A Toronto-area contractor previously convicted of ripping off clients is facing more jail time after he was recently convicted of similar offences.
Police say an arrest warrant for Charlesworth Carter has been issued.
Last month, Carter was convicted of a number of charges -- including failing to deliver on a contract -- under the Consumer Protection Act. He was ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to three customers, and sentenced to 225 days in jail with two years’ probation.
Carter was operating a business in the Greater Toronto Area known as Jayanaca Kitchens. Police say between March 2013 and August 2013, Carter abandoned two projects after the homeowner paid a deposit. That deposit was never refunded, and the clients had to hire another contractor to finish the job.
Police say this is not the first time Carter's customers have been cheated. Over the past 10 years, Carter has been convicted of similar crimes -- once under the Business Practices Act and twice under the Consumer Protection Act. The latter convictions resulted in jail sentences, fines and probation.
A spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Government and Consumer Services Stephen Puddister describes him as a "repeat offender." He says the other convictions happened in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2012.
How to prevent being scammed by a contractor? Consumer Protection Ontario (CPO) suggests:
- Search the contractor’s name and the name of their company in the Consumer Beware List
- Get three estimates
- Check references
- Create a payment schedule for the planned job
According to CPO, the number of renovation complaints and inquiries received by the province have been going down in recent years. In 2012, there were 1,965 complaints, compared with 1,793 in 2013, and 1,468 in 2014.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Pat Foran
