Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit Monday against a former Seneca County contractor and his company, accusing them of abandoning pool and pond projects after collecting nearly $250,000 from five consumers across northern Ohio.
The lawsuit, filed in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, names Storm D. Mills and his company, Mills Water Management, and alleges violations of both Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.
According to the Attorney General’s office, Mills operated the business from his Seneca County home before relocating to Florida, where he formed a new swimming pool business. Consumers who hired Mills for pool and pond work reported that projects were either started and never finished or never begun at all.
“This guy skipped town and headed south, taking Ohioan’s money with him,” Yost said in a statement. “Floridians ought to take caution before diving into business with this scammer.”
Complaints were filed with the Attorney General’s Office by consumers located in Delaware, Hancock, Richland, Seneca, and Wyandot counties. One consumer reported that Mills began pond work on their property but never completed it. Others said he performed no work whatsoever.
The Attorney General’s Office is seeking restitution for the affected consumers, along with civil penalties and injunctive relief.
How to protect yourself from contractor fraud
Yost’s office reminded Ohioans to take several precautions before signing any home-improvement contract, including checking with local officials about required permits, asking contractors for references and following up on them, and checking for complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General’s Office.
The AG’s office also advises consumers to get written estimates from at least three contractors, verify cancellation rights under Ohio law, and avoid contracts that require large down payments or full payment before work is completed and inspected. Any contract should include a written description of the work, applicable warranties or guarantees, and any verbal promises made by the contractor.
Consumers who believe they have been taken advantage of by a home-improvement contractor can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office at OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or by calling 800-282-0515.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit Monday against a former Seneca County contractor and his company, accusing them of abandoning pool and pond projects after collecting nearly $250,000 from five consumers across northern Ohio. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, names Storm D. Mills and his company, Mills Water Management, and alleges violations of both Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act. According to the Attorney General's office, Mills operated the business from his Seneca County home before relocating to Florida, where he formed a new swimming pool business. Consumers who hired Mills for pool and pond work reported that projects were either started and never finished or never begun at all. "This guy skipped town and headed south, taking Ohioan's money with him," Yost said in a statement. "Floridians ought to take caution before diving into business with this scammer." Complaints were filed with the Attorney General's Office by consumers located in Delaware, Hancock, Richland, Seneca, and Wyandot counties. One consumer reported that Mills began pond work on their property but never completed it. Others said he performed no work whatsoever. The Attorney General's Office is seeking restitution for the affected consumers, along with civil penalties and injunctive relief. How to protect yourself from contractor fraud Yost's office reminded Ohioans to take several precautions before signing any home improvement contract, including checking with local officials about required permits, asking contractors for references and following up on them, and checking for complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's Office. The AG's office also advises consumers to get written estimates from at least three contractors, verify cancellation rights under Ohio law, and avoid contracts that require large down payments or full payment before work is completed and inspected. Any contract should include a written description of the work, applicable warranties or guarantees, and any verbal promises made by the contractor. Consumers who believe they have been taken advantage of by a home improvement contractor can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office at OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or by calling 800 282 0515.
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