If you’re like a lot of people here in California, you may have purchased a house with the intent to fix it up in order to sell it for a profit. While some homeowners would rather make renovations on their own, others feel more comfortable hiring professionals to do the work for them.

But what happens when that professional turns out to be an unlicensed contractor? What if the work they did on your house isn’t up to code or is incredibly dangerous? Would you know who to file a complaint with to make sure that no one suffered the same experience as you?

Believe it or not, questions such as this come up in states across the nation. And while a large portion of contractors do legitimate work on homes every year, there are those few that tend to spoil it for the others. Whether you live in another state or here in California, you should know how to file a complaint with the Contractors State License Board so that further problems do not arise for other customers.

So how does someone here in California file a construction complaint against a contractor? Let’s take a look.

In our state, there are three ways a person can file a complaint with the Contractors State Licensing Board. They are:

• Standard mail
• Online
• Through the CSLB’s automated telephone system

Regardless of how you file your complaint, you should be aware of the fact that all information relevant to your case — including contacts, cancelled checks, and change orders — must be sent to the CSLB as printed forms.

It’s also important to point out that performing construction jobs in California without a license is unlawful and punishable by law.

Source: The Contractors State License Board, “How to file a Complaint,” Accessed Oct. 21, 2014