Unlicensed contractor arrested

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested Jeff Ogilvie, 41, of Nokomis, for taking money for contracting work he never performed.

Ogilvie, doing business as Home Defense Hurricane, accepted $2,090 from a 73-year-old seasonal resident to install new hurricane-resistant windows. Records show that while Ogilvie cashed the victim’s check, he never ordered the product or applied for the necessary permits from the Sarasota County Building Department.

In April 2011, Ogilvie was convicted of engaging in contracting without proper certification or licensing, and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued the same finding in October 2011. Ogilvie is currently on probation for a 2006 case in which he was convicted of scheme to defraud.
Ogilvie is charged with grand theft from a victim 65 years of age or older and engaging in contracting without proper certification after a subsequent violation.

To protect yourself when hiring a contractor the Sarasota County Building Department recommends the following steps:

• Get a signed, detailed contract that spells out the work to be done, when and for how much.

• Do not make a large down payment. Wait to make the final payment until the final inspection has been done and work is approved.

• Ask to see the contractor’s license and verify its status. To check on a Sarasota County license call 861-6678.

If you suspect someone is acting as an unlicensed contractor, contact the Sarasota County Building Department or the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.