They took the deposit. They didn’t come back. Or they came back and tore out more than you agreed, then demanded cash.
A one-star review feels like doing something. It doesn’t freeze a bank account and it doesn’t warn TDLR.
Report it in the places that can actually act. Bring paper.
Do this now
- Write a timeline: first contact, what you paid, what they did, when they vanished. Attach photos and receipts.
- File with TDLR if a license was used or should have been.
- File a consumer complaint with the Texas Attorney General.
- If it looks like theft or a forged check, also go to the Harris County District Attorney and, if needed, Houston Police or the precinct that covers you.
- Tell your insurer so they don’t keep paying a dead job. Tell the block chat the facts, not a roast.
Who does what
TDLR can touch licensed trades and unlicensed activity in the fields they regulate. The Texas Attorney General takes consumer fraud complaints. The Harris County District Attorney handles crimes. 311 is for city service problems, not your stolen deposit. FEMA and your carrier are not contractor cops. Use each door for what it is.
What to bring so you aren’t waved off
Contract, texts, the TDLR number they gave you, checks, card statements, photos of the truck and the unfinished work. A clean timeline beats a novel. If you paid cash and have nothing, still report it and say so. That’s information too. Don’t invent documents to make the story neater.
While the complaint sits
Stop sending money. Secure the house if they left it open. Photograph the current state. If another crew takes over, put in writing that they didn’t create the existing damage. Houstonians often report the second contractor getting blamed for the first one’s mess. Your daily photos are how you separate those jobs.
Verify live. Status changes hourly. Use the official TDLR, Texas AG, and Harris County DA channels. Confirm you have the current filing page before you upload ID.
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- Commercial providers hub
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