home construction industry. The discussions covered what belongs in a construction contract, how deposits are handled and whether a given dispute is a civil or criminal matter.

Several property owners said winning in court had not resolved their problems, citing legal costs and difficulty collecting. "There's no accountability," homeowner Adam Goode said of a ruling in his favor. Homeowner Scott Sloan said judgments can amount to little more than "a paper tiger."

The station noted that Maine does not license or regulate general home contractors, an issue its investigative team has covered for years. At least one homeowner at the forum questioned whether licensing alone would curb fraud.

The I-Team said it would continue following the cases raised at the event.

This story was first reported by fox23maine.com.