WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderSuit filed against Rockford contractor accused of shoddy work

Suit filed against Rockford contractor accused of shoddy work

ROCKFORD (WREX) - A lawsuit has been filed against a Rockford contractor accused of not finishing projects or doing bad work.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office filed a lawsuit in Winnebago County Circuit Court alleging that Michael J. Thelen, who owns and operates Thelen Services, Inc., entered into contracts to install new fencing, accepted consumers’ down payments and provided consumers with an approximate date that the work would begin. Thelen, however, allegedly failed to perform the contracted work or completed the work in a shoddy, substandard manner.

The suit claims Thelen has refused to refund down payments.

“There’s no excuse for a contractor refusing to return consumers’ down payments when he has failed to perform the contracted work,” Madigan said. “Home repair and remodeling project complaints continue to rank among the most commonly reported to my office’s Consumer Fraud Bureau. I strongly urge consumers to seek out as much information as possible when considering hiring a home contractor so that they can avoid the run-around from unscrupulous contractors.”

The Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Bureau has received three complaints since September 2008 about Thelen’s work from consumers in DeKalb, Boone and Ogle Counties.

Madigan's suit is asking the court to keep Thelen from working in home repair in the state of Illinois, seeks restitution for his customers, make him pay a fine and make him cover court costs related to the case.

If you have been ripped off by this contractor, or want to report any other cases of consumer fraud call 1-800-386-5438 or download the complaint form at www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov/consumers