MOney Owed for Services Never Performed

[EML30]

I hired a landscaper to do some work for me. He asked me to advance him about $400 for materials. I wrote a check for the requestd amount; the check was cashed, yet this person only used a portion of the money for materials, performed some monir work, and absconded with the remainder, about $300. I have his telephone number and was able to track him down at a previous address in another part of this state. Though I left messages, I have yet to receive a return call, the remaining money, and the work was never completed forcing me to hire another company, at a higher price, to complete the work.

How can I recover the remaining $300? And, what legal remedies do I have? Thanks.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Small claims court is the best way, from my perspective. Send a certified letter, return receipt to the address demanding the money back less the amount of materials, to be delivered to you within 10 days from the date of the letter. Add in any costs. You will likely need to go to small claims court. Note, just because you win in small claims doesn't mean you will simply collect -- enforcing the judgment is a pain...