Naugatuck police have arrested a man accused of doing home repairs and electrical work without a license or the required permits.
Police started investigating on Dec. 5, 2014, when the Naugatuck Building called police because he thought kitchen renovations were being done at a Scott Street home without the proper permits.
The building inspector told police he spoke with the contractor, who admitted he hadn’t pulled a permit and that he had done several building and electrical projects on the home for which he did not have a license, police said.
Authorities then notified the homeowner and contractor that a permit had to be pulled to complete the work and a licensed contractor and electrician would have to repair the work.
The contractor, identified as Jose Canto, 55, of Waterbury, then used someone else’s name to apply for a permit, according to police.
The homeowners told authorities they didn’t know the contractor was not licensed and said they were told he was.
When they did learn he was not licensed and that he applied for the permit under a false name, they hired another contractor and electrician to perform the renovations, according to police. The building inspector confirmed that those people were properly licensed and had proper permits, according to police.
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Canto was arrested and charged with one count each of failure to have a home improvement contractor’s license, willful performance of craftsman’s work without a license, failure to obtain a building permit and reckless endangerment.
Police served the warrant on Canto at 7:16 a.m. on June 10. He was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on June 24.
To check a contactor's license, use the State of Connecticut eLicensing Website.
