An Ohio-based roofing contractor accused of ripping off approximately $54,000 from homeowners is being taken to court by the state's attorney general.
According to a release, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing Michael Windle, owner and operator of Rite-On Roofing and Siding in Toledo. The lawsuit states from 2021 to 2022, Windle accepted deposits from consumers but failed to deliver any goods or services, including roofing and siding repairs and replacements. Court documents state he left customers hanging for eight weeks without completing any work or providing a refund.
“This guy should change the name of his company to Rip-Off Roofing," Yost said in a written statement. "Hard-working Ohioans paid for a service, and no work was done. That is not how we do business in Ohio.”
The company’s tactics, which violate the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, prompted more than a dozen complaints to the attorney general’s office and the Better Business Bureau. The BBB has revoked Rite-On’s accreditation.
The lawsuit requests that the defendant be ordered to reimburse consumers and pay civil penalties and court costs. The state is pursuing a civil penalty of up to $25,000 for each separate violation of the CSPA.
In a separate development supporting the lawsuit, multiple consumers have filed police reports against Windle, leading to several indictments in Lucas County.