Framing contractor allegedly scammed customers through no longer enjoyable contracts or finishing paintings, AG says

A Philadelphia-based framing and residential growth contractor allegedly failed to satisfy contracts with consumers through no longer finishing paintings or doing so haphazardly, a lawsuit filed on Thursday through Pennsylvania Lawyer Basic Michelle Henry claims. 

Max Contractors Inc. is accused of scamming customers through contracting with more than a few Pennsylvania citizens for overall paintings and residential enhancements, accepting really extensive bills for fabrics and services and products after which no longer beginning or completing the paintings. In lots of circumstances, the lawsuit alleges, paintings that was once finished as a part of those contracts have been finished inadequately or in an “unprofessional means.”

As specified by Henry’s lawsuit, Max Contractors’ proprietor, Murillo Sousa, steadily contacted customers through telephone and in my opinion visited their houses for consultations about more than a few house enhancements on behalf of the corporate, and was once the main touch for customers, signing estimates and contracts in individual. In a minimum of one example, the lawsuit alleges, Sousa authorised a considerable complicated cost from a buyer however by no means started the agreed-upon paintings. 

In different circumstances, Sousa started the tasks as deliberate however failed to finish the paintings or did so in a “shoddy, unworkmanlike means,” in step with the lawsuit. He allegedly promised consumers that their court cases about poor or incomplete paintings can be remedied, after which did not make efforts to mend the issues. 

Sousa refused to refund a minimum of one buyer for poor paintings, and in some circumstances failed to make use of legally-compliant contracts with customers, in step with examples integrated within the state’s felony grievance. 

In the ones circumstances, Sousa and Max Contractors handiest equipped a PO field for his or her cope with as contractors, in spite of an cope with on Castor Street being registered with the state. Max Contractor’s registration with the Client Coverage place of business was once deactivated in November 2021 because of repeated omissions and errors within the bureaucracy, the lawsuit stated. 

“Sousa strung alongside consumers with empty guarantees that in the long run ended in Pennsylvanians being scammed out in their hard earned cash,” Henry stated. “He pocketed the cash with out finishing the paintings — that is a contravention of the regulation, natural and easy.” 

Closing January, Sousa was once charged with receiving advance cost for services and products and failing to accomplish in Delaware County. The fees have been later modified to robbery through deception, and Sousa pleaded to blame to the costs in February. Closing March, equivalent fees of robbery through deception and misleading industry practices have been filed towards Sousa in Philadelphia, despite the fact that the costs have been disregarded in December. 

The lawsuit main points 4 court cases that the state’s Bureau of Client Coverage has gained about Sousa and Max Contractors, all of which happened over the path of 2 months in 2021. The court cases allege that buyers paid Max Contractors 1000’s of bucks for preliminary deposits and early bills, handiest to obtain “substandard and faulty” paintings or have been deserted through the contractors after refusing to pay for pointless further paintings. 

In some circumstances, Max Contractors didn’t download a allow, carried out paintings that was once less than code, required consumers to pay for upkeep on paintings that were finished improperly and didn’t factor money back for cancelled paintings till after a buyer filed a police record, in step with the lawsuit. 

Sousa can have extensively utilized the names LMN Basic Development LLC, Skyline Contractor Imperium LLC, Simple Method Development LLC, Blank Long term Basic Development LLC and MPS House Development LLC for his contracting industry. Sousa himself can have additionally been identified to customers as Murillo Da Costa Sousa, Murillo Sousa Dacosta, Murillo Da Costa and Murillo Costa, in step with the Lawyer Basic’s Place of business. 

The lawsuit requests that the courts order the defendants to be completely barred from doing industry as house growth contractors in Pennsylvania, pay restitution to all impacted consumers, pay civil consequences of $1,000 for every violation of the Client Coverage Regulation and $3,000 for every violation involving the ones 60 years or older. 

In October, OSHA proposed over $269,000 in consequences for Max Contractors after 9 inspections in two years ended in 5 willful and 21 severe violations for ignoring federal fall coverage necessities. The 9th inspection discovered that the corporate was once exposing staff to fatal fall hazards at a residential worksite on Carson Side road in Roxborough final April. 

OSHA additionally cited the corporate for 3 severe and 6 repeat violations for no longer offering protecting eyewear to staff whilst the usage of air-powered nail weapons, failing to coach staff and permitting fallacious use of ladders. 

Any person who believes they or any person they know fell sufferer to those practices is inspired to touch the Bureau of Client Coverage at (800) 441-2555 or [email protected]. Inspectors, contractors, laborers, providers or someone else who can have details about Sousa or Max Contractors must touch the Bureau as smartly.