Day By Day© by Chris Muir.Monday, August 30, 2004
Here is a ridiculous story for you. After Hurricane Charley ravaged Florida, Alex Arzoomanian called his friend, licensed contractor Anthony Howell, to see if he could help. Being good friends, Howell agreed to help Arzoomanian repair his roof free of charge. So Mr. Arzoomanian paid for Mr. Howell's plane ticket and they proceeded to repair the roof. Happy ending, right? Wrong.
Three days into the job, Howell was approached by two deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office and two investigators from the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation, who gave him a cease-and-desist order.
Under Florida law, only contractors licensed by the state may engage in roof repair. It carries up to a $5,000 fine. Not to mention that the practice of unlicensed contracting becomes a third-degree felony when the governor has declared a state of emergency.
Now, I can understand Florida wanting to protect its citizens from conmen and contractors gouging them in times of emergency. But that isn't the case here. Actually, Mr. Howell lost money on the deal because he closed his shop at home to help out in Florida.
"They were being real awful. They were just nasty," said Arzoomanian, who has lived in the house for seven years. "They weren't believing our story. They didn't care what the truth was."
The two friends had finished portions of the roof and were allowed to cover up exposed wood, but the investigators would not let Howell finish a portion of the roof that was covered with a tarp, which could — and later did — get ripped off by the wind, the two friends said.
Kristen Ploska, press secretary for the state's Business and Professional Regulation Department, said the department was looking into the case and was trying to investigate the circumstances.
In the meantime, Mr. Howell is not only facing a $5,000 fine, but a possible warrant for his arrest. Here's hoping they resolve this quickly and properly.
Three days into the job, Howell was approached by two deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office and two investigators from the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation, who gave him a cease-and-desist order.
Under Florida law, only contractors licensed by the state may engage in roof repair. It carries up to a $5,000 fine. Not to mention that the practice of unlicensed contracting becomes a third-degree felony when the governor has declared a state of emergency.
Now, I can understand Florida wanting to protect its citizens from conmen and contractors gouging them in times of emergency. But that isn't the case here. Actually, Mr. Howell lost money on the deal because he closed his shop at home to help out in Florida.
"They were being real awful. They were just nasty," said Arzoomanian, who has lived in the house for seven years. "They weren't believing our story. They didn't care what the truth was."
The two friends had finished portions of the roof and were allowed to cover up exposed wood, but the investigators would not let Howell finish a portion of the roof that was covered with a tarp, which could — and later did — get ripped off by the wind, the two friends said.
Kristen Ploska, press secretary for the state's Business and Professional Regulation Department, said the department was looking into the case and was trying to investigate the circumstances.
In the meantime, Mr. Howell is not only facing a $5,000 fine, but a possible warrant for his arrest. Here's hoping they resolve this quickly and properly.
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