Tampa Installer Banned for Life After Leaving A whole lot of Swimming pools Unfinished

Florida’s legal professional normal has taken extraordinary measures towards a Tampa-based pool firm, shutting down the corporate and securing a lifetime enterprise ban towards the proprietor, who left tons of of swimming swimming pools unfinished across the space.

In a consent judgment in Hillsborough County signed final week, James Staten Jr. and his Olympus Swimming pools have agreed to by no means apply for a contractor or enterprise license once more or face greater than $1.4 million in fines. Olympus Swimming pools acknowledged within the order that it had engaged in unfair and misleading commerce practices, though Staten didn’t admit to the practices.

“Olympus misrepresented the timeline of initiatives, accepted upfront funds after which left jobs incomplete,” the discharge mentioned.

Staten has filed for chapter and is unable to pay full restitution to owners, and has surrendered his contractor licenses, Legal professional Basic Ashley Moody’s workplace mentioned in a information launch.

Moody filed go well with towards Staten and his firm in late 2021, after native information experiences and a number of complaints in regards to the unfinished work, all throughout the Tampa space. The legal professional normal had requested for a $10 million judgment however settled on $1 million that might be paid by way of the chapter proceedings.

Some owners mentioned the settlement means they’ve misplaced tens of 1000’s of {dollars} whereas Staten obtained a mere “slap on the wrist,” in accordance with a report by WFLA TV information.

Moody mentioned that some owners have filed claims and might be able to get well some funds by way of Florida’s Home-owner Building Restoration Fund. It was not reported if Olympus Swimming pools had maintained legal responsibility, builders’ danger or administrators and officers insurance coverage.