Taking Over After the Unlicensed Handyman

Problems, in order of exposure:

1. Unpermitted work. HVAC changeouts require a permit and inspection in Florida jurisdictions. The homeowner now owns an uninspected installation with no record at the building department - an issue at resale, for insurance claims, and for any future CO or inspection.
2. Unlicensed contracting. Work requiring a state-certified (e.g., CAC) or locally registered specialty license performed by an unlicensed person is a violation of Florida contracting law enforceable by DBPR and the local building department, and is a criminal matter as well as a deceptive trade practice. Contracts entered into by an unlicensed contractor for work requiring a license are generally unenforceable by that contractor (F.S. 489.128), which directly undercuts the $1,200 demand.
3. Refrigerant handling. Adding refrigerant to a system is regulated under EPA Section 608; the person must be certified, must not vent refrigerant, and must use recovery equipment. "Topping off" with an unknown product also risks mixing refrigerants and destroying the system - plausibly the cause of the compressor failure.
4. Warranty and equipment legitimacy. Manufacturer warranties typically require installation by a licensed contractor, and registration may require a license number. Grey-market or mismatched equipment can void coverage regardless of who does the repair.
5. Lien threat. An unlicensed contractor performing licensable work generally has no lien rights. A lien recorded anyway is a cloud on title that the homeowner should not ignore, but should not pay to make go away either.

Risk sits with: the homeowner (no permit, no warranty, no recourse, possible double permit fees), the handyman (unlicensed contracting, refrigerant violations, unenforceable contract), and you if you sign off on work you did not perform - falsifying a permit/certificate is a license revocation matter.

You cannot be the installer of record for work you did not perform, and you cannot certify someone else's installation to the AHJ. Signing an inspection card or permit application as the responsible contractor for unperformed work is falsification, exposes you to license discipline, and leaves you holding the liability for the handyman's work - including the compressor failure and any refrigerant contamination.

Lawful paths, in order of preference:

1. Decline and document. A short written statement that the existing installation was not performed under your permit or supervision and that you cannot certify it.
2. Offer a compliant corrective scope: a permit to remove and replace the condenser/coil as a new installation, with a proper line set evaluation, nitrogen purge, evacuation to 500 microns, new filter drier, and charge verified by subcooling - plus a separate permit line for the electrical work if required.
3. If the AHJ allows a limited "verify existing" inspection, take it only with the inspector's written direction, and price a full tear-down inspection (expose the coil, pressure test, acid/moisture test, oil check) as its own line item. Never bundle it into a changeout price as a formality.

In the proposal, state: what is not permitted/inspected, that the equipment serial and refrigerant type will be verified before any repair, that warranty registration is only possible for equipment you install, and that any reused equipment carries no labor warranty from you. Attach photos of the outdoor unit, data plate, and the abandoned condenser. Refuse to touch the system until you know what refrigerant and oil is in it.

Respond in writing, once, and keep it factual:

1. Demand documentation: the contractor's state or local license number, the permit number, the refrigerant type and quantity used, a written scope, and proof of workers' comp/general liability insurance. Unlicensed contracting for licensable work generally bars the contractor from enforcing the contract in Florida and from claiming a construction lien.
2. Do not pay under pressure. Payment without a license, permit, and invoice does not cure the code violations and may be treated as evidence the homeowner accepted the unpermitted work.
3. If a lien or notice is recorded, the homeowner (through counsel) should verify it against the statutory requirements - lien claims require proper notices, timelines, and a licensed contractor. A claim filed by an unlicensed contractor is typically subject to challenge and possible removal, and a knowingly false lien can create its own liability.
4. Report it: a complaint to DBPR (unlicensed activity) and to the local building department puts the permit and licensing issue on record and protects the homeowner if the work later becomes a disclosure issue at sale.

Your role as the licensed contractor: stay out of the money dispute, but give the homeowner a written condition report (refrigerant contamination risk, electrical condition, missing permit) so their attorney has facts, not opinions. Never accept a payment from the handyman or agree to "cover" the job retroactively. Fee note: price the assessment separately and collect it before any work - unpermitted jobs frequently turn into unpaid collection problems.