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Flood of customer complaints over unlicensed West Island roofing company

Click to play video: 'West Island roofing company faces more complaints'
West Island roofing company faces more complaints
WATCH: Last week, Global News reported on a West Island couple who found out that the company who fixed their leaking roof was operating without a license. Now other homeowners stuck with expensive repairs are coming forward with similar stories involving the same contractor. Global’s Anne Leclair reports – Jan 22, 2018

Less than one week after a Global News story about a West Island roofing company that was operating without a licence, more unhappy customers have come forward, including one woman who took the owner of Les Toitures Bel-Air to court — and won.

Yet, she will likely never see the money since the company has filed for bankruptcy.

“I’m speaking out because this guy needs to be stopped. He’s hurting too many people, he’s taking their money, he’s living a life of luxury and he needs to be stopped,” Rosetta Tucci said.

Just two weeks after Tucci hired Les Toitures Bel-Air to rebuild her roof for $1,494, it started leaking.

She says she tried contacting owner Evan Paloukis for three months until she gave up and took him to court.

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She claims the judge awarded her close to $4,000 to cover the cost of the new roof plus renovations to repair water damage.

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Considering the company has filed for bankruptcy and was operating without a valid RBQ licence, she knows she’ll likely never recover that money.

“This guy needs to stop and I don’t understand how the government’s not stopping him,” Tucci told Global News.

Global News has learned that a new company was recently registered under the same company name and address and is now being run by his reported girlfriend Samantha Hobbs.

Paloukis is also listed as the owner of another roofing company called Couvreurs Experience.

The ACQC consumer protection group warns that government cutbacks make it hard for inspectors to keep track of unlicensed business owners.

“The consumer has to be himself a watchdog — he has to be really careful and check [for valid RBQ license numbers],” ACQC president Albanie Morin said.
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“The number of inspectors has diminished with the years the RBQ is a government body, the government has restricted the new hiring so there are less inspectors than before.”

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