UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE IS WHAT
INSPECTORS DETERMINED AFTER
CHECKING A NEW DECK BUILT ON
THE BACK OF A SOUTHEAST
BALTIMORE HOME.
BARRY SIMMS TELLS US THE
HOMEOWNER DISCOVERED MORE
PROBLEMS WHEN SHE STARTED
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
CONTRACTOR.
IT RISES ABOUT 18 FEET OFF
THE GROUND.
AT FIRST GLANCE THIS NEW DECK
IN SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE SEEMS
FINE, BUT CITY INSPECTORS
CONDEMNED IT AFTER FINDING
SERIOUS FLAWS.
IT IS A BRAND NEW DECK AND
IT'S CONDEMNED.
THAT WAS AFTER HOMEOWNER
MEREDITH LONGBERGER CALLED THE
CITY AND ASKED INSPECTORS TO
TAKE A LOOK.
SHE WASN'T FEELING CONFIDENT
ABOUT THE WORKMANSHIP OR HER
CONTRACTOR.
I COULD HAVE HAD A PARTY UP
THERE.
I COULD HAVE HAD FAMILY AND
FRIENDS UP THERE.
THIS WHOLE DECK COULD HAVE COME
TUMBLING DOWN.
INSPECTORS DETERMINED THE
DECK IS UNSAFE.
THEY SAY THEY CAN'T TELL IF
FOOTINGS WERE DUG PROPERLY.
IN ONE AREA IT APPEARS THE
FOOTING WAS PLACED ON TOP OF A
CONCRETE SLAB.
THE DECK HAS NO CROSS BEAMS FOR
SUPPORT.
IT IS NOT PROPERLY ATTACHED TO
THE HOUSE.
CITY HOUSING'S THOMAS LAW SAYS
WHEN INSPECTORS STOOD ON THE
DECK, IT WOBBLED.
WE COULD ACTUALLY FEEL THE
DECK MOVE, SO IT GAVE US
TREMENDOUS CONCERN.
SHE PAID THE CONTRACTOR
NEARLY $13,000 FOR THE DECK AND
THE INSTALLATION OF THIS
BATHROOM.
AMONG THE PROBLEMS HERE THE
TOILET DOESN'T FLUSH AND THE
SHOWER SOUNDS LIKE IT'S
STRUGGLING TO WORK.
LONGBERGER FEELS DECEIVED.
THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS TO
ME.
I PAID SOMEBODY MONEY TO COME
OUT AND BUILD A STRUCTURE FOR
ME.
THEY GAVE ME A PERMIT.
THEY SHOWED ME THEIR LICENSE.
I FELT SAFE.
SHE SAYS THIS MAN,
CONTRACTOR PATRICK PERKINS, OF
GLEN BURNIE, GOT THE PERMIT FOR
THE DECK, AND IT SEEMED
LEGITIMATE WITH HER NAME AND
ALL THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE
DECK JOB.
BUT THE CITY TELLS US IT'S A
FORGERY.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL PERMIT.
IT HAS THE SAME PERMIT NUMBER,
BUT IT WAS ISSUED IN MAY OF
THIS YEAR TO SOMEONE ELSE TO
REPLACE A TWO-TON HEAT PUMP AT
A DIFFERENT ADDRESS.
THIS CONTRACTOR, DID HE HAVE
A LICENSE?
THIS PERMIT, WAS IT VALID?
THE PERMIT WAS NOT VALID.
HE IS NOT A LICENSED MHIC
CONTRACTOR.
HE DENIED FORGING THE PERMIT,
AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS UPON
THE HOMEOWNER TO GET THE
PERMIT.
WE WENT TO THE ADDRESS FOR
PERKINS' COMPANY.
IT'S PRINTED ON LONGBERGER'S
CONTRACT.
IT WAS A U.P.S. STORE.
WE LATER SPOKE WITH HIM OUTSIDE
A BALTIMORE CITY COURTHOUSE.
HE WASN'T HERE BECAUSE OF WHAT
HAPPENED AT LONGBERGER'S HOME.
IT WAS BECAUSE OF ANOTHER
COMPLAINT.
I'M BARRY SIMMS.
CAN WE TALK TO YOU PLEASE?
I HAVE NO COMMENT.
NO COMMENT?
NO COMMENT.
IN THE OTHER CASE HE FACES
CHARGES OF SELLING HOME
IMPROVEMENTS AND WORKING AS A
CONTRACTOR WITHOUT A LICENSE.
IN LONGBERGER'S CASE HE
RECEIVED A CIVIL CITATION
ACCUSING HIM OF FAILING TO
OBTAIN REQUIRED BUILDING
PERMITS.
WE'RE TRYING TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN
DOING.
NO COMMENT.
WAIT UNTIL THE TRIAL.
IN THE THIRD CASE FROM 2012
HE SERVED 10 DAYS IN JAIL AFTER
FAILING TO APPEAR IN COURT AND
WAS FOUND GUILTY FOR
ABANDONNING AND FAILING TO
PERFORM A CONTRACT.
I'M DEFINITELY LESS TRUSTING
OF PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU COME WITH CITY
DOCUMENTS, YOU EXPECT THAT IT'S
LEGIT.
LONGBERGER SAYS SHE DIDN'T
KNOW HOMEOWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR GETTING THE PROPER PERMITS
NOT THE CONTRACTOR.
IN HER SITUATION --
WE WOULD WORK WITH THE
PROPERTY OWNER TO MAKE SURE THE
DECK IS MADE SAFE.
AND THE WORK IS COMPLETED UNDER
PERMIT ULTIMATELY.
MEREDITH LOPPINGBERGER ISN'T
SURE SHE'LL RECOVER ANY OF THE
$13,000 SHE PAID FOR THE JOB OR
WHAT IT WILL COST TO FIX
EVERYTHING BUT SHE WANTS OTHER
PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT PATRICK
PERKINS WHO AS OF RECENTLY WAS
STILL ADVERTISING HIMSELF AND
CALLING HIMSELF A LICENSED
CONTRACTOR.
FOR THE 11 NEWS I-TEAM, I'M
BARRY SIMMS.
CITY HOUSING TELLS US
PROPERTY OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS
CAN BOTH BE HELD LIABLE FOR
WORK DONE WITHOUT A PERMIT.
NOW, MEREDITH LONGBERGER'S
STORY WAS BROUGHT TO OUR