LOST
LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND HOW TO AVOID THAT SAME FATE.
HERE IS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
CHARLOTTE HUFFMAN.
CHARLOTTE HUFFMAN. >> [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> [INDISCERNIBLE] CHARLOTTE: AS ALMOST ANY PARENT
KNOWS, THAT TIME IS SPECIAL.
>> I WANTED TO GIVE HER A NICE
BATH IN A TUB WHERE I WANTED TO
TAKE A BATH.
CHARLOTTE: SO, THIS SINGLE
WORKING MOM SAVED UP+@ TO RENOVE
HER BATHROOM.
HER BATHROOM. SHE HIRED A CONTRACTOR AND PAID
HIM $10,000 TO COMPLETE THE JOB.
>> HE WAS A NICE, OLDER
GENTLEMAN.
GENTLEMAN. HE REMINDED ME OF MY+@
GRANDFATHER.
GRANDFATHER. CHARLOTTE: THAT IS, UNTIL, SHE
SAYS, HE RAN OFF WITH HER MONEY,
LEAVING HER ONLY BATHROOM IN THE
HOUSE DEMOLISHED AND COMPLETELY
UNUSABLE.
UNUSABLE.
UNUSABLE. >> HE STOLE THE MONEY.
HE DIDN'T DELIVER THE PRODUCT.
HE DIDN'T FINISH THE WORK, AND
HE'S NOT RESPONDING, AND HE
DISAPPEARED.
DISAPPEARED. CHARLOTTE: IF YOU THINK SHE'S
THE ONLY ONE, WELL, THINK AGAIN.
>> I WANT TO WRING HIS NECK.
>> THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
>> WE ARE O+@UT $1700.
>> DEFINITELY A CON ARTIST.
CHARLOT
>> DEFINITELY A CON ARTIST. CHARLOTTE: WE TALKED TO NINE
PEOPLE, FOUR OF THEM SEEN HERE,
+@
PEOPLE, FOUR OF THEM SEEN HERE, ALL WITH SIMILAR STORIES OF
PAYING FOR WORK THAT WAS NEVER
COMPLETED.
COMPLETED. WE DISCOVERED JUDGMENT AFTER
JUDGMENT AFTER JUDGMENT AGAINST
CHILDERS.
CHILDERS.
CHILDERS. EVEN $33,000+@.
EVEN $33,000+@. >> I REALLY WISH THERE WA+@S
SOMETHING WE COULD DO TO MAKE
HIM PAY FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE HE
HAS RIPPED OFF.
CHARLOTTE: CONCEPCION TOOK
CHILDERS TO COURT AND WON A
J+@UDGMENT, BUT HASN'T SEEN A
PENNY.
PENNY.
PENNY. >>
PENNY. >> THERE IS NO REPERCUSSIONS.
COULD I GO TO THE CIVIL COURT
AND GET A JU+@DGMENT?
I COULD, BUT I'M 20TH IN LINE.
HE'S GOT NOTHING.
YOU CAN'T GET BLOO+@D OUT OF A
TURNIP.
TURNIP.
TURNIP. CHARLOTTE: CHILDERS TOLD US HE
INTENDS TO CLEAR UP THESE
PROBLEMS, BUT THEN STOPPED
RETURNING OUR MESSAGES.
WHEN LINDSAY BEGAN TO WORRY THAT
CHILDERS WAS GOING TO RUN OFF
WITH HER MONEY, SHE RECORDED
THIS PHONE CALL WITH HIM.
>> I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE
1972, OK?
1972, OK?
1972, OK? AND WE DO GOOD WORK, YOU KNOW?
AND WE FINISH OUR JOBS AND
EVERYBODY IS HAPPY.
CHARLOTTE+@: BUT A CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND SEARCH SHOWS A
DIFFERENT PICTURE.
DIFFERENT PICTURE. WE DISCOVERED A TROUBLED PAST
WITH SEVERAL FELONY CONVICTIONS
FOR THEFT, INCLUDING FOUR YEARS
IN PRISON AND NUMEROUS LAWSUITS
AGAINST H+@IM.
AGAINST H+@IM. HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE
DISCOVERED.
DISCOVERED. CHILDERS TEXTED THESE PHOTOS
AFTER HE WAS ASKED TO SHOW
SAMPLES OF PREVIOUS RENOVATIONS
HE HAD DONE.
THEY ARE STOCK PHOTOS, USED
WIDELY ACROSS THE INTERNET.
CHILDER+@S DIDN'T RESPOND TO OUR
EMAILS, ASKING WHY HE WAS
CLAIMING THESE PHOTOS TO BE HIS
OWN WORK.
OWN WORK.
OWN WORK. >> I SHOUL+@D HAVE VETTED HIM.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HIRE A
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR BEFORE I
HIRE A CONTRACTOR.
+@
HIRE A CONTRACTOR. CHARLOTTE: MANY STATES MAKE IT
EASIER FOR STATES -- HOMEOWNERS
TO BET -- VET+@ CONTRACTORS.
IN THOSE STATES, THE GOVERNMENT
CAN REVOKE A CONTRACTOR'S
LICENSE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.
TEXA+@S, THOUGH, ISN'T ONE OF
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. ONLY SPECIAL CONTRACTORS,
INCLUDING HVAC, PLUMBING, AND
WELL DRILLING NEED A S
TATE-LEVEL LICENSE IN TEXAS.
THAT MEANS THERE'S NO REGULATORY
BOARD TO PENALIZE CONTRACTORS
FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.
THE ART REVIEWS ON BETTER
BUSINESS BUREAU -- BEYOND
REVIEWS ON BETTER BUSINESS
BUREAU, THERE'S NO WAY FOR
HOMEOWNERS TO CHECK THEM OUT.
>> GET YOUR NAILS OR HAIR DONE,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE.
WHY DOESN'T THAT APPLY TO
CONTRACTORS?
CONTRACTORS? CHARLOTTE: THERE HAVE BEEN NO
RECENT LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPTS TO
REQUIRE ALL CONTRACTORS TO BE
LICENSED, BUT T+@HERE HAVE BEEN
LICENSED, BUT T+@HERE HAVE BEEN@ EFFORTS TO LICENSE REVERSE IN --
ROOFERS IN TEXAS.
>> IN EVERY SESSION, IT FAILS
MISERABLY.
MISERABLY. CHARLOTTE: HE HAS A+@ JUDGMENT R
$500,000+@.
$500,000+@. >> AND IT'S WORTHLESS.
YOU WILL NEVER COLLECT A DIME,
AND THESE CROOKS KNOW IT.
THEY KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
-- IT'S A LONG SHOT THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO DO ANYTHING.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET +@A SIMPLE
REGISTRATION BILL.
REGISTRATION BILL. REGISTER CONTRACTORS.
REGISTER CONTRACTORS. +@
REGISTER CONTRACTORS. THEN WE KNOW THAT, IF SOMEBODY
IS BAD AND THEY ARE RIPPING
PEOPLE OFF, THERE'S A WAY TO
TAKE AWAY THEIR REGISTRATI+@ON O
THEY CAN NO LONGER DO ROOFING
JOBS, THEN WE COULD EDUCATE
CONSUMERS AND SAY ONLY HIRE
CONTRACTORS WHO ARE REGISTERED
IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS. >> THERE ARE 3000 --
CHARLOTTE: THE BILL MADE IT TO
THE HOUSE FLOOR LAST SESSION,
FURTHER THAN IT EVER HAD BEFORE,
BUT IT WAS MET WITH HEATED
+@OPPOSITION.
+@OPPOSITION. ULTIMATELY, THE BILL DIED WITH
+@
ULTIMATELY, THE BILL DIED WITH 99 LAWMAKERS VOTING NO.
>> I'M CURIOUS AS TO THE COST TO
THE TAXPAYERS TO ADMINISTER
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. CHARLOTTE: AMONG THEM, A
REPRESENTATIVE +@FROM FORT WORT,
A CONTRAC+@TOR HIMSELF.
>> ONE OF TH+@E THINGS WE ARE
>> ONE OF TH+@E THINGS WE ARE+@ PROUD OF IN TEXAS IS THE+@RE ARE
BARRIERS FO+@R ENTRY TO BUSINES.
YOU CAN COME TO TEXAS.
YOU CAN START A BUSINESS
QUICKLY.
QUICKLY.
QUICKLY. CHARLOTTE: HE SAID THE BIL+@L
WOULD'VE DRIVEN UP COSTS FOR
CONSUMERS AND DONE LITTLE TO
STOP BAD CONTRACTORS FROM
HURTING TEXANS.
HURTING TEXANS. >> NOBODY WANTS TO DO ANYTHING
ABOUT IT, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE.
SENSE.
SENSE. WHERE IS THE PROTECTION FOR THE
CONSUMER?
CONSUMER?