Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING BOARD
Respondent: ARTHUR S. KACHEL
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Filed: Jul. 24, 2000
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, September 27, 2000.
Latest Update: Dec. 21, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA |
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING BOARD
DIVISION II
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
Petitioner,
vs. Case No. 98-17631
ARTHUR S. KACHEL,
Respondent.
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ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
("Petitioner"), files this Administrative Complaint before the Construction Industry Licensing
Board, against ARTHUR S. KACHEL, ("Respondent"), and says:
Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the practice of contracting
pursuant to Section 20.165, Florida Statutes, and Chapters 455 and 489, Florida Statutes.
2, Respondent is, and has been at all times material hereto, a Certified Air
Conditioning Contractor, in the State of Florida, having been issued license number CA C033592.
3. Respondent's last known address is 4448 SW 5] Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
33314.
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4. At all times material hereto, Respondent was the licensed qualifier for Airstream
Mechanical, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as “Contractor").
5. Section 489.1195(1)(a), Florida Statutes, provides that all primary qualifying
agents for a business organization are jointly and equally responsible for supervision of all
operations of the business organization; for all field work at all sites; and for financial matters,
both for the organization in general and for each specific job.
COUNT I
6. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through five as though fully set forth in this Count I.
7. On or about January 15, 1997, the Contractor contracted with Garfield Wray
(hereinafter referred to as “Customer”) to install a solar water heater, a hot water tank, perform air
conditioning duct repair, install two thermostats, two air filters, attic insulation, energy saving
plumbing fixtures and energy saving light fixtures for Five Thousand, Nine Hundred Ninety Five
dollars ($5,995.00).
8. The Customer paid the Contractor the full contract price with financing provided by
Independent Savings Plan Company (ISPC).
9. Subsequent to the Contractor performing the work, the Customer discovered that the
air conditioning system was not cooling, there were stains around the air conditioning vents and an
odor inside the house.
10. The Customer hired Air Duct Aseptics, Inc. to inspect the air conditioning system and
the duct work.
‘11, Air Duct Aseptics, Inc. discovered that there were leaks in the ducts, unraveled tape
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around the ducts and corrosion in the blower motor, drain line, drip pan and evaporator coils.
12. The Customer paid Air Duct Aseptics, Inc. Nine Hundred Forty Four dollars
($944.00) to repair the air conditioner systems and the duct work.
13. Air Duct Aseptics, Inc., indicated that the leaking ducts caused the odor in the house,
the stains around the air vents, and the contamination of the air conditioning system.
14. The Contractor failed to repair the Customer’s air conditioning ducts according to the
terms of the aforesaid contract.
15. Failing to repair the ducts caused the Customer to spend an additional Nine Hundred
Forty Four dollars ($944.00) in repairs.
16. The forgoing constitutes misconduct in the practice of contracting.
17. Based on the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)(n), Florida
Statutes (1996 SUPP.), by committing incompetency or misconduct in the practice of contracting.
COUNT I
18. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through five and seven through sixteen as though fully set forth in this Count IL
19. Section 489.1425, Florida Statutes, provides that: “(1) Any agreement or contract
for repair, restoration, improvement, or construction to residential real property must contain a
written statement explaining consumer rights under the Construction Industries Recovery Fund,
except where the value of all labor and materials does not exceed $2,500.”
20. The Contractor failed to provide the Customer with written notice of consumer
rights under the Construction Industries Recovery Fund.
21. Failing to provide the Customer with written notice of consumer rights under the
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Construction Industries Recovery Fund constitutes a violation of Section 489.1425, Florida
Statutes.
22. Based on the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)(j), Florida
Statutes (1996 SUPP.), by failing in any material respect to comply with the provisions of this part
or violating a rule or lawful order of the board.
COUNT Il
23. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations ‘set forth in paragraphs one :
through five, seven through sixteen and nineteen through twenty one as though fully set forth in this
Count Il.
24. Section 489.119(2), Florida Statutes, provides: “If the applicant proposes to
engage in business as a business organization, including any partnership, corporation, business
trust, or other legal entity, or in any name other than the applicant’s legal name or a fictitious
name where the applicant is doing business as a sole proprietorship, the business organization
must apply for a certificate of authority through a qualifying agent and under a fictitious name, if
any.”
25. The Contractor failed to obtain a qualifying business certificate of authority.
26. Failing to obtain a qualifying business certificate of authority constitutes a violation
of Section 489.119(2), Florida Statutes.
27, Based on the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)(j), Florida
Statutes (1996 SUPP.), by failing in any material respect to comply with the provisions of this part
" or violating a nile or lawful order of the board.
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COUNT IV
28. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through five, seven through sixteen, nineteen through twenty one and twenty four through twenty six
as though fully set forth in this Count IV.
29, — Section 489.113(3), Florida Statutes provides: “A contractor shall subcontract all
electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool, and air-conditioning work,
unless such contractor holds a state certificate or registration for the work being performed under ;
this part.”
39. At not time material hereto was the Contractor licensed to install plumbing and
electrical fixtures.
31. The Contractor exceeded the scope of his Certified Air Conditioning Contractor’s
license by contracting to install, and installing plumbing and electrical fixtures at the Customer’s
residence.
32. Exceeding the scope of the Certified Air Conditioning Contractor’s license by
contracting to install, and installing plumbing and electrical fixtures at the Customer’s residence
constitutes a violation of Section 489.113(3), Florida Statutes.
33. Based on the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)@), Florida
Statutes (1997), by failing in any material respect to comply with the provisions of this part or
violating a rule or lawful order of the board.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests the Construction Industry Licensing Board
enter an Order imposing one or more of the following penalties: place on probation, reprimand the
licensee, revoke, suspend, deny the issuance or renewal of the certificate or registration, require
:
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financial restitution to a consumer, impose an administrative fine not to exceed $5,000 per violation,
require continuing education, assess costs associated with investigation and prosecution, impose any
or all penalties delineated within Section 455.227(2), Florida Statutes, and/or any other relief that
the Board is authorized to impose pursuant to Chapters 489, 455, Florida Statutes, and/or the rules
promulgated thereunder.
Signed this 7/ day of A px ig , 2000.
Cathleen E. O’Dowd
Lead Attorney
Lahkt & Odond
(PoP) March aa, acce
Division I: Suean Chones| Keith Lawson
COUNSEL FOR DEPARTMENT:.
Diane Snell Perera
Senior Attorney F |
Department of Business and Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Professional Regulation DEPUTY CLERK
Office of the General Counsel
401 NW 2 Avenne #N607 {2 j 1) Achelt
Miami, FL 33128 CLERK
(305) 377-7115 wae Ut -1% -2000
98-1763
328/00 RAC
DSP/ms
Docket for Case No: 00-003022PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Sep. 27, 2000 |
Order Closing File issued. CASE CLOSED.
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Sep. 26, 2000 |
Petitoner`s Motion to Continue and Hold in Abeyance (filed via facsimile).
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Sep. 19, 2000 |
Petitioner`s List of Exhibits to be introduced at Trial, but not yet in Petitioner`s Possession (filed via facsimile).
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Sep. 19, 2000 |
Petitioner`s Witness List (filed via facsimile).
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Sep. 19, 2000 |
Petitioner`s Notice of Compliance with Prehearing Instructions (filed via facsimile).
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Sep. 19, 2000 |
Ltr. to A. Kachel from D. Perera In re: copies of information in files (filed via facsimile).
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Sep. 08, 2000 |
Petitioner`s Notice of Taking Deposition of P. Johnson (filed via facsimile). |
Aug. 17, 2000 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing issued (hearing set for September 28 and 29, 2000; 9:00 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL).
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Aug. 16, 2000 |
Motion to Continue (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
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Aug. 08, 2000 |
Order Granting Petitioner`s Motion to Consolidate issued. (Cases: 003022, 00-3023 were added to the consolidated batch.)
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Aug. 07, 2000 |
Petitioner`s Motion to Consolidate 00-2680, 00-2681 and 00-3023 (filed via facsimile).
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Aug. 07, 2000 |
Response to Initial Order (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
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Jul. 31, 2000 |
Initial Order issued. |
Jul. 24, 2000 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Jul. 24, 2000 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Jul. 24, 2000 |
Agency referral filed.
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