# Stealing work is bad



## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

Hey Guy's any of you ever caught someone using your lic. to do work they stole from you. I know this happens by accident sometimes ( builder forgets to update the permit) but in this case they know what they are doing. WTF Should I wait till there is no turning back for them or drop the bomb on them now before they start. Seems that it would be a better lesson to wait for them to start knowing that the credentials are not there and they have no way to make excuses or get out of it. Anybody know the penalty for this in IL. Anybody had this problem..... if so how did you handle it? Thanks for any advice

Chris :furious:


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

When I moved from Ca. to Mn. I sold my phone numbers to someone who said they were licensed. I got a call about six months later, he put out a half page yellow pages ad using MY license number! You bet I dropped the bomb on him, both to the yellow pages and the CSLB. His phone number in the ad was disconnected two weeks later. LOL


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

I :heart: IL plumbing code.:thumbup:


Sec. 29.5. Unlicensed and unregistered practice; violation; civil penalties. 
(a) A person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds himself or herself out to practice as a plumber or plumbing contractor without being licensed or registered under this Act, *shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each offense as determined by the Department*. The civil penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a licensee or registrant. 
(b) The Department has the authority and power to investigate any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds himself or herself out to practice as a plumber or plumbing contractor without being licensed or registered under this Act, or as an irrigation contractor without being registered under this Act. 
(c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and execution had on the judgment in the same manner as a judgment from a court of record. All fines and penalties collected by the Department under this Section of the Act and accrued interest shall be deposited into the Plumbing Licensure and Program Fund for use by the Department in performing activities relating to the administration and enforcement of this Act.


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## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks ILPLUMBER I could not find that dam green book. Must have it at home. Ever have this happen to you? Want to do my best to see these guys take a big fall. In my opinion this should be punished by death. Just not sure when to pull the trigger? If I have to follow the rules around here they should too.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Get your inspevtor in the loop NOW. Part of his job is surveillance. Let him document things as they happen. He is there to help you. 

Notice the law says up to $5000 PER OFFENSE. That would be per job.


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## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks again ILPLUMBER I just don't want them to see it coming. Kind of waiting for them to do the underground so there is no roo for them to squirm.


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

How did you find out they're using your license number on plumbing jobs?


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

If more inspectors would insist on a valid ID along with a license it would make a difference. I would like to see your picture on your plumbing license. Something NH has been saying they are going to do for years now.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

nhmaster3015 said:


> If more inspectors would insist on a valid ID along with a license it would make a difference. I would like to see your picture on your plumbing license. Something NH has been saying they are going to do for years now.


Our plumbing licenses resemble a driver's license. Photo and all.:thumbsup:


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## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

As ILPLUMBER stated we have pics on all our cards. IRONRANGER it's not hard to figure out when they are former employees and former contractors that you used to work for. The guy that is doing the building always puts my name on permits and up till now we always did the work.(you need a plumber to even pull a permit on a residential home). That being said all it takes is a call to the township building department to ask if you are on the permit. Actually around here they often call you when someone applies for their permit. Long story short layed a guy off that I sponsored to get his card....... he gets with two other builders (thats where the money comes from) starts stealing work that he knows I have........continues to collect unemployment. :furious: One green plumber Two framers.:laughing: I know that it won't work but the whole thing  sucks. The only way they are getting the work is to cut my bids and thats hard to do. They don't have a clue what everything costs and how long it takes to do the work. In the end all that will be left is me looking for contractors and those contractors looking for another plumber. Sucks but that is the reality of this NO WINNERS.


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## trick1 (Sep 18, 2008)

ILPlumber said:


> Our plumbing licenses resemble a driver's license. Photo and all.:thumbsup:


 
I wish that the photo ID was adopted nationwide. It would stop a lot of contractors pulling permits under their fathers, uncles or whoever's license


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## Plasticman (Oct 14, 2008)

Yea, and most of them don't have workers comp or proof of exemption. Report that also.
You wanna see some imigrants run, call workers comp on them here in Fla. So funny to watch them run like hell. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

weplumb said:


> Thanks ILPLUMBER I could not find that dam green book. Must have it at home. Ever have this happen to you? Want to do my best to see these guys take a big fall. In my opinion this should be punished by death. Just not sure when to pull the trigger? If I have to follow the rules around here they should too.


Never had it happen to me, that I know of. We don't pull permits down here for anything. 

Call your inspector.


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

Oregon requires you to have a pic id with Lic # on it.



nhmaster3015 said:


> If more inspectors would insist on a valid ID along with a license it would make a difference. I would like to see your picture on your plumbing license. Something NH has been saying they are going to do for years now.


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## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

Just wanted to let you guy's know....... Dropped the bomb on them today pulled 3 permits and called my inspector as ILPLUMBER said I should. Inspectors were there in 20 mins jobs shut down in 25 mins. Hated to do it but it's nice to see the inspectors really do have our backs when it comes to this. I think we don't give them enough credit for being there to help and to protect us and our customers. Losing the work sucks but am glad to see I had the support! Hats off to any of you that may be inspectors.I gained alot of respect for my inspectors today. Most really ARE there to help!


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

weplumb said:


> Just wanted to let you guy's know....... Dropped the bomb on them today pulled 3 permits and called my inspector as ILPLUMBER said I should. Inspectors were there in 20 mins jobs shut down in 25 mins. Hated to do it but it's nice to see the inspectors really do have our backs when it comes to this. I think we don't give them enough credit for being there to help and to protect us and our customers. Losing the work sucks but am glad to see I had the support! Hats off to any of you that may be inspectors.I gained alot of respect for my inspectors today. Most really ARE there to help!


Great to hear, I wouldn't stand for someone tryingh to pull permits under my license.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Sounds like identity theft to me which should be prosecutable far beyond the limits of the local inspection department .


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Who actually pulls the permit where you are? It goes one of two ways here depending on what county you are in. In the northern county of my service area the master plumber is the one who pulls permits. In the southern county of my service area the gc (or ho if he is acting as his own gc) pulls the permit (typically) but has to list all of his subs so that they can be checked for proper licensing.

In your case either your former employee presented himself as representing your company and pulled permits under your license (not sure how the permit department allowed this) in which case the gc may have been oblivious or vice versa. Either way it may be possible that one party did not know what the other party was doing but I'm betting that whoever did not actually pull the permit was complicit with whoever did pull it. In any event, ... someone should go to jail.


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## weplumb (Apr 16, 2009)

Here the GC usually pulls the permits so it is real tough to catch guys using other peoples lic.# I try to check on all the developments in the area atleast once a week to see what is going on. If I see something that just don't seem right I check into it. Lately there is not much to look at. Building has all but stopped in my area. Hope it turns quick. Guess I might have to start focusing on service. All though it don't seem to be doing much better.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

We had this happen to us. Some guy pulled our license number from the yellow page ad. The inspector for that town called our office with some questions about the job. Lets just say the stuff hit the fan real quick when he learned what the guy did. He looked up some other jobs this guy was on he used over 25 different plumbing license numbers. 

Ever since then when pulling a permit that town wants to see the original license and the original 055 license. Those of you that are nor from around Illinois an 055 is a Plumbing Contractor License that is obtained under the company name, they have you submit your plumbing license a bond and certificate of insurance. to get this license.


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

Good thing the city requires that you submit the bonding etc....I haven't heard of that happening here in the PNW...Not that I won't be on the look out for that kind of BS.



SewerRatz said:


> We had this happen to us. Some guy pulled our license number from the yellow page ad. The inspector for that town called our office with some questions about the job. Lets just say the stuff hit the fan real quick when he learned what the guy did. He looked up some other jobs this guy was on he used over 25 different plumbing license numbers.
> 
> Ever since then when pulling a permit that town wants to see the original license and the original 055 license. Those of you that are nor from around Illinois an 055 is a Plumbing Contractor License that is obtained under the company name, they have you submit your plumbing license a bond and certificate of insurance. to get this license.


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> Never had it happen to me, that I know of. We don't pull permits down here for anything.
> 
> Call your inspector.


 
HUH?


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

PLUMB TIME said:


> HUH?


There are building permits here ONLY. Concrete, framing, and electrical etc. are inspected on new construction. Plumbing gets inspected if the state inspecotr has time to stop by. There are no plumbing permits.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> There are building permits here ONLY. Concrete, framing, and electrical etc. are inspected on new construction. Plumbing gets inspected if the state inspecotr has time to stop by. There are no plumbing permits.


 Ah you are way down south. I went to Rend Lake Collage for my continued education classes down there.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

*Stealing Work Is Bad*

In Calif. And Washington States,
Each Incenident Is Each And Ever Day They Stop On The Job
And Each And Every Job That They Use A False Lic. # On
I Would Proscute This To The Full Extent Of The Law Not Just 
This Person But If The News Gets Out And On The Internet It Might Just Scare Off Somebody Else Who Wants To Try This ! !


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

Starting to really piss me off around here. We have this moron who keeps advertising in my little shopper paper as a fricken handyman. (we all know how I feel about that don't we!) He's advertising carpentry, etc. etc. AND Plumbing and Electrical work! Both that requires a license. I turned the joker in to the state, they have done nothing, he keeps advertising. I've seen his plumbing work and it's a joke. I really don't know what to do? I live in a small area and would rather not confront him but I'm about to do that!:furious:


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

I turned a guy in that was blatently advertising plumbing work on craigs list. He threatened me openly on craigs list so I had the cops knock on his door. He is currently in jail (couldn't make bail) awaiting trial for criminal threatening as well as plumbing without a license.


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