Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is taking legal action against a Pittsburgh-area contractor, accusing him of scamming homeowners who were seeking to better their living spaces. The contractor, Brian Myers, and his business, Harpen Construction, LLC, have allegedly failed to deliver on home improvement projects despite receiving substantial upfront payments. According to the Attorney General's Office, this is a time when consumers are particularly vulnerable to scams, and such deceptive practices won't be tolerated.
The lawsuit, as reported on the Attorney General's website, cites multiple instances where Myers and his company failed to provide the promised work. This absence of completion comes after charging hefty down payments for projects consisting of kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom remodeling. The site details that the Attorney General's office has received ten complaints against Myers and Harpen Construction since 2021. In some cases, the work was never started, leaving homeowners with empty pockets and unfinished living spaces.
Furthermore, some contracts issued by Myers were not up to legal snuff, lacking critical information such as HICPA registration numbers, project start and stop dates, insurance details, and even a clear consumer rescission notice. "This company blatantly broke the law by not making good on paid-for contracts, and for using contracts that did not comply with Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act," Attorney General Dave Sunday stated in the release. Harpen Construction is no longer registered under the HICPA, and the lawsuit aims to bar Myers and his company from working as home improvement contractors in the state of Pennsylvania, while also seeking consumer restitution and civil penalties.
With ongoing concerns about the practices of Harpen Construction and Brian Myers, the Attorney General's office is urging any additional victims or those with pertinent information to come forward. The Bureau of Consumer Protection is open to complaints online, via phone at 1-800-441-2555, or through email. Full contact details and instructions are available on the Attorney General's website.
