Suffolk hikes up penalties for rogue contractors and 'fire chasing' industry

Suffolk lawmakers unanimously approved a pair of bills Wednesday to crack down on unlicensed home contractors and predatory board-up businesses in the "fire chasing" industry.

Both bills, which now await the signature of County Executive Edward P. Romaine, increase penalties on the “unscrupulous” members of both business sectors thousands of dollars, according to the legislation.

Legis. Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue) sponsored the bill to rein in board-up companies, also known as fire remediation services or “fire chasers.” Fire officials say they sometimes deploy deceptive practices that prey on homeowners in the aftermath of a fire.

“Today, we take a bold step in protecting our residents at a very vulnerable time in their lives,” Thorne, who had served as an EMT-critical care technician, said Wednesday prior to the vote.

The bill expands a 2015 law to require any member of a board-up service to provide a statement to the consumer that clearly states their purpose. The company must also declare it is not a government service and the homeowner is not required to contract with the business. The consumer must sign the statement and acknowledge reading and understanding it, according to the bill.

The civil penalties rise from a maximum of $1,000 to $5,000. In addition to civil penalties, a first conviction of a violation is punishable by a fine of $1,000 or 15 days in jail. A second conviction within 18 months would be classified as a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail, according to the bill.

The bill received letters of support from the Fire Marshals Association of Suffolk County, the Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Commission and the Islip Fire Chiefs Council.

Thomas Kriklava, an ex-chief of the Hauppauge Fire Department, described in a letter how he has witnessed “numerous interactions” with board-up companies at fire scenes. In some instances, board-up company employees attempted to represent themselves as emergency services members, he wrote.

“In several cases the owner was not given proper information to make an educated decision” over their options, he added, calling the legislation “long overdue.”

Gerard Turza Jr., chairman of the FRES Commission, wrote in a letter of support that there's been "an ever increasing number of instances in the last few years" of members of board-up companies acting unprofessional and "displaying aggressive behavior towards fire department personnel."

A separate bill approved aims to help protect consumers from home contractors who have landed on the county’s so-called “Wall of Shame.”

The bill increases fines for contractors found guilty of a violation from $750 to $1,000 for a first offense and from $1,500 to $5,000 for subsequent offenses.

Legis. James Mazzarella (R-Moriches) said the bill he sponsored “takes another step in further protecting our residents here in Suffolk County.”

The legislation also increases tenfold the fine for a violator who fails to register for the Licensed Professions Wall of Shame — a registry the county's Department of Consumer Affairs has maintained since 2012 as a way to raise public awareness of home contractors acting nefariously. Fines for failing to register would jump to $10,000, up from $1,000, according to the bill.

The bill was approved after Newsday published an examination of the Wall of Shame in June, which currently includes 784 names, finding that while the registry can be a deterrent, repeat offenders often continue to operate even when facing fines and public scrutiny. Homeowners often uncover a contractor's inclusion on the registry only after problems arise.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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