Complaint Review: SB Floor Coverings - Steve Brown

July 19, 2007 we hired SB Floor Coverings/Steve Brown to install hardwood flooring in our home contract stated installation date of July 30 & 31/07.

Mr. Brown was given a $3,000 deposit to cover the cost of the hardwood flooring. Come July 30th/07 he could not make it as scheduled.

The nightmare began every few days it was a new install date and a new excuse.

By the end of Aug. the begining of Sept./07 we had had enough and requested our deposit be returned which Mr. Brown refused. Option #2 was to deliver the hardwood flooring and we would hire another contractor to install it. REFUSED!!! These requests were made several times.

Sept. 19/07 we filed Small Claims Court in Whitby. Mr. Brown showed up to our home on Sept. 24/07 demanding the balance owing of $1,300 for what it had been 7 weeks since he was supposed to install the floors, he refused to refund our deposit and he refused to deliver the hardwood flooring and he wanted the balance of his money. Sept. 24/07 he was served the papers for Small Claims Court.

He hired a lawyer and on January 17/08 we were scheduled to attend a Settlement Conference the day before we received a call from his lawyer Mr. Brown apparently fell down stairs or off a ladder and would be laid up for 6-8 weeks. We decided to proceeded feeling this was just another scam.

We ended up filing for a trial date which was June 13/08 two days before we received yet another call from his lawyer this time informing us he was no longer representing Mr. Brown and was not sure if Mr. Brown would in fact show up on Friday. Guess what he was a no show. Trial processed without him and judgment was awarded to us our $3,000 deposit, $175 for expenses, $500 for pain and suffering and interest. Wonderful except we still have to find him and get him to pay.

SB Floor Coverings is continuing to advertise but how many people are giving him a deposit and getting nothing in return.

I researched the Better Business Bureau there are currently 22 complaints filed against this company.

We spoke with another couple that had hired SB Floor Coverings they were supposed to have their floors installed in Oct./07 the job was started in Nov./07 where upon apparently Mr. Brown asked for the balance of his money and foolishly enough the paid him as of Feb. 19/08 they were still waiting for him to come back and finish the job.

Please anyone considering this company BEWARE and do some research because we strongly feel this company is committing Fraud taking deposit and not showing up requesting the balance of his money before and job is complete and not returning to finish the job has to be FRAUD!!!!

Rob
Oshawa, Ontario
Canada