My contractor ghosted me after a $12k deposit. What now?

Three weeks ago I paid a guy 12 grand to start a commercial lease buildout in Austin. He took the money, demo'd half the drywall, then vanished. No calls, no emails, just gone. I checked his license with the state and it expired 6 months ago. Anyone else get burned by a licensed-but-deadbeat contractor and actually get their money back?

2 comments

2 Comments

bell.felix10d ago

Point out that the sheriff's office probably won't treat this as theft right away, since it's more of a contract dispute than a straightforward crime. The licensing board complaint is the better first move, but even that takes months and doesn't guarantee you'll see a dime. Just want to save you from wasting time chasing legal options that don't really apply here.

logan_young2910d ago

Oh man, that is brutal. I mean, twelve grand is a lot of money to just have someone disappear on you like that. Honestly it makes my stomach hurt just reading that. You should definitely start by filing a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation since his license was expired, that is a huge red flag they need to know about. Also maybe try reaching out to the local sheriff's office in the county where the work was supposed to happen, they might be able to help track him down for theft or fraud. I really hope you used a credit card for at least part of that deposit because you could try a chargeback through them. Good luck, seriously that guy sounds like a real scumbag and I hope you get your money back.