Where to turn when the relationship with your contractor goes south

Ricky Rios didn't hire just any contractor to build a sea wall behind his largo home. He checked his license and a reference.

Workers constructed the sea wall in a timely fashion for the contracted price   $2700.

Rios says the dock started sinking.  The work came with a one year workmanship warranty.  He emailed the contractor about the sinking problem but months went by with out a fix.

After looking over Rios contract I contacted the owner of Tampa Dock and Seawall who categorized the repair issue as minor.

In an email the owner explained. "We will take care of it under Mr. Rios's warranty...We are getting into our slow season right now and this is the time of year we address minor warranty issues."

10 days later workers came out and repaired the sea wall.

But not every home owner winds up with a fix. Hillsborough County Consumer Protection is one of several agencies consumers can turn to involving home repair issues.

http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/index.aspx?NID=557

In Pinellas County consumers can turn to Pinellas County Justice and Consumer Services.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/consumer/

And if your county does not have a consumer protection office you can contact your county's licensing board or Florida’s Division of Consumer Services at 800helpfla.com.