West Deer police accuse Springdale contractor of taking money for work he never did

A Springdale man was accused of contractor fraud after a West Deer homeowner told police that he paid the contractor up front to do some remodeling in a bathroom but that he never showed up to do the work.

Police charged Delos J. Hough, 42, of the 700 block of McKinley Avenue with counts of deceptive business practices and home improvement fraud, which are misdemeanors.

Hough was charged by summons and ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing Sept. 6 before District Judge Tom Swan.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint that on June 6 a man reported that he used the PayPal app in January to pay Hough $1,400 to replace the bathroom sink, ceiling tile and a light fixture.

The man told police that Hough promised the work would be completed within a few weeks but never showed up, the complaint said.

Police said multiple text messages were exchanged between the man and Hough, who responded with “multiple excuses” for why he wasn’t working on the project.

On June 26, a police sergeant asked Hough if he was able to repay the $1,400 and told him he had to pay it back within 30 days or face criminal charges, according to the complaint.

Police filed charges after the homeowner told them that, as of Aug. 2, he had not received a refund from Hough, the complaint said.

Hough’s name did not show up in a search of the state attorney general’s home improvement contractor registry.

Since 2008, contractors in Pennsylvania who do at least $5,000 worth of home improvements in a year must register with the Attorney General’s Office.