A Columbus-area contractor is being sued by Attorney General Dave Yost for allegedly leaving job sites without completing the work, and in some cases even starting the work.
The lawsuit was filed in Franklin County Common Pleasa, alleges that 614 Custom Homes and owner Mark Koval failed to deliver services after taking consumers’ deposits or, in other instances, performed shoddy and incomplete work before abandoning the projects.
“A consumer’s largest and most important asset is typically their home – which is why consumers need to be cautious when dealing with contractors like this who demand a lot of money upfront and then do a substandard job,” Yost said. “Ohioans deserve to get what they’ve paid for, and my office can certainly help if a contractor hangs up his tools before the work is done.”
In a press released from the AG office, they claim Koval’s business practices violate Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, Home Solicitation Sales Act and Home Construction Service Suppliers Act. It’s also alleged that 614 Custom Homes’ contracts failed to outline consumers’ three-day right to cancel the contract and, when the contracts were for $25,000 or more, required excessive down payments – above 10 percent of the total contract price.
Ten consumers filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office about the company, reporting $126,735 in losses based on contracts signed between March 2021 through April 2022.
The new lawsuit filed by the AG asks that Koval be ordered to reimburse consumers and pay civil penalties and court costs.