80% of all residential plumbing in WA is being done by unlicensed "pretend" plumbers. Fake websites advertising plumbing services are common - con men and criminals show up if you respond to the ad. Consumers don't even know they have been scammed. Changes to the existing plumber licensing laws have been proposed that offer more transparency and better enforcement tools to protect homeowners and legitimate businesses that are honest and reputable.
The builder lobby in WA has opposed any changes that would expose the cheating (they do not think that plumbing work should be done by a legitimate licensed plumber). Unscrupulous business interests will kill the bill unless consumers are aware of the issue and recognize that the bill is solely for their benefit. The bill is in the WA Senate NOW. See the issues involved at www.badplumbers.org
THE BUILDER/GENERAL CONTRACTOR LOBBY DOES NOT REPRESENT THE CONSUMERS INTEREST in this matter and they have hired lobbyists to kill the bill. The builder lobby represents big business. These big money interests wish to weaken the laws intended to protect homeowners and legitimate licensed plumbers from the unskilled and unlicensed If they weren't cheating and violating the licensing laws they would not oppose this bill.
The consumer is being defrauded by those unscrupulous businesses that wish to advertise plumbing services but perform the work with unskilled unlicensed untrained substitutes. False advertising is a crime but there is no consumer protection from false advertising of plumbing services on the internet as Washington State claims they have no juristiction. That is why this bill was proposed - Consumer protection.
There is also the serious issue that the sales and marketing mentality of the businesses that have hijacked residential plumbing are training and certifying new hires to SELL on commission. This means that real plumbers aren't being trained in the craft of plumbing. If this practice continues there won't be any real plumbers left to do our plumbing. Do we really want salesmen dressed up as plumbers, advertised as experts lying, cheating and overselling us?
Please take this bill seriously and tell our legislators that fake plumbers just won't serve our needs.
Greetings
We the undersigned just signed the following petition addressed to: Washington State Legislators.
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Please Pass Unlicensed Plumbers - Consumer Fraud Protection Bill SB 6476
80% of all residential plumbing in WA is being done by unlicensed "pretend" plumbers. Fake websites advertising plumbing services are common - con men and criminals show up if you respond to the ad. Builders use unskilled substitutes. Plumber trainees abandon their training and advertise as plumbing companies. Rooter businesses send out unlicensed plumbers; many are working on commission to oversell un-needed services. Consumers don't even know they have been scammed in many cases. Changes to the existing plumber licensing laws have been proposed that offer more transparency and better enforcement tools to protect homeowners and legitimate businesses that are honest and reputable.
The builder lobby in WA has opposed any changes that would expose the cheating (they do not think that plumbing work should be done by a legitimate licensed plumber).
Please do not allow unscrupulous business interests to entice you to kill the bill. We need these consumer protections. We need real plumbers we can trust.
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Sincerely,
