Ohio AG announces lawsuit against Wapakoneta company, owner for cheating customers out of $200K

COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Monday a lawsuit against a Wapakoneta construction company and its owner for cheating customers out of around $200,000.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office filed the lawsuit Friday with the Auglaize County Common Pleas Court against Jerry Weeks, the owner and operator of Grizzly Buildings.

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The lawsuit alleges Grizzly Buildings received payments from customers for work on pole barns and other buildings, but the work was never started or finished, or if the work was done, it was done improperly. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges the contractor violated Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, Home Solicitation Sales Act, and Home Construction Service Suppliers Act, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to hold their breath when they do business with a contractor and hope that the work they’re paying for actually gets done. When you’re hiring a contractor, ask for a cost estimate, a written contract, and references,” Yost said.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office received 11 complaints about the contractor from November 2021 thru March 2023, with many alleging the failure to deliver.

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Weeks was indicted in Wood County in December, which resulted in a 16-count indictment in a separate lawsuit.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has requested that Grizzly Buildings and Weeks be ordered to give the customers their money back and pay civil penalties and court costs.

The Consumer Protection Section of The Ohio Attorney General’s Office encourages homeowners to take the following steps before signing a contract for any home-improvement services.

• Check with the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau for any complaints against the contractor.
• Make sure your contract includes notice of your right to cancel a door-to-door sale. Contractors generally cannot start working until the three-day “cooling off” period ends.
• Get written estimates from several contractors before making a final decision.
• Check to make sure that the written contract includes any oral promises made by the contractor; start and end dates for the project; and an itemized list of all significant costs, labor and services.
• Be wary if the contract requires a large down payment or requires you to write a check directly to the contractor instead of his or her company.
• Check with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office to confirm that the business is registered properly.
• Ohioans who suspect unfair or deceptive business practices should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.

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