IMPORTANT NEWS...
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation Sweeps Gainesville for Unlicensed Contractors
June 24, 2010
GAINESVILLE—Today, Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Regulation investigators swept the Tampa area for unlicensed electrical contracting. Investigators checked 16 licenses and found no unlicensed activity.
The Gainesville sweep is part of the statewide unlicensed activity operation this week. This effort is part of the division’s three-tiered approach to combating unlicensed activity through education, prevention and enforcement.
Below are precautions that consumers can take to help protect themselves from unlicensed individuals:
- Check whether a state license is required for the work to be performed by visiting “What Services Require a DBPR License.”
- Always ask to see the State of Florida license.
- Note the license number and verify that the license is current. To check a license, call 850-487-1395 or visit MyFloridaLicense.com.
- Ask for references and check each one.
- Do not pay cash and be cautious of writing checks made payable to individuals, especially when dealing with a company.
- Get a Release of Lien covering all workers and materials. This removes your property from the threat of lien.
- Get everything in writing, including a detailed description of the work to be completed, a completion date and the total cost.
The department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit MyFloridaLicense.com.