Homeowner support
When a Contracting Deal Goes Bad
If a project has stalled, gone over budget or been left unfinished, you are not stuck. Here's how to protect yourself — and where to get real help.
Get Help NowFirst steps
Six Things to Do Right Now
What you do in the first few days often decides how the dispute ends.
Stop further payments
Do not send another payment for work that has not been completed. Once money leaves your hands it is far harder to recover. If you are on a milestone schedule, pay only for milestones you can confirm are finished.
Put everything in writing
Send an email or letter summarizing what was agreed, what was done, what is missing, and what you want to happen next. Written records carry far more weight than phone conversations later on.
Photograph the current state
Take dated photos of completed work, incomplete work, and anything damaged or unsafe. Keep them together with your contract, estimates, change orders and receipts.
Check the license and permit record
Look up the contractor's state license and confirm whether permits were actually pulled and inspections completed. Your county building department can tell you what is on record for your address.
Don't sign under pressure
Be cautious about signing anything that releases the contractor from liability or restates the job in different terms. Ask for time to review it, and keep a copy of anything you are asked to sign.
Get an independent assessment
Before agreeing to any settlement or hiring someone new, get an independent written estimate for what it will take to finish or correct the work. That number anchors everything that follows.
This page is general information for homeowners, not legal advice. Every dispute is different, and deadlines vary by route. If a significant amount of money is involved, speak with a construction or consumer-law attorney about your specific situation.
Resolution
Your Options to Resolve It
Most homeowners use two or three of these together rather than one instead of another.
Ask for a written cure
Florida law gives homeowners a formal way to demand that a contractor correct defective work. A clear written notice describing the problem and asking the contractor to fix it is usually the first real step — and it creates a record if the dispute continues.
File a complaint with the DBPR
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses most Florida contractors and investigates complaints against them, including suspected unlicensed activity. A complaint can lead to discipline against the license, and is a required step for some recovery options.
Contact your county consumer protection office
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties all run consumer protection divisions that investigate and mediate disputes with local businesses, generally at no cost to you. Filing there is often faster than going to court.
Report unlicensed work
If the person or company was never licensed for the work they performed, report it. Unlicensed contracting is treated seriously in Florida, and reports can prevent the same thing happening to another homeowner.
Look into the Recovery Fund
Florida's Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund can reimburse homeowners in limited circumstances after a licensed contractor's misconduct — usually only after a complaint has been prosecuted and a final order issued. Strict time limits and caps apply, so don't delay.
Consider mediation, small claims or a lawyer
Many disputes settle through mediation before anyone goes to court. For larger losses, a construction or consumer-law attorney may be warranted; The Florida Bar runs a lawyer referral service if you don't have one.
Hotlines
Who to Call
Free state and county phone lines staffed to help Florida homeowners. Have your contract, the license number and dated photos handy before you call.
DBPR Unlicensed Activity Hotline
1-866-532-1440Toll-free line to report someone doing contracting work without a state license — the fastest route for unlicensed jobs.
Official siteFlorida DBPR Customer Contact Center
(850) 487-1395Check whether a license is active, look up complaint history, or get help filing a complaint against a licensed contractor.
Official siteFlorida Attorney General — Consumer Protection
1-866-966-7226The state's consumer line for deceptive or unfair business practices, fake licensing claims and scams — also known as 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.
Official siteFlorida Consumer Services (FDACS)
1-800-435-7352The state's consumer complaint clearinghouse, for problems that don't fit a single licensing board. Spanish line: 1-800-352-9832.
Official siteMiami-Dade Consumer Protection
(786) 469-2333Mediation hotline for disputes with businesses doing work in Miami-Dade County. TTY 711.
Official siteBroward County Consumer Protection
(954) 765-1700Complaints are filed online or by phone; Broward residents can also simply dial 311.
Official sitePalm Beach County Consumer Affairs
(561) 712-6600For Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Glades residents, call toll-free 1-888-852-7362.
Official siteThe Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service
1-800-342-8011Get matched with a construction or consumer-law attorney. Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Official siteReport a contractor
How to Report a Contractor in Florida
A complaint is a record, not a confrontation. Filed early with the right agency, it is often what turns a stalled project into a recovered one.
Get the license number first
It is on your contract, estimate or invoice, and usually on the truck or business card too. Everything else in a complaint keys off that number — if you don't have it, ask for it in writing before you report.
File the state complaint with the DBPR
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses most Florida contractors and investigates complaints against them. File online and attach your contract, payment records, dated photos and any written notice you sent. Call (850) 487-1395 if you need help with the filing.
Report unlicensed work by phone
If the person was never licensed for the work they performed, call the DBPR unlicensed activity line at 1-866-532-1440. Unlicensed contracting carries real penalties in Florida, and a report can stop the same person doing it to someone else.
Tell your county as well
Your county building department can confirm which permits and inspections are actually on record for your address, and the county consumer office can mediate. Miami-Dade: (786) 469-2333. Broward: (954) 765-1700 or 311. Palm Beach: (561) 712-6600.
Report fraud or deception to the Attorney General
Misrepresenting a license, taking deposits for work never started, or other deceptive practices can also go to the state consumer line at 1-866-966-7226 (1-866-9-NO-SCAM).
Keep your reference number and follow up
Save the complaint number and copies of everything you submitted, and note the dates. Investigations take time — following up with a reference number is far more effective than starting the process again.
Referrals
Where to File a Complaint or Get Help
Official resources by county and state. All of them are free to use, and filing early never hurts your case.
Questions
If a Project Goes Wrong
Can I stop paying if the work isn't done?
You should never pay for work that hasn't been completed. Keep payments tied to milestones you can verify, and put your reasons in writing. If you have already overpaid, don't send more — a clear written record of what you paid and what you received is what matters next.
How long do I have to file a complaint?
Deadlines vary by the route you take — state licensing complaints, county consumer complaints and the Recovery Fund each work on their own timelines, and some are short. Filing early is almost always better than waiting, even before all the facts are settled.
What if the contractor was never licensed?
That changes the path. Report the unlicensed activity to the state, and contact your county consumer protection office. Unlicensed work also raises permit and insurance questions you'll want to resolve before hiring anyone to correct it.
Will LVC help me find someone to fix it?
Yes. That's the referral part of what we do. Tell us what happened and what still needs to be done, and we'll help connect you with a locally vetted professional who can assess and complete the work.
Referral
Need a Professional to Finish or Fix the Work?
Tell us what happened and what still needs doing, and we'll help connect you with a locally vetted professional who can assess and complete it.
