Suffolk registry to ID rogue contractors

Rogue contractors, beware.

Suffolk County will launch an online registry of home improvement contractors who have lost their licenses or been convicted of defrauding customers.

The county legislature Tuesday unanimously approved Majority Leader Jon Cooper's bill establishing a public registry of unscrupulous home contractors, dubbed the "Contractors Wall of Shame."

"It's like my last hurrah," said Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), who leaves office at the end of the month because of term limits, and who has also sponsored registries listing convicted animal abusers and pet store ratings.

County Executive Steve Levy is considering whether to sign the bill, a spokesman said. If the measure becomes law, it will require unlicensed or convicted contractors to provide their names, addresses, photographs and any aliases for the Department of Consumer Affairs website. Crimes qualifying for the registry include fraud, larceny and false advertising.

Those who don't comply will be subject to up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Consumer Affairs Director Cliff Coleman said in a letter to lawmakers that Cooper's bill could motivate unlicensed contractors to pay outstanding fines, mainly for operating without licenses, which now total $485,000.

"We believe passage of this law will really help solve this problem," Coleman wrote.

The Long Island Builders Institute, the trade organization representing home contractors, said it supports the registry, as proper licensing protects their members as well as consumers. "We assume everybody's going to follow the law," said Mitchell Pally, the group's executive vice president.

Cooper said he envisions homeowners checking the registry anytime they research a contractor as a potential hire.

"You can change your alias or your company name, but it's very hard to change your face," he said, referring to the registry's photograph requirement.