Civil suit against All Seasons of Kentucky filed Sept. 27

 

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has filed a civil lawsuit against a construction company and its owners who allegedly scammed dozens of Lawrence County residents out of money.

The suit against All Seasons of Kentucky, Inc., was filed Sept. 27 and names husband and wife, Leo Patrick and Carol Richard, of Manhattan Ill., as defendants.

Also named as a registered agent of the company was Melissa Knipp.

Approximately 35 Ohio consumers reported losing more than $171,000 to the Grayson, Ky.-based business, according to complaints filed with the Attorney General and police.

“This business targeted homeowners who had storm damage and ripped them off,” DeWine said. “When a business takes a consumer’s money and does little or nothing in return, we will go after the business and the individuals responsible.”

The suit, filed in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court, charges the business and its owners with multiple violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Home Solicitation Sales Act, including failure to deliver, shoddy work, and failure to give consumers proper notice of their right to cancel. The Attorney General seeks to stop further violations and to obtain full consumer restitution and civil penalties.

According to the lawsuit, the attorney general is seeking a civil penalty of $25,000 for each separate violation of the CSPA.

All Seasons of Kentucky is a storm-damage repair company that operated in Ironton from December 2012 to April 2013. Dozens of consumers complained that the business did no work at all or that the work it did was shoddy.

After taking consumers’ money and doing little or no work, records show that the owners made personal car payments and yacht club payments from the All Seasons of Kentucky bank account, according to the attorney general’s office.

According to records with the Kentucky Secretary of State, All Seasons of Kentucky filed for incorporation on Sept. 25, 2012, with an address of 2100 Daveys Run in Grayson, Ky.

DeWine offered consumers the following protection tips:

• Never hand over your insurance check to a home improvement business.

• Don’t pay the full amount up front.

• Get everything in writing, including all work to be performed, verbal promises, cost of materials, cost of labor, and completion date.

• Obtain at least two or three estimates from different companies.

• Research a business’ reputation, even if its representative seems professional. Check for complaints on file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau.

• Require and contact references of past customers.

•Consumers who believe they have been treated unfairly should file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.