Listen to this articleThe Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island (PCALI) has launched a tip line to report unlicensed plumbers doing work in the community.
Plumbing contractors are required to be licensed by towns and villages in each municipality where they provide services.
“Unlicensed plumbers are a scourge on our industry,” Jimmy Russo, PCALI president, said in a written statement. “They aren’t licensed which means they don’t have to comply with training, worker safety or carry liability insurance. Every job an unlicensed plumber works on is a catastrophe waiting to happen.”
The association recommends that people ask to see a copy of a plumber’s license and make sure the company being hired is named on the actual license. The plumber should also be able to produce a certificate of insurance.
“Residents and business owners need to realize if they hire an unlicensed plumber, they have little to no recourse to seek damages when the job goes bust or they are taken advantage of,” Jeff Connelly, vice-president of PCALI, said in the statement.
The members of PCALI work for plumbing companies that belong to Plumbers Local 200 serving Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Tips about unlicensed plumbers can be phoned to 631-759- 5592 or emailed to [email protected].
Any tips that come into PCALI will be forwarded to the plumbing licensing board where the work is taking place and copied to the supervisor or mayor of that municipality.