BISMARCK, N.D. (Legal Newsline) - North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued cease and desist orders on Friday against two contractors that allegedly failed to obtain required state licenses before engaging in contractor services.
The orders ban Raymond Knuppel, doing business as Sealtite Restoration, and Matt Martin from working or doing business in North Dakota.
"Hiring an unlicensed contractor is risky," Stenehjem said. "You have no guarantee that the contractor even knows what he is doing and no recourse if the work is not done or not done properly, other than paying out more money to have a reputable licensed contractor fix it."
Stenehjem's Consumer Protection Division received a complaint from a general contractor alleging that Knuppel refused to replace blown off shingles that were improperly installed on an apartment complex roof or to complete the remainder of a job. Knuppel was initially cooperative with the division, but he allegedly stopped communicating with investigators and returned home to Harrison, Montana.
Knuppel received approximately $40,000 in payments for work, some of which was allegedly unfinished when he left.
Martin allegedly performed work in the Devils Lake area on a steel roof in the amount of $4,000 despite not being licensed. After initially cooperating with the Consumer Protection Division, Martin allegedly failed to respond to communications.
Contractors, subcontractors and employees of those companies must be licensed in North Dakota if the company performs work valued at $2,000 or more.
N.D. AG issues two orders against contractors
