2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 15 - Occupations
Chapter 701 - Construction Contractors and Contracts
Section 701.145 - Resolution of complaints involving work on residential structures or certain small commercial structures.

For a complaint described in ORS 701.139 (1) or (3)(a) or a complaint under ORS 701.139 (3)(b) that a complainant elects to have resolved under this section:

(1) The complainant must file the complaint with the Construction Contractors Board in a form prescribed by the board.

(2) The board may suspend processing of the complaint if:

(a) The same facts and issues involved in the complaint have been submitted to a court of competent jurisdiction for determination or have been submitted to any other entity authorized by law or the parties to effect a resolution or settlement; or

(b) The board determines that the nature or complexity of the dispute described in the complaint is such that a court is the appropriate forum for the adjudication of the dispute.

(3) The board may dismiss or close the complaint as established by rule of the board if any of the following conditions apply:

(a) The complainant does not respond to a board request and the request is necessary to the board’s investigation of the complaint.

(b) The complainant does not allow the board to conduct one or more on-site meetings to mediate or investigate the complaint.

(c) The complainant does not permit the contractor against whom the complaint is filed to be present at an on-site investigation made by the board.

(d) The amount in controversy is less than an amount adopted by the board and not more than $250.

(4) Upon acceptance of the complaint, the board shall give notice to the contractor against whom the complaint is made and shall initiate proceedings to determine board jurisdiction over the complaint. The board shall attempt to conduct one or more meetings on-site or by telephone to mediate a dispute. During mediation of a dispute, the board may recommend to the contractor such action as the board considers appropriate to compensate the complainant. If the contractor performs accordingly, the board shall give that fact due consideration in any subsequent disciplinary proceeding brought by the board.

(5) If the parties do not resolve or settle the complaint, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the complainant may recover payment from the bond of the contractor only by obtaining:

(a) A final judgment against the contractor issued by a court of competent jurisdiction; or

(b) An arbitration award against the contractor that a court has reduced to a final judgment.

(6) If the complaint is filed under ORS 701.140 (4), the complainant may recover payment from the bond of the contractor as provided in subsection (5)(a) of this section or by obtaining a final order issued by the Bureau of Labor and Industries that states an amount of unpaid wages that the licensed contractor owes under ORS 652.140 or 653.010 to 653.261.

(7) For purposes of subsections (5) and (6) of this section, "final" means that the judgment or order has become final by operation or law or on appeal.

(8) The board shall send the surety on the contractor bond required under ORS 701.068 a copy of the final judgment or bureau final order, and a copy of a determination issued by the board that the surety must pay the amount stated by the board. A determination issued by the board may not include payment of any attorney fees awarded in the final judgment or bureau final order. The determination issued by the board is an order in other than a contested case proceeding. The determination order is not recordable under ORS 701.153 (1) and (2) to create a lien.

[1971 c.740 §16; 1979 c.874 §4; 1983 c.616 §14; 1989 c.167 §2; 1989 c.928 §17; 1991 c.181 §10; 1991 c.717 §2; 1993 c.470 §3; 1993 c.471 §1; 1995 c.771 §4; 1997 c.301 §4; 1999 c.331 §1; 1999 c.344 §5; 1999 c.402 §31; 1999 c.849 §§172,173; 2001 c.197 §§14,15; 2001 c.414 §§9a,10a; 2007 c.288 §16; 2007 c.793 §14; 2007 c.836 §66; 2011 c.630 §46]

Note: The amendments to 701.145 by section 66, chapter 630, Oregon Laws 2011, become operative July 1, 2017, and apply to complaints filed on or after July 1, 2017. See section 73, chapter 630, Oregon Laws 2011. The text that is operative on and after July 1, 2017, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
For a complaint described in ORS 701.139 (1) or (3)(a) or a complaint under ORS 701.139 (3)(b) that a complainant elects to have resolved under this section:

(1) The complainant must file the complaint with the Construction Contractors Board in a form prescribed by the board.

(2) The board may suspend processing of the complaint if:

(a) The same facts and issues involved in the complaint have been submitted to a court of competent jurisdiction for determination or have been submitted to any other entity authorized by law or the parties to effect a resolution or settlement; or

(b) The board determines that the nature or complexity of the dispute described in the complaint is such that a court is the appropriate forum for the adjudication of the dispute.

(3) The board may dismiss or close the complaint as established by rule of the board if any of the following conditions apply:

(a) The complainant does not respond to a board request and the request is necessary to the board’s investigation of the complaint.

(b) The complainant does not allow the board to conduct one or more on-site meetings to mediate or investigate the complaint.

(c) The complainant does not permit the contractor against whom the complaint is filed to be present at an on-site investigation made by the board.

(d) The board determines that the contractor against whom the complaint is filed is capable of complying with recommendations made by the board relative to the complaint, but the complainant does not permit the contractor to comply with the recommendations. The board may refuse to accept or further process a complaint under this paragraph only if the contractor was licensed at the time the work was first performed and is licensed at the time the board makes its recommendations.

(e) The amount in controversy is less than an amount adopted by the board and not more than $250.

(4) Upon acceptance of the complaint, the board shall give notice to the contractor against whom the complaint is made and shall initiate proceedings to determine the validity of the complaint. If, after investigation, the board determines that a violation of this chapter or of any rule adopted thereunder has occurred, or damage has been caused by the contractor, the board may recommend to the contractor such action as the board considers appropriate to compensate the complainant. If the contractor performs accordingly, the board shall give that fact due consideration in any subsequent disciplinary proceeding brought by the board. The board may conduct one or more on-site meetings to mediate or investigate the complaint.

(5) Subject to ORS 701.144, if the board is unable to resolve the complaint under subsection (4) of this section, the board may issue a contested case notice under ORS 183.415 and:

(a) Issue a proposed default order under ORS 183.417 to become effective only if a party does not request a contested case hearing; or

(b) Refer the matter for hearing.

(6) The board shall send a copy of the notice and any proposed order described in subsection (5) of this section to the surety on the contractor bond required by ORS 701.068.