We never signed a written contract. Am I out of luck?

No, the opposite. GBL § 771 made the written contract the contractor's legal obligation, so its absence is the contractor's violation. Your payment records and messages prove the deal.

What was supposed to happen to my deposit?

Under GBL § 771-a, advance payments must be held in escrow or covered by a bond. A deposit spent on anything other than your project, with the work unperformed, is the heart of the claim.

The contractor is unlicensed. Does that help me?

In NYC and other licensing counties, yes. Unlicensed home improvement work forfeits the contractor's own right to enforce payment and supports a complaint to the licensing authority, which adds real pressure alongside the demand.

The contractor did part of the job. What can I demand?

Restitution for the unperformed balance: what you paid minus the fair value of work actually done. A precise, honest number makes the demand stronger.

What if my complaint is about bad workmanship, not abandonment?

Quality disputes over completed work usually need an inspection and expert analysis before any demand issues. That is consultation territory, not a flat-fee letter, and honest screening will say so.

Contractor Took My Deposit and Disappeared: Your NY Playbook

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