Yes: The HICPA was amended on October 22, 2014 to allow contractors to offer temporary and physical contracts to consumers in Pennsylvania, provided that the Contractor: “The official registration number of [Name of Contractor] may be requested from the Consumer Protection Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General`s Office by calling 1-888-520-6680 toll-free in Pennsylvania. Registration does not imply approval. In addition, the law of section 517.7 requires that for a home renovation contract to be valid and enforceable against the owner of residential real estate, the contract must take the form of a letter signed with the contractor`s registration number. The contract must contain the entire agreement, including but not limited to the approximate start and completion date, a complete description of the work to be performed, the total sale price due under the contract, and the amount of down payment required plus any amount to be paid in advance for the purchase of special order materials. To avoid confusion, the law requires that the amount of the deposit and the cost of special order materials be listed separately. The law also prohibits a contractor from changing the contract specifications without a written change order signed by both the owner and the contractor. In addition, the law requires that each contract include notice of the owner`s right to terminate the contract without penalty within three working days of the date of signature, regardless of where the contract was signed. Under the Home Renovation Consumer Protection Act, any work performed under the emergency work provisions of section 201-7 of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act is not considered a handyman. A link to this law is given here. The law does not deal with how the balance is to be paid.

Discuss and negotiate between the consumer and the contractor for additional payments during the work, with final payment after completion. A contractor may not abandon or otherwise perform a home renovation contract that the contractor has entered into without just cause. If, for any reason, a contractor does not start a home renovation work, the landlord can request a full refund of all amounts paid if 45 days have elapsed after the contract start date. If you are a contractor involved in a home renovation agreement, HICPA almost certainly applies to you. HICPA lists very broad definitions of what constitutes both an “entrepreneur” and a “DIY”. Specifically, according to HICPA, a contractor refers not only to any person who owns or operates a DIY business, but also to anyone who simply performs DIY work or agrees to the performance of DIY work. HICPA creates criminal penalties for fraud and prohibits contractors from giving up or not stopping DIY work. It is the responsibility of a company to transmit the written declaration of withdrawal exactly as written in the law, otherwise, if the consumer has not been informed of his rights, the entire contract can be cancellable even after the expiry of the three days. HICPA also describes the behaviours that constitute consumer fraud. Fraudulent behavior, such as misleading statements.

B to induce an owner to enter into a contract or to pay more than a previously agreed price, are expressly prohibited. HICPA also prohibits damage to an owner`s property as a means of performing other home renovation work and also prohibits a contractor from intentionally hiding their name as well as the names of sellers, the contractor`s business or other identifying information. If a contractor changes the identification information after signing a home renovation contract, including insurance information, they must notify the owner of the change within 10 days of the change. Violation of many provisions of the HICPA constitutes a third-degree crime if the amount exceeds $2000.00. If the victim is 60 years of age or older, HICPA requires an extended criminal classification. Subsequent violations of the HICPA, regardless of the amount, will constitute a second-degree crime. In addition, HICPA`s sentencing guidelines also allow a court to revoke a contractor`s certificate of registration. The first significant limitation of the law is set out in section 517.3, which states that “no person may impersonate a contractor or perform DIY work without first registering with the Consumer Protection Bureau of the Pennsylvania Attorney General`s Office.” This registration requirement is crucial because the information that must be included in an application for registration includes not only the name and residential address or an individual applicant or the officers, managers and general partners of a partnership, partnership, limited liability company or limited partner, but also additional information such as a driver`s licence number. Social security number and all names and addresses of home improvement businesses operated by that person, partner, official or manager. Virtually any work that can be done on your home is equivalent to home renovations. HICPA considers any repair, replacement, conversion, demolition, moving, conversion, conversion of the renovation facility, modernization improvement, refurbishment or sandblasting as applicable under the law.

The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (“HICPA”) was passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in October 2008 and signed into law by the Governor as Act 132 of 2008. The law establishes a mandatory registration program for contractors who offer or perform home renovations in Pennsylvania. The law also sets minimum insurance requirements for entrepreneurs; require contractors to include their registration number in their advertisements and contracts; defines the contractual conditions necessary for DIY contracts; prohibits unfair commercial practices; and creates a criminal sanction for DIY fraud. The law requires registration numbers in all advertisements used by contractors. If an entrepreneur has an ad for their business on their vehicle, the ad must include their license plate. If the vehicle does not have an advertisement that promotes business, the contractor is not required to display his license plate on the vehicle. The law requires contractors to submit a complete application, which includes, among other things: The term “handyman” is broad and includes most repair, replacement, conversion, demolition, renovation, installation, modification, conversion, modernization, improvement, refurbishment and sandblasting work carried out in connection with land or part of the property next to a private home, provided that the total cash price of all the Contractor and the Owner have agreed to work more than $500.00. The term “handyman” also includes the construction, replacement, installation or improvement of driveways, swimming pools, porches, garage roofs, HVAC and solar energy systems, security systems, floors, terraces, fences, gazebos, sheds, windows, awnings and waterproofing. No, building a new home is not considered a handyman by law. Employees of apartment buildings, condominiums and associations of municipalities who perform work on the property as part of their employment with these businesses do not have to register. However, if an employee independently makes home improvements to private residential properties outside of their employment and that work totals $5,000 or more in a calendar year, the employee must register as a contractor. Section 517.8 law also makes “DIY fraud” a crime that can be punished as a third-degree crime or a first-degree offense, depending on the nature of the violation and the amount.

“DIY fraud” is defined as a set of related crimes, including making false or misleading statements to induce, encourage or require someone to enter into a written or oral agreement on home renovation services, to receive advance payments to carry out home renovation work, and not to perform or provide such services or materials as specified in the Agreement. with exceptions for force majeure or unforeseen strikes. The definition of “home renovation fraud” also includes misrepresentation or obfuscation of a contractor`s identity when asking a person to enter into a home renovation contract, damage to a person`s property with the intention of inducing, encouraging or compelling a person to enter into a home renovation contract, misrepresenting an item as special contract material, or reducing the cost of misrepresent special application material. and directly or indirectly publish false or misleading advertising that violates the law. .