Complaint Review: Better Plumbers N Home Improvement - James Durkin

ON 08/06/2008 I FOUND A PROPERTY WITH A 'FOR RENT' SIGN PLACED ON THE LAWN AT 2729 COLONIAL AVENUE, KETTERING OHIO. I CALLED THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS LISTED (330) 503-1606 AND (937) 277-0200

AT APPROX 9:30 PM ON 08/06/2008 I RECIEVED A CALL FROM JIMMY DURKIN AKA JAMES DURKIN. HE EXPALINED HE WOULD BE WILLING TO SHOW ME THE PROPERTY AT AROUND 10:30 PM THAT NIGHT, I TOLD HIM IT WAS TO LATE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROPERTY AT 10:30 AM ON 08/07/2008. ON 08/07/2008 I ARRIVED THERE ON TIME BUT JIMMY WAS OVER 35 MINTUES LATE, HOWEVER HE DID ARRIVE JUST AFTER 11:00 AM HE WAS DRESSED VERY UNPROFESSIONAL WITH PANTS REAL LOW HAD SOME STAINS AND LOOKED LIKE HE HADNT SEEN A SHOWER IN A FEW DAYS, BUT I DECIDED TO GO LOOK AT THE HOUSE ANY WAYS.

FIRST OFF THE HOUSE HE TOLD ME ON THE PHONE WAS A 3 BEDROOM AT THE RENT WAS $1000 A MONTH, UPON LOOKING AT THE HOUSE IT WAS EVIDENT THIS WAS ONLY A BED ROOM HOUSE AND HE EXPLAINED THE ATTIC WAS CONSIDERED A BED ROOM, WHICH IS INCORRECT AS THE MONTGOMERY COUNTRY WEBSITE LISTS THIS AS A 2 BEDROOM DWELLING! SO I TOLD HIM I WOULD THINK ABOUT IT AND CONCLUDED THE VIEWING OF THE HOUSE AS IT WASNT REALLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER I RECIEVE A CALL FROM JIMMY DURKIN WHO CLAIMS TO BE THE OWNER OF THIRD REALTY COMPANY HE TELLS ME HE SPOKE WITH THE OWNER AND THE ATTIC WAS WHY IT WAS LISTED AS A 3RD BEDROOM ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO HEAT, VENTS OR CARPET UP THERE! ONCE AGAIN THIS IS NOT THE CASE, 2 BED ROOM HOUSE IS ALL THIS UNIT IS. HE EXPLAINED SINCE IT WAS ONLY A 2 BED ROOM HE COULD LOWER THE RENT TO $800 A MONTH I TOLD HIM NO ID BE WILLING TO DO $750, HE SAID NO BUT HE WOULD DO $775 A MONTH. I AGREED AS I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND WHO IS CURRENTLY PREGNANT AND WE ALSO HAVE 2 KIDS AND NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY ASAP AND I HAD SAVED MY HARD EARNED MONEY FOR MOVING OUT.

I ASKED JIMMY DURKIN WHAT WAS NEEDED SO WE COULD MAKE THIS POSSIBLE HE SAID HE WOULD NEED $1550.00 UP FRONT AND THATS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED, HE SAID HE WANTED IT MADE DIRECTLY OUT TO HIM JIMMY DURKIN BUT I PAUSED WHEN HE SAID THAT AND HE QUICKLY SAID MAKE IT OUT TO THIRD REALTY COMPANY. I MET UP WITH HIM AROUND 1:00 PM LATER THAT DAY WITH A CERTIFIED CHECK MADE OUT TO THIRD REALTY COMPANY. HE MADE ME FILL OUT A DRUG AND BACKGROUND HISTORY REPORT AND ASKED FOR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION, BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION, ETC - MY GIRLFRIEND ALSO FILLED OUT THE SAME.

AFTER WE WERE DONE HE WALKED TOWARDS ME AND SAID IS THIS THE CHECK I SAID YES AND HE REACHED OUT FOR IT. ONCE HE HAD IT IN HIS HANDS HE SAID THE FOLLOWING: 'HERES THE THING THIS $1550.00 IS NO GUARNTEE THAT YOU WILL GET INTO THIS HOUSE IT IS ALL BASED UPON THE OWNERS ACCEPTANCE' I SAID OK THAT IS FINE I WANT IT PUT IN WRITING THAT IF THE OWNER DOES NOT ACCEPT THIS DEAL THEN I WANT MY $1550.00 REFUNDED. HE GRABBED THE CHECK WROTE DOWN THE FOLLOWING - JIMMY DURKIN 'DEPOSIT IS REFUNDABLE CONTINGENT UPON OWNERS ACCEPTANCE'

WELL A DAY GOES BY AND I DONT HERE ANY THING, SO I STARTED TO GET WORRIED, BUT I TRIED TO THINK POSITIVE. SO LATER THAT DAY HE CALLS AND SAYS I NEED ANOTHER $775 FROM YOU BUDDY AS YOU HAVE A FEW CREDIT ISSUES, HE EXPLAINS THAT IF I GIVE HIM $775.00 MORE THE OWNER WOULD NOT SEE ANY OF MY INFORMATION AND IT WOULD GUARNTEE ME TO GET IN, I TOLD HIM I COULDNT AFFORD THAT AS I HAVE ALREADY PAID $1550.00 AND THAT I WOULD PAY THE RENT ON TIME EVERY TIME. HE SAID WELL IF IF PAY ME THE OTHER $775.00 THEN IT WILL TAKE YOU OFF OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD AND YOU CAN MAKE PAYMENTS A LITTLE LATER WITHOUT IMMEDIATE EVICTION. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NEVER A SIGNED LEASE.

I ONCE AGAIN TOLD HIM I FELT I HAD ALREADY PUT DOWN ENOUGH MONEY AND ID LIKE TO SEE IF I COULD GET IN LIKE THAT, WELL HE GOT AN ATTITUDE AND TOLD ME HE WOULD CALL THE OWNER AND HE WOULD LET ME KNOW. LATER ON THAT DAY I STILL DID NOT HEAR FROM HIM AND BY NOW I WAS GETTING WORRIED AND I SUSPECTED SOMETHING WAS UP.

I HAD ALREADY SUSPECTED SOMETHING WAS UP FROM THE ONSET SO I USED MY BRAIN AND I RECORDED MOST OF OUR CONVERSATIONS SO IF I EVER NEEDED THEM I COULD PROVE MY STORY!

I GO ONLINE AND DECIDE TO DO SOME CHECKING ON THIS MAN AND I GOOGLED HIM NAME JIMMY DURKIN AND WHAT I FOUND WAS ALARMING. HE WAS SUED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF OHIO FOR RIPPING PEOPLE OFF WITH HIS OTHER SCAM BUSINESS CALLED BETTER PLUMBERS AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS, THEN I FIND HE ALSO HAS MULTIPLE SUITS AGAINST HIM IN CIVIL COURT IN DAYTON, OHIO FOR THE SAME SCAMS!

BY NOW I AM WORRIED AND WITH GOOD REASON, SO I DECIDED TO PUT A TRACE ON THE CASHIERS CHECK TURNS OUT HE CASHED THE CHECK THE SAME DAY AND I TRIED TO PUT A STOP PAYMENT ON IT AND IT WAS TO LATE HE ALREADY GOT THE $1550.00. SO I DECIDED I WOULD CATCH THIS CON MAN, I DID MORE RESEARCH AND ORDERED SOME REPORTS ON THIS MAN AND HE HAS SERVED TIME IN THE DEPT OF CORRECTIONS. HE HAS CONVICTIONS FOR DRUG ABUSE, GRAND THEFT, ABOUT 15 CIVIL JUDGEMENTS AGAINST HIM TOTALING OVER $100,000K. HE OWES TONS OF MONEY IN OTHER VENUES. HIS BUSINESS BETTER PLUMBERS & HOME IMPROVEMENTS IS UNDER FIRE FOR RIPPING CUSTOMERS OFF IN THE YOUNGSTOWN AREA AND THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THIS WEBSITE RIGHT HERE.

SO I DECIDED TO GO ALONG WITH THIS CON HE TRIED GETTING ME FOR ANOTHER $775.00. HE SAYS I COULD EITHER FORWARD MY ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE IN YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO WHICH I KNEW WAS A SCAM, BUT I ASKED HIM FOR THE ADDRESS. HE GAVE IT TO ME AND GUESS WHAT ITS NOT A CORPORTATE OFFICE IT'S A HOUSE THAT HE DOESNT OWN AND THE ADDRESS IS 2565 CANFIELD RD YOUNGSTOWN OH 44511 - THIS IS ALSO THE SAME ADDRESS THAT BETTER PLUMBERS AND HOME IMPROVEMENTS USES.

I TOLD HIM I WOULD MEET HIM AT THE HOUSE AND WE COULD CLOSE THE DEAL, WELL HE EMAILS ME THE LEASE AGREEMENT AND PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS NOT SIGNED OR NOTORIZED IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. I GET TO THE PROPERTY AND HE COMES TO MY TRUCK AS I WAS GETTING READY TO GET OUT AND HE SAYS I NEED YOU TO SIGN HERE AND HERE, I THOUGHT FOR A SECOND WHY IS HE TRYING TO GET ME TO SIGN THIS HERE SO I ASKED HIM AND HE SAYS WELL AFTER YOU SIGN IT AND GIVE ME THE CHECK ILL HAVE TO MEET UP WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU THE KEYS BECAUSE I FORGOT THEM, WELL I KNEW AT THAT TIME THE CON MAN WAS TRYING TO RIP ME OFF FOR ANOTHER $775.00 SO I TOLD HIM NO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS THE NEXT DAY WHEN HE WAS ALL READY WITH THE KEYS AND TO CHANGE THE LEASE TO STATE WE WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE KIDS AT THE HOUSE, HE ALSO DID NOT GIVE ME A STATE REQUIRED PAMPLET ON THE DANGERS OF LEAD PAINT. I THEN TELL HIM I DONT KNOW YOU AND YOU DONT KNOW ME HOW DO I KNOW IF I GIVE YOU THIS $775.00 THAT I WILL EVER SEE YOU AGAIN AND THAT THIS ISNT A SCAM, HE GOT AN ATTITUDE AND SAID WELL I WONT BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE IM GOING BACK TO YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO FOR A FEW DAYS. I SAID THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE SO HE CALLS AND SAID HE HAD HIS LAWYER CHANGE THE LEASE AND HE COULD MEET ME AT 10:30 AM THE FOLLOWING DAY, WELL I HAD ALL MY INFOMATION READY TO CONFRONT HIM WITH HIS CON ARTIST PAST AND THE FACT HE CASHED MY CHECK THE SAME DAY, ON THAT DAY WE MET UP HE SHOWED UP A FEW HOURS LATE AS USUAL AND THIS IS HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN:

HE SAID HERE IS THE LEASE I SAID IM NOT SIGNING THE LEASE AND WE HAVE SOME PROBLEMS, HE THEN SAYS 'WELL YOUR JUST NOT GETTING YOUR $1550 BACK' I SAID WELL I HAVE YOUR SIGNED SIGNATURE THAT STATES ITS REFUNDABLE AND HE SAYS WELL YOU WILL SEE A REFUND FROM CORPORATE THATS WHEN I INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS NO CORPORATE AND HE BEGAN TO TURN RED IN THE FACE, I TOLD HIM I KNEW HE WAS A SCAM AND I STARTED TO CALL OFF THE NAMES OF HIS VICTIMS AND THE AMOUNT FOR EACH LAWSUIT IN WHICH HE HAS A CIVIL JUDGEMENT AGAINST,

HE GOT HOSTILE AND THATS WHEN I SHOWED HIM THE BACKGROUND CHECK SHOWING HIS TIME IN PRISON, HIS SCAM BUSINESS BETTER PLUMBERS AND HOW HE WAS SUED BY THE OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL AND HOW HE OWES THOUSAND OF DOLLARS. HE SAID HE WAS A LEGIT MAN AND A REAL BUSINESS THATS WHEN I TOLD HIM ABOUT HE DOENST EVEN OWN A HOUSE AND HE LIVES IN THE WORST PART OF THE CITY AND RENTS HIMSELF, HE SAID THATS IT IM JUST CALLING THE COPS AND I TOLD HIM THATS FINE. 20 MINUTES LATER THE KETTERING OHIO POLICE DEPARTMENT COMES OUT 2 OFFICERS AND HE TELLS THEM I HAVE CREDIT ISSUES AND I WONT LEAVE THE PROPERTY, I LET HIM DO ALL THE TALKING - I TOLD THE POLICE I HAD WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE DAY AHEAD OF TIME TO AVOID THIS CONFRONTATION BUT NO ONE WAS ABLE TO HELP ME SO I HAD TO DO THE CONFRONTING MYSELF, THE CON MAN HAD BEEN CAUGHT I TOLD THEM ABOUT HIS PAST AND THEY ASKED HIM IF HE TOOK MY MONEY AND HE TOLD THEM YES, THEY TOLD HIM I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE AT THE PROPERTY AND IM ENTITLED BY LAW TO BE THERE AND HE TELLS THEM WELL I AM NOT GIVING HIM A KEY,

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THEY DID NOTHING FOR ME AND I UNDERSTAND THERES ONLY SO MUCH THE POLICE CAN DO, THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID WELL IF HE LEAVES HERE HES NEVER GOING TO GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO AFTER HIM IN SMALL CLAIMS THATS WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THEM HE OWES THOUSANDS IN JUDGEMENTS. HIS KIDS WERE THERE TAUNTING ME HONKING THE HORN WAIVING AT ME. HE WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE AND BEFORE HE LEFT HE TOSSED THE FOR RENT SIGN BACK UP IN THE GRASS.

AFTER ALL OF THIS I DECIDED TO TRACK DOWN THE OWNER OF THIS HOUSE TURNS OUT HE IS A DOCTOR IN CALIFORNIA AND HE HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO HELP ME OUT, HE CALLED ME BACK TWICE BUT HE IS STILL ALLOWING THIS JIMMY DURKIN TO SHOW THIS HOUSE AND RENT IT OUT! JIMMY DURKIN HAS CALLED ME NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE ALL OF THIS WENT DOWN STATING HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG TO ME AND THAT THE OWNER OF THIS HOUSE SAID ONLY PAY ME MY $1550.00 BACK IF THE HOUSE RENTS OUT. THIS IS NOT FAIR IT IS NOT RIGHT, I WAS DENIED MY RIGHTS AS A TENANT. HE HAS CALLED ME THREATENING ME AND HE HAS ALSO CALLED ME APOLOGIZING FOR HIS SCAM UPON ME, HE INFORMED ME HE IS A RECOVERING CRACK ADDICT AND ALCHOLIC AND THAT HE USED THE MONEY AND HE NEEDED EVER PENNY HE COULD GET HIS HANDS ON.

I AM SEEKING LEGAL HELP FROM A LAWYER I AM ALSO SEEKING MEDIA NEWS, RADIO STATIONS HELP TO GET MY MONEY BACK. I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG I AM THE VICTIM OF A SCAM THE POLICE HAVE NOT DONE ANY THING FOR ME. MY GIRLFRIEND IS PREGNANT AND EXPECTING IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS WE HAVE 2 KIDS AND I SAVED MY MONEY FOR MOVING OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO SUE THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY AS THIS JIMMY DURKIN REPRESENTS HIM AND I FEEL THE OWNER IS JUST AS MUCH RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MANS ACTIONS. IF YOU ARE A LAWYER, NEWS STATION OR RADIO STATION AND CAN HELP ME THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP - I HAVE AUDIO RECORDINGS, BACKGROUND HISTORY ON THIS MAN THIS WOULD MAKE A GREAT NEWS STORY ON CATCHING A CON MAN AND PUTTING HIM WHERE HE BELONGS!

FYI CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE WWW.THIRDREALTYCOMPANY.COM AND YOU WILL SEE IT IS A FAKE THERE ARE NO PROPERTIES LISTED AT ALL!

Office Phone: (937)727-2273
Office Fax: (937)723-8893

PLEASE DRIVE BY HIS OFFICE, THIS PLACE IS A TOTAL DUMP AND THERE IS NO OFFICE PRESENT:

Third Realty Company
1946 N. Main St. Suite #2
Dayton, Ohio 45405

RAV
DAYTON, Ohio
U.S.A.

James Durkin now lives on first street in Dayton ohio but he has the same phone number in the name of Wanda Durkin. He is the owner of Third Realty Company, Better Plumbers and is a con man.
He lies to everyone. He has cases in Dayton Municipal court that you can look up online that have his complete address.
I hope he reads this. He is so stupid he will do something else to get himself into trouble. He hangs with another woman named Amanda Minnix who has a record for criminal treaspassing and many others in Hamilton, and Dayton.
Unfortunatly some people are not willing to do a check on someone before they hire the person to save money but it will always cost so much more.