What is the legal process of filing a complaint against a contractor or subcontractor?

In Washington, the legal process for filing a complaint against a contractor or subcontractor begins with the complainant reaching out to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Complainants can submit a written complaint, an email complaint, or an online complaint form to L&I. The complaint must include the contractor or subcontractor’s business name, address, and contact information as well as a description of what happened. After submitting the complaint, L&I will investigate the complaint to determine if laws related to construction were violated. L&I will also contact the contractor or subcontractor to provide them with the opportunity to respond to the complaint. If L&I finds the complaint has merit and the contractor or subcontractor’s response is not satisfactory, L&I may decide to take action. This can include ordering the contractor or subcontractor to pay restitution, issuing a civil penalty, or revoking their license. If the complainant is not satisfied with L&I’s action or if L&I declines to take action, they can file a complaint in Superior Court. Complainants may choose to hire an attorney or represent themselves in court. The court will then decide if the contractor or subcontractor has violated construction laws, and the court could order the contractor or subcontractor to pay restitution, issue a civil penalty, or revoke their license.

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What is the legal process of filing a complaint against a contractor or subcontractor?

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