If you want to complain about your contractor, listed below are your major options. If you are not sure which option is best for you, read "Where is it best to complain".
1. Delaware Division of Professional Regulation:
Electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors are licensed and regulated by the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation. Any contractor providing electrical services in Delaware must hold a Delaware professional license as an electrician starting June 30, 2012. After that date, it will be illegal for unlicensed persons to provide electrical services.
You can find if your electrical, plumbing, or HVAC contractor has a current Delaware license on-line.
To complain about electrical, or HVAC contractor, or plumber in Delaware you may file a complaint with the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation here.
2. The Delaware Attorney General Consumer Protection Division:
If your complaint is about possible violation of a consumer protection law, the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Attorney General may bring a lawsuit against your contractor.
If your complaint is about a contract dispute between you and a business/contractor, the investigator from the Consumer Protection Unit may conduct informal mediations by phone or letter. If the mediation is not successful, you may try suing your contractor or, if you have not yet done so, file a complaint with the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation as described above.
To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Attorney General go here. Or download the Delaware Attorney General complaint form here.
3. Better Business Bureau:
Go to http://www.bbb.org/ and enter your zip code. When your local BBB page appear click on the "FILE A COMPLAINT" link and follow directions.
4. Delaware Justice of the Peace Court:
There is no Small Claims Court in Delaware. Small Civil Cases are heard in the Justice of the Peace Court.
To sue your contractor in the Delaware Justice of the Peace Court you should start with the filling out a complaint. You can pick up the complaint form at any Justice of the Peace Civil Court or you can download it here.
After completing the complaint, you should take, or mail, the original plus three copies to the Court. Do not forget to keep a copy for your records. If you mail the complaint, you must enclose a check or money order for the filing fee. The filing fee varies depending on the amount of your claim.
Read the detailed rules of the Delaware Justice of the Peace Court that you can find here. If you find these rules to complicated, consider hiring (or at least consulting with) a lawyer.
- Maximum monetary limit of claims: $15,000
- Attorney: allowed for both plaintiff and defendant
- Right to appeal: yes for both
5. On-line complaints.
We collect all sorts of customer reviews, complaints, and comments here.
To post your comment on Google find your contractor in Google maps, and click the “more info” link next to the name of your contractor. On the following page, scroll down to “Reviews by Google users” and click on “Rate and review” link on the left.
There are many other websites that let you post comments and complaints about your contractor. Below you may find just a few examples:
1) http://www.ripoffreport.com (registration required),
2) http://www.complaintsboard.com/
3) www.complaints.com
Return to "the State's plumbing and contractor licensing departments".
