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. Illinois Contractor licensing.
Only plumbers and roofing contractors are licensed in Illinois at the state level. The City of Chicago licenses electricians, plumbers, mason contractors, etc. Outside of Chicago check with your county or city about contractor licensing requirements.
Plumbing Program of the Illinois Department of Public Health licenses plumbers and register plumbing contractors. To verify a plumber license use this on-line service. To contact the Plumbing Program call 217-524-0791.
Roofing contractors are licensed at the state level by the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation. Roofing contractor on-line license look up. To complain about roofing contractor use the Division of Professional Regulation Complaint form.
The City of Chicago
The Licensing Bureau of the City of Chicago licenses electricians, plumbers, mason contractors, etc. To find if a business in Chicago is licensed use this online license look-up service. To see a lists of contractors that have had disciplinary action from the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection go here. To complain about a business in Chicago file a Consumer Fraud Complaint with the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection.
Outside of Chicago check with your county or city about contractor licensing requirements and contractor complaints.
2. Illinois Attorney General Consumer Protection Division.
You can check if there were any complaints against Illinois contractor with the Illinois Attorney General by calling these toll-free numbers
Carbondale (800) 243-0607
Springfield (800) 243-0618
Chicago (800) 386-5438
File complaint about your Illinois contractor with the Consumer Protection Division of the Illinois Attorney General's office here.
The Office of the Illinois Attorney General offers mediation program to assist consumers in resolving disputes or complaints.
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. Illinois Small Claims Court:
You can file a Small Claims lawsuit in the county where your contractor resides, or in the county where the transaction took place.
To start your lawsuit go to the courthouse and pick up summons and a complaint form from the small claims court clerk. Complete the forms and file them with the clerk of the court. You will have to pay a filing fee (fees vary from county to county).
Some counties have these forms available on-line. You can find links to Illinois County websites here.
- Maximum monetary limit of claims: $10,000;
- Attorney: allowed for both plaintiff and defendant;
- Right to appeal: yes, for both parties
You can find more information about Illinois Small Claims Court on-line here.
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".
