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City Secures $250,000 for Consumers Harmed By National Floors Direct's Deceptive Business Practices
February 26, 2025
National Floors will pay $350,000 in consumer restitution and civil penalties
NEW YORK, NY – New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced an agreement with National Floors Direct – a nationwide company that sells and installs flooring – to provide $250,000 in restitution for consumers they harmed as well as $100,000 in civil penalties. In August 2024, DCWP filed a lawsuit against National Floors over a pattern of deceptive business practices, violations of the city’s Consumer Protection Law, and violations of the licensing law and rules home improvement contractors are required to follow. National Floors preyed on homeowners, targeting them with false advertisements, routinely misleading them about when service would begin, providing poor quality work, and refusing to offer refunds and cancellations in violation of the law. In addition to consumer restitution and civil penalties, National Floors has agreed to comply with local laws and rules going forward, including altering their television ads to include their license number and remove false promises about their work. Failure to comply may result in license revocation and financial penalties.
“A home is more than just four walls. It is where you rest at night, raise a family, and build your life. New Yorkers should not have to worry about getting taken advantage of when they are renovating or repairing their home, which is why we brought this lawsuit to protect people from deceptive business practices,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Thanks to the hard work of our city’s lawyers, we are helping put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets and protecting consumers.”
“National Floors Direct preyed on our city’s homeowners and targeted them with false promises and shoddy craftsmanship,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “We are committed to protecting our neighbors from predatory companies and holding them accountable for violating our city’s laws. We are proud to have secured relief for those harmed and urge eligible consumers to file a claim with us as soon as possible.”
New Yorkers harmed by National Floors Direct are urged to submit claims online. National Floors Direct has regularly been one of the most complained about home improvement contractors in New York City over the last five years. Since 2019, DCWP has received more than 35 consumer complains about the company’s predatory and deceptive practices, leading DCWP to investigate.
DCWP’s investigation found nearly 2,500 counts of violations of the city’s consumer protection law. National Floors falsely advertised “free next day flooring installations” only to delay and reschedule appointments multiple times and the company regularly refused to provide refunds when consumers tried to cancel their contract due to the delays. National Floors also routinely misrepresented the work needed to fulfill contracts, belatedly adding additional costs for consumers. When work was performed, the quality was of such poor quality that consumers regularly had to pay additional costs just to repair the damage done to their homes.
In New York City, individuals and businesses must have a DCWP-issued Home Improvement Contractor license to do construction, repair, remodeling or other home improvement work that costs more than $200 to any residential building. The license does not cover new home construction, plumbing, or purely electrical work. New Yorkers should use DCWP’s License Lookup Tool to make sure a business is licensed with DCWP before entering into a contract with them. See DCWP’s Quick Tips When Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor for more information.
DCWP provides licensed home improvement contractors with a checklist (available in multiple languages) of legal requirements in order to help them avoid violations. In May, DCWP held a Home Improvement Contractor DCWP 101 educational webinar to help applicants and current licensees navigate the Home Improvement Contractor licensing process and understand some of the laws and rules contractors must comply with in New York City. DCWP urges consumers who believe that their contractor failed to perform work as agreed to, who owe them money, or who engaged in unlicensed activity to file a complaint at DCWP’s website or by calling 311.
The investigation was handled by Staff Counsel Aram Boghosian and Kyle Fowler, under the supervision of Associate General Counsel Kristen Dusseau and Deputy General Counsel Melissa Iachán of the General Counsel Division, which is led by DCWP’s General Counsel Michael Tiger.
The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)—formerly the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)—protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCWP licenses more than 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection, licensing, and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources and, by helping to resolve complaints, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. Through its community outreach and the work of its offices of Financial Empowerment and Labor Policy & Standards, DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to be educated consumers and to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCWP also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCWP and its work, call 311 or visit DCWP at nyc.gov/dcwp or on its social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Media Contacts:
Michael Lanza / Stephany Vasquez Sanchez
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
(212) 436-0042
press@dcwp.nyc.gov