Permanent injunction granted in unlicensed air conditioning case
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has obtained a permanent injunction in state district court against Victor L. Reed for providing unlicensed air conditioning and contracting services in the Houston and Austin areas.
The department says Reed has advertised and provided air conditioning installation and repair without a license for at least five years, despite multiple warnings and administrative penalties issued by the department. TDLR also says he repeatedly misrepresented that he is licensed by using a license number that does not belong to him.
Prior to seeking the permanent injunction in court, TDLR conducted extensive investigations into consumer complaints and pursued Mr. Reed in administrative proceedings.
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These cases include:
- In October 2015, TDLR issued a default order against Reed for performing or offering to perform air conditioning contracting without a license. In those cases, Reed was providing contracting services as "VL Reed Unlimited" and "V-Reed Pro". He was also advertising in local periodicals and on Facebook using a contractor license number that did not belong to him. The default order assessed $10,000 in penalties against Reed, and he has yet to pay the penalty.
- In March 2017, TDLR issued a second default order against Reed for performing or offering to perform air conditioning contracting under the name "Home King Air Conditioning Services". The default order assessed $5,000 in penalties against Reed, and he has yet to make any payments.
- In 2018, TDLR opened seven additional cases against Reed, who at that point was providing services as "VL Reed Unlimited" (Home King) and continuing to use a license number that did not belong to him. Reed also continued advertising his services on various Facebook pages.
The district court issued a permanent injunction, which became final in November 2020, that bars Reed and any of his employees or representatives from advertising, offering to perform, or engaging in air conditioning and refrigeration contracting without a license. The injunction also issued $9,996 in additional penalties against Reed for performing or offering to perform unlicensed air conditioning installation and repair on at least fourteen occasions between 2018 and 2020.
"Consumer safety is a top priority at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation," said Brian E. Francis, TDLR Executive Director. "People working in professions and industries without the proper license can pose a risk to your health, your safety, and your wallet. Don’t just assume that your contractor or technician is licensed – always check with TDLR first to make sure the person you hire is on the level."
Before you hire someone, always check with TDLR first to make sure that person is licensed – and that the license number matches the name of the person offering to provide the service. Air conditioning contractors must display their license number on all vehicles and include their license number in all communications with customers. Air conditioning contractors are required to have liability insurance to cover any damages or injuries that might occur when they are working on your property.
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TDLR maintains a database so that consumers can protect themselves against using unlicensed workers. To see ALL violations for the previous three years, including license revocations, suspensions, and fines, search TDLR’s Administrative Orders database.