Don's Painting Donald Haven BEWARE - Donald Haven took off with my $400 deposit - BEWARE Bellingham, Massachusetts

In April of 2012 we contracted Donald Haven to paint approximately 140 of picket fencing at our home. The contracted price was $1,150.  We paid $400 at the date of contract as a retainer in order for him purchase the paint. At the time, there was no specific date of completion agreed upon, but he indicated that it would be completed within the upcoming weeks, as weather permitted.

After several opportunities of dry weather were not taken advantage of, we contacted him sometime during the second week of  June, ten weeks after the contract date, asking whether or not the project could be completed for the 4th of July. He indicated that it could be, and that he would start the project on Monday, June 18; we ended the conversation. He failed to show on the 18th and the 19th, without a phone call or any indication as to why he was not there.

By the end of June 19th, I contacted him with the request to void our contract. With his agreement to void the contract, he asked for an additional week of time to return the $400 deposit that we gave him. I consented to that request and we ended the conversation. No refund was made in the following weeks and none has been made as of the time of this writing.

Several attempts to contact him have resulted in him either hanging up the phone or ignoring my calls entirely. I left a message offering him the possibility of making installment payments if one payment would be difficult, but he did not return that call either.

The matter is now filed with the small claims court. I'm deeply disappointed since I thought of him to be a reasonable person. If you want to save yourself some money and agrevation, DO NOT ENGAGE Don's Painting.