Illinois AG Sues Storm Chaser for Defrauding Homeowners

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against a Chicago area “storm chaser” home repair firm for failing to complete contracted projects and for failing to pay its supplier, resulting in thousands of dollars of liens put on customers’ homes.

Madigan filed the lawsuit in Lake County Circuit Court against Perfect Restorations, based in Antioch, and company owners James Novack, James Hauser and Bruce Faber. The lawsuit alleges Perfect Restorations marketed its services to homeowners in need of repairs after severe storms. The suit alleges the company required homeowners to make upfront installment payments ranging from $4,000 to $41,000, but when the contractors did incomplete or shoddy work, they refused to refund consumers.

Madigan also alleged that Perfect Restorations falsely operated as an insurance adjuster, negotiating damage claims with insurance companies on behalf of homeowners though the company was not licensed to do so.

In some cases, consumers told Madigan’s office that although they had paid Perfect Restorations, the company failed to pay for supplies, and suppliers placed liens for thousands of dollars on customers’ homes, forcing homeowners to pay off the liens.

“Not only did homeowners pay for incomplete and shoddy work, they were forced to make a second payment to remove the lien on their homes for supplies that the company failed to pay off,” Madigan said. “This scheme is among the more flagrant we’ve seen in my office in recent years.”

Homeowners in Cook, Lake and McHenry have filed complaints with Madigan’s office and the Chicago Better Business Bureau, reporting having paid at least $276,000 for quoted repairs and incurred liens.

Madigan’s lawsuit asks the court to permanently ban the defendants from working in the home repair business in Illinois, cancel any pending contracts with homeowners and obtain restitution for affected consumers. The lawsuit also seeks to impose civil penalties on the defendants based on violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Businesses Practices Act.

Source: Illinois Attorney General