Salvatore Caiozzo

My husband takes care of my eighty-eight year old aunts monthly bills. She called me to her house on July 1, 2011 to ask about an entry he had made in her checkbook. After I explained what it was, I started to look back page by page at her expenses throughout the past year. I noticed that starting in October there were checks written to Mr. Ciaozzo from 10/26/10 through 12/15/10 that totaled $8,815.00. There was also another check written 6/27/11 for $2,750.00. When I questioned her about the checks, she told me Sal was a plumber but was unable to tell me all the work that had been performed for that amount. She also said the $2,750 check was half of the payment for a job he was to do on 7/5/11. I called him on 7/1/11and left a message for him to meet me at my aunts house on 7/5/11 and that he was not to purchase any materials for the job. I then called my plumber to get a second opinion on my aunt's basement plumbing. He arrived twenty minutes later and said that nothing was leaking and no work need to be done. We also showed him the work Mr. Ciaozzo had completed in October and November. He said that more work had been performed than was actually needed. I called Mr.Caiozzo again on 7/3/11 and this time he answered the phone. I said I wanted to have him show me the work he thought was needed before he does the job. I also asked him to bring back the deposit of $2,750 and he said he had already bought the supplies for the work and there was a 20% restocking fee that would be deducted. Mr. Ciaozzo arrived on time 7/5/11 and pointed out to me the pipes he wanted to replace and where he would install a sump pump. He also showed me where he said the main water line was leaking. I asked him to call me that night for an estimate of fixing the main water line only. I also asked for the receipts of his past work in my aunt's house. When he left, I called the city water department and said we had been told there was a leak in the main water line leading into my aunt's house. They came out immediately and used a special instrument to test for any leaks in the water line. There were none! I did not hear from Mr. Ciaozzo that night and I called him every night for a week without ever being called back. I then sent a lengthy consumer complaint form to the Attorney General's Office. They sent him a letter immediately asking him to return the $2,750 to my aunt and she finally received that check without a note on July 23, 2011. Hopefully our experience with Salvatore Ciaozzo prevents others, especially the elderly,  from being taken advantage of.