WARREN — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against the owner of Timber Creek Structures, and affiliated business Timber Creek Structures OH WV PA LLC, claiming they engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices

The lawsuit, filed in the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, claims Timothy Dotson and his companies failed to deliver sheds, misled customers with inaccurate delivery dates and charged illegal fees.

The office seeks to impose civil penalties, restitution up to $25,000 for affected consumers and a permanent injunction to prevent further violations.

According to the lawsuit, Timber Creek Structures, which sells and builds outdoor structures like sheds, failed to provide goods as promised.

The complaint against Dotson details instances where his company had accepted payments from consumers, but failed to deliver the purchased products within, a reasonable time frame which often exceeded eight weeks. In some cases, complaints to the attorney general’s office said sheds were not delivered at all, and consumers were not provided with timely refunds.

In addition, the company is accused of misinforming consumers by providing inaccurate delivery dates and failing to respond to customer inquiries, according to the lawsuit.

The company also allegedly imposed unfair restocking fees and liquidated damages clauses when consumers requested refunds due to the company’s failure to deliver.

In February, Dotson and his company entered into an agreement with the office that called for, in part, the promise to adhere to Ohio’s consumer protection laws, specifically the Failure to Deliver Rule. The agreement also included provisions that required Timber Creek Structures to stop charging excessive restocking fees, deliver goods within eight weeks, or issue refunds.

However, the state alleges that after entering into the agreement, the company continued its deceptive practices. The AG’s office received more than 100 complaints following the agreement, prompting the lawsuit.

When contacted Wednesday, Dotson said he was unaware the complaint had been filed. He told a reporter he wanted to review the lawsuit, but could not be reached later for comment.

The lawsuit states that Timber Creek Structures was required to make monthly payments of $1,250 to cover the investigative and administrative costs incurred by the AG’s office.

The company has been accused of failing to comply with the provisions, adding another layer to the legal dispute.

If the company fails to make timely payments or adhere to the other terms, the attorney general can pursue further civil action and penalties.