BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has announced that the Consumer Protection Division has filed charges against Trak Homes LLC, trading as Zander Homes, along with Alexander Trakhtman, both of Baltimore County, for violations of the Consumer Protection Act, Custom Home Protection Act, and New Home Deposits Act. The Division also filed charges against Regina Trakhtman for violations of the Consumer Protection Act.
According to the Statement of Charges (PDF), Trak Homes and Alexander Trakhtman accepted millions of dollars from consumers, but either failed to complete construction of their homes or failed to complete the homes in a workmanlike manner. The charges allege that Trak Homes and Alexander Trakhtman violated the laws protecting custom home purchasers in Maryland by, among other things, breaching the trust created for the benefit of the buyer, misappropriating the money paid by consumers to Trak Homes, and failing to pay subcontractors, despite receiving payment from consumers for work completed on the homes. The charges also allege that Trak Homes and Alexander Trakhtman failed to include required disclosures in its contracts for custom homes.
Additionally, the charges allege that Trak Homes and the Trakhtmans engaged in home improvement work without complying with state licensing laws and collected thousands of dollars from consumers for home improvements that were not completed.
“Consumers paid significant amounts of money to Alexander Trakhtman and Trak Homes LLC, whom they trusted to build their homes. These consumers have been betrayed and cheated out of that money and left with unlivable homes, and in some cases, no homes at all,” said Attorney General Brown. “We will continue holding Trak Homes, Zander Homes, and the Trakhtmans accountable for violating consumer trust, not delivering on promises, and taking money that was meant to pay others. My Office will continue to bring to justice those who deceive consumers in our state.”
A hearing on the statement of charges against Trak Homes and the Trakhtmans is scheduled to begin March 4, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., at the Office of Administrative Hearings. The Home Builder Registration Unit is seeking injunctive relief, restitution, and civil penalties against Trak Homes LLC and the Trakhtmans for the alleged violations of the law.
Consumers who have had problems with homes built by these or other builders should contact the Home Builder Registration Unit at 410-576-6573 in Baltimore or call toll free at 877-259-4525. The Attorney General’s Office encourages home buyers to check whether their builder is registered by calling or visiting this link. Additionally, home improvement contractors are required to be licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. Consumers can verify a contractor’s license through the Home Improvement Commission’s web site. By law, each contract for home improvement services should include the name, address, telephone number, and license number of the contractor, as well as the name and license number of each salesperson who solicited the home improvement contract or sold the home improvement.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
