A Westlake contractor is accused of scamming homeowners out of thousands of dollars and never doing the work he promised.
Westlake Police charged gutter repairman Joe Huffman with felony theft. Multiple people complained Huffman would ask for a down payment for gutter repairs, but then never show up to complete the job.
Ron Charvat wrote Huffman a check for $1,387.50 for work on his home, money he’s afraid he’ll never see again.
“I don’t want it to happen anymore to anybody,” Charvat said. “I feel sick to my stomach.”
“You gotta know your businessmen,” Westlake Police Captain Guy Turner told News 5.
Turner pointed out a previous misdemeanor conviction over similar complaints and said an online search would raise red flags.
The Better Business Bureau gives Express Gutters an F rating.
“Never pay for a job upfront. Put down a deposit and make sure there’s a signed contract and if the person fails to execute,” he said, “Come to us.”
Charvat did some more research and found a reputable company to do the repairs.
