LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a lawsuit against Paron residents Stephen Rast, and his wife, Taylor Wells, who are doing business as J&R Restoration and Landscaping as well as R&B Design and Landscaping. The lawsuit alleges Rast and Wells required down payments for home improvement projects, remodeling or landscaping, yet they failed to complete the promised work and rarely even began the work. The office received 22 consumer complaints against Rast totaling losses of more than $88,000.

“Rast is an unlicensed contractor scamming hard-working Arkansans out of money that they were planning to invest in their homes,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Essentially, these cons promised to do work, took large down payments and then disappeared with the money.”

In the consumer complaints with the Attorney General’s Office, consumers state they paid deposits to Rast and Wells ranging from $275 to more than $10,000, often being half of the quoted price to complete the project. To date, Arkansas consumers have lost a cumulative $88,542.38. Upon investigation, Attorney General Rutledge found that oftentimes consumers would attempt to contact Rast and Wells regarding the contracted-for services, yet they would rarely receive a response. In the rare cases that the couple would respond, they would offer excuses to the consumer as to why they are unable to start work or complete work– including car accidents, sickness, and hospital stays. Neither business that the couple alleges to own are registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State. Stephen Rast is not a licensed contractor by the Arkansas Contractor Licensing Board.

Attorney General Rutledge is requesting those who believe they have been harmed by the couple, J&R Restoration and Landscaping or R&B Design and Landscaping to file a consumer complaint with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office online at ArkansasAG.gov or by emailing consumer@arkansasag.gov.