CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION FILES CHARGES AGAINST MARYLAND HOME BUILDER
Attorney General Revokes Dujon Home Concepts’ License

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that his Home Builder Registration Unit has suspended the license of Dujon Home Concepts to build homes in Maryland and his Consumer Protection Division has filed a Statement of Charges against the company’s owner, Sharon C. Dujon, that seeks damages and restitution for consumers harmed by the company’s practices and the payment of penalties and costs to the State. The charges allege that Dujon Homes Concepts committed multiple violations of the Consumer Protection Act, Maryland Home Builder Registration Act, New Homes Deposits Act and Custom Home Protection Act. Dujon Home Concepts is a Maryland home builder owned and operated by Ms. Dujon out of her home in Silver Spring Maryland and from an office located at 7826 Eastern Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., which is now closed.

"Under Maryland law, home builders must protect a customer’s deposits and make good on their promises to build homes," said Attorney General Curran. Curran urged consumers to check with the Home Builder Registration Unit of his office before selecting a home builder to construct their homes. The Home Builder Registration Unit can be contacted by calling (410) 576-6573 or toll-free 1-877-259-4525 or via email at Hombuilder@oag.state.md.us.

According to the charges filed by the Division, Dujon Home Concepts entered into contracts with consumers to construct homes in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, accepted payments from those consumers, and promised to complete the homes. However, many of the homes were not completed and in some cases construction never commenced.

The Home Builder Registration Unit has also suspended Dujon Home Concept’s license to build homes. In support of its order, the Home Builder Registration Unit found that Ms. Dujon misrepresented facts in her company’s application for a home builder’s license, failed to provide the Unit with a surety bond or letter of credit to secure her performance of the promised construction services, and failed to maintain consumers’ deposits in an escrow account as required by the New Homes Deposits Act and Custom Home Protection Act. The Home Builder Registration Unit’s order immediately bars Ms. Dujon from building homes in Maryland and, if Ms. Dujon does not request a hearing on the suspension of her license within thirty (30) days, the suspension will become permanent.

A hearing on the Statement of Charges is scheduled to commence on March 15, 2006, at the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings, 11101 Gilroy Road, Hunt Valley, Maryland. Consumers who may have had problems with Dujon Home Concepts should contact the Home Builder Registration Unit immediately at (410) 576-6573.