Attorney General Janet T. Mills Sues Chimney Repair Business

November 9, 2010

Augusta, ME ? Attorney General Janet T. Mills has filed suit against Lysco Contracting Inc., a residential chimney and furnace repair business operating in central Maine, for unfair and deceptive trade practices.

The suit alleged that Lysco Contracting Inc., a Massachusetts corporation, defrauded homeowners by convincing them that they needed expensive repairs that were in fact unnecessary. The suit also alleged that the business was not registered to conduct door-to-door sales or transient sales in the State of Maine and that it failed to tell consumers they had three days to rescind a contract as required by Maine law.

The Attorney General?s Office has received a number of complaints that Lysco called older citizens and offered to inspect or clean their chimneys for $50 or less. Upon inspection, the company told consumers that their chimneys were dangerous and that they needed an expensive chimney liner. The company then sold the liner to them for thousands of dollars. Later inspections revealed that Lysco misrepresented the need for the liner and unlawfully persuaded consumers to spend money for unnecessary repairs.

?In tight economic times, Maine?s citizens cannot afford to lose money to such unscrupulous practices,? Attorney General Mills stated. ?This office will be vigilant to protect innocent Maine citizens and to pursue shoddy door to door salesmen who prey on our elderly.?

Maine consumers who believe that they were deceived by Lysco Contracting Inc., are encouraged to contact the Attorney General?s Consumer Protection Line at 1-800-436-2131.

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