Bill the Painter & Handyman

On July 19, 2009, Bill the Painter, (real name William Burden), gave my wife and I an estimate for cleaning and repairing our deck. He stated that he would strip, clean, and resurface the deck for $675. We also asked him to repair and paint a stairway railing in our home. He gave us an estimate of $275 for the completion of that job. He then asked for a deposit of $350 for materials. We gave him the deposit in cash and he agreed to return in two days to complete the work. Two days later, he called and stated that he had been delayed on a previous job and would complete our job the next day. He called two days after that and stated he could not come to complete the job that week. We then asked for a refund of our deposit. He refused to provide the deposit. He stated, You will have to take me to court to get this money. We then called the Guilford County Sheriffs department and spoke with Detective Darryl Wilson. Detective Wilson informed us that in order to retrieve the funds, we would need to file charges against Mr. Burden, or take him to Civil Court. Detective Wilson called Mr. Burden at the numbers he has listed on his advertisement. As of this writing, almost one week later, there has been no return call to the Detective. My wife and I are appalled by the behavior of this handyman. We strongly advise anyone who is considering obtaining his services to consider his actions outlined above. This sort of criminal behavior is unthinkable in a person who is entrusted with the ability to enter our homes posing as a legitimate business man. Three weeks later, we have not received our deposit nor have we heard from Bill the Painter. Let the buyer beware. Mitchell and Kathy Gibson Summerfield North Carolina.