The Office of the Attorney General and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs have filed an action against ABC Construction NJ, Inc., also known as ABC Construction, LLC and ABC Construction (“ABC Construction”), and its two owner/operators, for failing to complete contracted-for work, performing substandard work, damaging consumers’ homes, and other alleged violations of state law The State’s eight-count Complaint, filed in State Superior Court in Hackensack, names Charleston J. Masterson of Bergenfield and Frankie Olandesi of Wyckoff, as defendants, along with the company. ABC Construction maintained business locations in Oradell and Bergenfield.
Among other things, ABC Construction allegedly damaged homes, started but did not finish bathroom and kitchen renovations, and started work without obtaining required permits, in addition to other violations of the Consumer Fraud Act, the Contractors’ Registration Act, Contractor Registration Regulations, Home Improvement Regulations, and Advertising Regulations.
The alleged violations, set forth in the Complaint, include unconscionable commercial practices, and false promises and deception, among other things. The Complaint alleges that the defendants: failed to begin or complete home improvement work on the agreed upon date or time period specified in contracts, or as otherwise represented; failed to provide timely written notice for any delay in the performance of home improvement work, as well as the dates or time periods within which such work would commence or be completed; performed home improvement work in a substandard manner, which required consumers to hire a second contractor to correct defendants’ work; failed to perform home improvement work according to contract specifications and accepting payment for said work; began home improvement work and never returned to finish; left bathrooms and/or kitchens partially demolished and/or unusable; failed to deliver products that consumers had purchased, including, but not limited to, cabinets and tile; performed home improvements of poor or substandard quality and then failed to make the necessary corrective repairs; caused damage to consumers’ homes while performing home improvement work and then failed to fix, clean or compensate for the damage; failed to appear at a consumer’s home at the agreed upon time or at all; accepted consumers’ payments and failed to provide the contracted-for home improvement work; failed to obtain the requisite permits to perform the contracted-for home improvement work; refused to issue refunds after defendants failed to perform the contracted-for home improvement work; failed to provide consumers with refunds after failing to complete the contracted-for home improvement work; failed to remove debris and equipment from consumers’ homes and/or clean the jobsite; and failed to respond to consumers telephone calls, inquiries and/or complaints in a timely manner or at all. Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file anonline complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504- 6200.