DORA place to report fishy business practices

Get a bad haircut?

It happens.

But if you lose an ear or think the barber isn’t competent to be wielding a pair of scissors . . . well, that’s different.

You might want to tell DORA, the state’s Division of Regulatory Agencies.

The agency’s mission is consumer protection ­— and it invites you to help be the watchdog.

DORA is often associated with complaints against doctors, but it goes way beyond that.

Citizens can use DORA to see if their periodontist is in good standing with the state of Colorado or if their plumber has done somebody wrong.

“They should contact us any time they feel the professional they are dealing with is not acting in their best interest,” DORA spokesman Chris Lines said. “If the nail salon is using the same bucket of stuff for everyone to put their feet into, yeah, we want to know.”

The professions overseen by the agency include: mortgage brokers, insurance agents, accountants, athletic trainers, architects, audiologists, plumbers, electricians, engineers, acupuncturists, funeral homes, massage therapists, chiropractors, land surveyors, respiratory therapists, social workers and veterinarians.

Lines said complaints go to the entity’s licensing board for investigation.

“It reviews the files and makes a determination,” he said.

If the complaint is warranted, it could lead to a scolding letter or even revocation of a business license. DORA does not handle financial disputes.

The person lodging the complaint must agree to disclosure of his or her name and records to the board and the accused.

“We verify everything,” Lines said. “There isn’t any anonymity.”

There is no charge for filing a complaint.

The service is funded by licensing fees, not taxpayers, Lines said.

REPORTING

To contact the Colorado Division of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) with a question or complaint: 303-894-7855 or www.dora.state.co.us

—

Call the writer at 636-0253.