Chicago Construction News staff writer
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed a lawsuit against an Arlington Heights-based plumbing, heating and electrical contractor, alleging the company used deceptive sales tactics to pressure homeowners — particularly senior citizens — into costly and sometimes unnecessary repairs.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday against ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric Inc., accuses the company of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act.
According to the attorney general’s office, the lawsuit alleges that ABC technicians would enter homes to address an initial repair issue, but then inspect other areas of the property without the homeowner’s permission. The technicians would allegedly present newly discovered issues to the homeowners as emergencies or life-threatening hazards requiring immediate attention.
Consumers were then handed a digital tablet to sign to initiate the work, but often were not allowed to read what they were signing, according to the complaint. The attorney general alleges that in some instances, customers did not understand they were signing a contract, or they unknowingly waived their statutory three-day right to cancel the agreement.
“ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric’s deceptive business practices are not only illegal but also disheartening because those practices target senior citizens,” Raoul said in a news release. “When consumers reach out to home repair companies like ABC, they trust the company will present honest prices for complete work. Instead, ABC took advantage of its customers.”
In a statement responding to the allegations, ABC Plumbing defended its decades-long reputation in the Chicago area.
“ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling and Electric has become aware through media reports of a complaint reportedly filed by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office,” the company said in a statement on Sept. 3. “We have not yet received the complaint nor have we had an opportunity to review its allegations, and we will respond at the appropriate time.”
The company added: “For more than 70 years, ABC has served Chicago-area homeowners and earned their trust by operating with integrity. We value the relationships we have built with hundreds of thousands of clients and the more than 25,000 five-star reviews they have shared about their experiences with ABC, and we continue to serve them faithfully every day.”
The state’s lawsuit also claims that when ABC completed the overpriced work, it was frequently sloppy, incomplete and sometimes performed by unlicensed technicians.
The allegations regarding unlicensed workers drew sharp criticism from local organized labor.
“No homeowner should be taken advantage of when dealing with a plumbing emergency — especially the most vulnerable among us,” said James F. Coyne, business manager of the Chicago Plumbers Union, Local 130, UA. Coyne praised the attorney general’s office for enforcing the state’s plumbing license law, noting that his union’s professionals are required to complete a five-year apprenticeship and annual continuing education.
Through the lawsuit, the state is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent future violations, the rescission of all contracts entered into under the alleged unlawful practices, and civil monetary penalties.
ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric is located on Campus Drive in Arlington Heights and provides residential plumbing, sewer, HVAC and electrical services throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
