Unhappy Campbell Clients: What can they do now?

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Credit: WINK News.

A Cape Coral roofer is throwing in the towel after his clients say they paid more than $600,000 for roofing jobs never finished.

Joshua W. Campbell of Campbell Roofing & Sheet Metal of Florida voluntarily surrendered his state roofing license Thursday as a part of a deal with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, his lawyer said.

The DPBR would not confirm if Campbell turned over his license, or if they reached an agreement. However, the agency did tell us once an agreement is signed and approved by a panel, the last step is to issue a final order.

A final order, or judgement, would make it easier for clients to put in a claim with the State’s Construction Recovery Fund.

MORE: Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund Information Sheet (PDF)

In 2017-18, The Department of Business and Professional Regulation tells us they received 139 claims for the fund. Of that number, 77 of those claims were eligible. Of the eligible claims, 44 of them were awarded money, and the average claim pay out was $35,660.85. The Florida Legislature appropriated $5.5 million dollars, which was available for consumers during the 2017-18 fiscal year. The amount varies from year to year depending on how much the legislature decides to appropriate.

The development is bittersweet for clients. While they’re happy Campbell can no longer collect deposits, they’re worried their money is long gone.

The past year has been a tough one for the Melissa and Joshua Spaich. They hired Campbell Roofing & Sheet Metal of Florida to fix their roof in July 2018, handing over more than $10,000.

Campbell tore their roof off in October and the Spaichs say no one has been back to finish.

The frustrated couple went to the Cape Coral Construction Board meeting Wednesday to explain how this deal ruined them.

“Due to his shortcomings, my insurance company has canceled my policy,” Spaich said.

Spaich says he can’t get a new policy because they don’t have a roof. And because of that, they say their mortgage has gone up around $300 a month.

“It’s a bad ending to a bad story,” Spaich said

At the meeting, the Cape Coral Construction Board decided to stop Campbell from doing roofing work in the city.

But now, Campbell’s lawyer says he will no longer do work anywhere in Florida because of the agreement reached.

WINK News first uncovered complaints about the company in June and have since talked to more than 30 people who call themselves victims.

Like the Spaichs, some of them are stuck waiting, weathering each storm without a new roof over their heads.

Others have chosen to hire another roofing company and sue Campbell. While some have received judgments against Campbell, no one has told us they’ve received any money.

The attorney general’s office tells us it consumer investigation into Campbell is ongoing.

Campbell’s lawyer tells us employees embezzled from Campbell.

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