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. North Carolina contractor licensing:
North Carolina Plumbers and HVAC contractors are licensed by the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors.
General contractors working on a construction projects of $30,000 or more must have a general contractors license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
North Carolina electricians are licensed by the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors.
To find if a plumber or HVAC contractor is licensed in NC use this online search. Or a newer version here.
You can find if a General contractor is licensed in North Carolina online here.
To find if an electrician is licensed in North Carolina use this online service.
Find out how to complain about your plumber to the NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors and download complaint form from here.
About electrical contractor complain to the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors here or using this form.
General contractors: for more information about complaints and to request a complaint form, contact the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors Violations and Complaints Section at (919) 571-4189
The North Carolina Homeowners Recovery Fund can help homeowners to recover actual losses resulted from the actions of dishonest or incompetent general contractors. Before applying to the Fund, homeowner must sue the general contractor in civil court and obtain a judgment agains him. If the judgment is not paid by the general contractor, homeowner may apply to the Recovery Fund using the Application for Reimbursement From the Homeowners Recovery Fund.
You can file your contractor complaint with the Office of the North Carolina Attorney General here. File your complaint electronically or download the complaint form, print it out, fill it out, sign, and mail your complaint (keep a copy for your records) with the copies of all supporting documents to:
Consumer Protection
Attorney General's Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
You may find more information about filing a consumer complaint with the North Carolina Attorney General and links to the complaint forms here.
3. Better Business Bureau:
4. North Carolina Small Claims: (For your information only - not a legal advice)
You can file your North Carolina small claim suit in a county where your contractor lives, or does business.
To start your small claims lawsuit file a Complaint with the Clerk of Superior Court. The Complaint forms are available at the Clerk's Office or download the form. You can find links to North Carolina court forms here.
At the time of filing you will have to pay filing fee of $96 (subject to change) and some other fees.
You can find locations of the North Carolina courts here.
- Maximum monetary limit of claims: $5,000;
- Attorney: not required, but allowed for both parties;
- Right to appeal: yes, (within 10 days).
More information about North Carolina small claims courts you can find here or 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".
