ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — When Hurricane Helene took aim at the Gulf Coast in late September, forecasters warned Western North Carolina residents to expect flooding and strong winds.
No one expected the devastation the storm left behind. Towns and communities were wiped out, homes and businesses destroyed. State officials estimate Helene did $53 billion in damage.
That has left home and business owners scrambling to find help with repairs. But not all contractors are playing by the rules.
The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office has received 424 price gouging complaints since — 87 of them are from Buncombe County
“We’re continuing to review each complaint, and we’ve filed one lawsuit,” a spokesperson from Attorney General Josh Stein’s Office said.
Last week, Stein obtained a preliminary injunction against Lorenzo Lorin Huggins Sr. and his businesses, including Huggins & Sons Yard Service and Lorenzo & Son Landscaping, in his lawsuit alleging Huggins price gouged North Carolinians for tree removal services in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“Taking advantage of Western North Carolinians in the aftermath of tragedy is wrong,” Stein said in a news release. “That’s why I took action to put a stop to this company, which I alleged engaged in deception. I am pleased the court ordered the company to stop its practices while this lawsuit continues.”
Stein’s lawsuit alleges that a Hendersonville couple found Huggins on HomeAdvisor.com after two trees fell on their roof during the storm. They spoke to Huggins, who agreed to travel to Hendersonville and remove the trees. Upon his arrival, Huggins told the couple they had to pay $25,500 upfront. The couple was worried the trees would cause their roof to cave in, so they paid with a credit card for the tree removal.
“The defendant charged that exorbitant price even though he only brought three men, three chainsaws, and a leaf blower to do the work. Instead of removing the trees and the tree debris from the home and yard, the defendant’s workers dropped tree limbs and debris through the hole in the roof and into the house and caused a tree to drop on and damage a retaining wall,” the news release said. “The defendant didn’t complete the tree removal and cleanup work, which meant the couple had to hire and pay additional contractors to remove a tree trunk and other debris.”
A copy of the preliminary injunction is available here.
A copy of the complaint is available here.