The Disappearing Right to Earn a Living

[Althea]

One could set up shop, have insurance and not be licensed.

As I am. For 35 years. Why do you keep avoiding the issue here? Rhetorical question of course, because that's what you do in every thread you start. Are you saying that you have no problem with your neighbor setting up shop illegally? And when are you going to tell us what you would do when the kid down the street drops your brand new flat screen tv, and has no insurance?

Not sure why you are trying to derail the subject

Not sure why you refuse to address the insurance issue, which is often the crux of licensing laws.

[Althea]

You are correct. Licences are less about protections for the consumer and more about revenue. There are even laws on the books that provide more protections to people like contractors than their customers.

When we lived in NC our roof was damaged in a hurricane. Filed an insurance claim and hired a licenced contractor. I told my wife not to give them a cent until there are materials on the ground. But she didn't listen (I was out of state for work) 6 months later he still hadn't shown up and wouldn't answer our calls. Filed with small claims. Our case was denied cause it had only been six months. The law gives them 36 months from the time initial payment is received till they have to start work. They then have virtually unlimited time till the job has to be completed.

You dealt with a leaky roof for 6 months?

Fla. tends to have a lot of fly by nights too. Of course, as you stated...the error was in giving him a cent before he showed up for the job.

Nothing to do with licensing, though.

[PostmodernProphet]

Isn't that what our country is about? freedom and opportunity to pursue your dreams? Except the govt says you need licenses to do certain things

pursuing your dreams does not guarantee a living......it only guarantees dreams......

[PostmodernProphet]

The law gives them 36 months from the time initial payment is received till they have to start work.

holy crap.....you need better laws......

[Thumper]

You dealt with a leaky roof for 6 months?

Fla. tends to have a lot of fly by nights too. Of course, as you stated...the error was in giving him a cent before he showed up for the job.

Nothing to do with licensing, though.

He was a local contractor. And it does have a lot to do with licencing. It shows that licencing does nothing to protect the consumer. There may be some states that have additional laws to protect consumers. But licencing in itself does nothing to protect you.

I patched the damaged area while we waited.

[Althea]

He was a local contractor. And it does have a lot to do with licencing. It shows that licencing does nothing to protect the consumer. There may be some states that have additional laws to protect consumers. But licencing in itself does nothing to protect you.

I patched the damaged area while we waited.

This OP is intentionally vague..for good reason. It's a fluff piece.

A license to do home improvements will require insurance. A license to wipe dust off of your computer, probably won't.

A license doesn't guarantee that you'll always get the best person for the job. It's always 'buyer beware'.

[cawacko]

As I am. For 35 years. Why do you keep avoiding the issue here? Rhetorical question of course, because that's what you do in every thread you start. Are you saying that you have no problem with your neighbor setting up shop illegally? And when are you going to tell us what you would do when the kid down the street drops your brand new flat screen tv, and has no insurance?

Not sure why you refuse to address the insurance issue, which is often the crux of licensing laws.

You are conflating two issues. That's on you. So spare me your b.s.

[Althea]

You are conflating two issues. That's on you. So spare me your b.s.

No..I'm not.

But let's set the insurance argument aside, because I've already won that one.


How do you feel about your neighbor illegally selling real estate?

[cawacko]

No..I'm not.

But let's set the insurance argument aside, because I've already won that one.


How do you feel about your neighbor illegally selling real estate?

LOL, yes you won Trump.

[Althea]

LOL, yes you won Trump.

Here we are again. You offer a fluff piece, but when I dissect it, you can't hang.

So we'll assume that you don't care if you had to obtain a RE license, but your neighbor is stealing listings from you without a license.

That's pretty generous of you.

I'll also assume that when an uninsured contractor does damage to your property, you'll just shake his hand, and tell him 'I understand...it's tough to make a living these days'.

[cawacko]

Here we are again. You offer a fluff piece, but when I dissect it, you can't hang.

So we'll assume that you don't care if you had to obtain a RE license, but your neighbor is stealing listings from you without a license.

That's pretty generous of you.

I'll also assume that when an uninsured contractor does damage to your property, you'll just shake his hand, and tell him 'I understand...it's tough to make a living these days'.

Please oh wise one how does someone steal a listing from someone else?

[cawacko]

Here we are again. You offer a fluff piece, but when I dissect it, you can't hang.

So we'll assume that you don't care if you had to obtain a RE license, but your neighbor is stealing listings from you without a license.

That's pretty generous of you.

I'll also assume that when an uninsured contractor does damage to your property, you'll just shake his hand, and tell him 'I understand...it's tough to make a living these days'.

Gotta love your white privilege here. Glad Rana likes it too. Status quo is great as long as white people like you benefit right?

[tinfoil]

Just look at your state's business and professions code. It lists all the trades and professions for which licensure is required. Then having read the list and the requirements
and bringing to bear all your knowledge of businesses not regulated, you can determine whether or not the safety and fraud provention ends are being met or
whether the requirements are too onerous, for yourself.

Obviously the chosen trade seems trivial and the source is one congenitally opposed to regulation, so the latter explains the former.
Of course cawacko is free to move to a country where you can hang out a shingle and be an ocular surgeon with no training if he wants to.

I think a lot of home improvement related trades should require regulation. If a guy walks in the door to your house and is going to
dig into the walls probably best that guy has watched a few installs get done and have a $5000 bond. Or you can just ask any Russian immigrant,
they can do anything.

The other aspect where the OP has a point is the de facto guild that is created. I know I became a lawyer the old fashioned way, by getting top marks
getting into a fully accredited Law School attending full time for three years of socratic and testing (and getting by at best), and passing a rigorous bar exam.
It rankles me that now people can basically log on and attend what amounts to Trump University school of Saskatchiwan or Mexico and with god knows
what oversight and quality assurance can sit for the bar and practice along side me. On the other hand, it is my guild mentality of wanting to keep it
inside that is a real barrier to what are perhaps some decent attorneys. This theme is replayed in everyt industry I'm sure.

"If I did the ordeal, you damn sure have to also"

LOL
Nice little humblebrag

[tinfoil]

Move to Ohio and I found it much better than Connecticut and Oregon, the other two states I've operated in.
Most trades don't require a license
Didn't have to be bonded
Insurance is cheap

[PostmodernProphet]

Please oh wise one how does someone steal a listing from someone else?

have you never had a client cancel your listing and then try a FSBO, end up paying a commission to another realtor?....