ORS 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 §§46,66; 2016 c.99 §8]