CLEVELAND — A Cleveland woman's home was already damaged, and it left her devastated. Now, she says she and others lost thousands of dollars after a local contractor took off with their money.
“He promised me several times that he was going to come and do my home,” said Debbie Davis about her contractor, Jamal Carr, Sr. and his business, Proviso Investments LLC. She told us he replaced her roof after a storm damaged her house in 2023, but when it came time to redo the siding, it wasn’t getting done.
“The other check that I gave him was $29,000,” she told us. “Up front. I gave him the check that (the insurance company) sent me.”
Davis said Carr, Sr. kept giving her excuses as to why the siding wasn’t being addressed. “He even told me that if he didn’t do the work, he would give me my money back,” said Davis.
“Has he?” we asked.
“No…I haven’t seen him,” she replied.
A BROTHER, A REFERRAL, MANY TEARS
Clifford Davis is Debbie’s brother. “This guy is out here doing this,” said Clifford.
He told us Proviso did a fine job on his home, so he referred Carr, Sr., to Debbie.
“My sister has had many crying days. I’m talking about tears with me on the phone,” said Clifford. “I’ve had sleepless nights because of this.”
Debbie is not alone.
Other people, in fact, contacted News 5 Investigators with similar complaints about Carr, Sr., saying he took their money but never did the work promised. They sent us receipts, contracts, cancelled checks, but the one prominent document we found was a judgment from the Cuyahoga County court this year, a lien against Carr, Sr. and his company for more than $111,000.
EXPERT: PAYMENT SCHEDULES ARE KEY
“We get a ton of calls about contractors,” said Pam Anson from the Cleveland Better Business Bureau.
She told us, in general, customers should divide payments into thirds for the beginning, middle and end of a renovation.
“Setting a payment schedule is one of the most important things to do with a contractor,” said Anson. “These projects cost a ton of money and they’re a big commitment.”
After News 5 Investigators left several phone messages for Carr, Sr., we went to his last known address, where a woman answered, confirmed he lived there, and that he wasn’t home, but she would give him a message to call us.
“He owes a lot of people a lot of money,” we told the woman at the door.
A STRONG MESSAGE FOR THE CONTRACTOR
Meanwhile, Debbie’s home, that’s been in her family for more than 50 years, a place she grew up, is still damaged.
She had a strong message for her former contractor.
“Jamal, I gave you so many chances. I believed in you. I trusted you,” Debbie said as she looked straight into our camera. “I gave you a check in good faith. You lied! You stole from me and I want justice.”
