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York County home improvement company hit with consumer protection lawsuit from AG

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced a lawsuit against a York County home improvement company and its owner, who is accused of accepti...
barn

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced a lawsuit against a York County home improvement company and its owner, who is accused of accepting thousands of dollars from customers without performing the work he was contracted to do.

The lawsuit against National Barn Company, LLC and Lowell K. Thomas II was filed today by the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

It alleges Thomas, also the sole member and shareholder of the company, entered contracts with consumers to build pole barns and accepted substantial sums as payment, but failed to build the barns or deliver materials.

Thomas is also accused of misleading consumers regarding the time-frames in which their barns would be built and his company’s ability to perform the contracted services. Some consumers also reported receiving misleading notices that they had breached their contracts when no such breach had occurred on the part of the consumer.

Additionally, Thomas allegedly failed to provide refunds to consumers and did not utilize contracts that complied with requirements of the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) and the Consumer Protection Law.

Twenty-seven complaints were received concerning the company, with 14 coming from Pennsylvania. National Barn Company, LLC is based in Hanover, York County, but also did business in Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

The lawsuit requests the court order Thomas to:

  • Pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law and $3,000 for each violation involving a consumer 60 years of age or older.
  • Pay restitution to all consumers who have suffered losses as a result of his alleged conduct.
  • Permanently refrain from doing business involving home improvements in the Commonwealth.

The lawsuit was filed in the York County Court of Common Pleas by Deputy Attorney General Allison L. Deibert, of the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Consumers who feel they were victimized by National Barn Company, LLC or Thomas are encouraged to file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling 1-800-441-2555, or submitting an online complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov.

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