Another Carolina Hot Tub Repair customer left with no fix and out of money
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- We first heard of Carolina Hot Tub Repair in June. Customers complained the company took hundreds of dollars for hot tub repairs without doing any work.
Now, despite being charged for failing to do work after being paid, one of the customers said the owner is at it again.
Shawn Brown paid Carolina Hot Tub Repair more than $700 in July, and has yet to see any progress. He first hired the owner of Carolina Hot Tub Repair, who we know as Gordon Smith, to fix a leak.
"The leak is much worse than it was," Brown said. "It's actually gone down about six inches from the very lowest it would go prior to Mr. Smith coming out."
In addition to the leak, Brown is also waiting for a hot tub cover. He paid $475 to have it ordered.
"It got to a point where 'Look, it's going on seven, eight weeks, I haven't heard from you. What's going on," Brown said.
With no cover and no word from Carolina Hot Tub Repair, Brown googled Carolina Hot Tub Repair and came across our story from June.
Click here for our story from June.
Our June investigation revealed Gordon Smith, also known as Charles Rawson and C. Smith Gordon, operated several different hot tub companies throughout North Carolina over the years. We also discovered Gordon had been convicted of obtaining property under false pretenses and worthless checks.
Brown discovered he was not the only customer waiting for parts from Smith.
Back in June, we helped Andy Rentz get a refund from Smith after reporting that Smith took Rentz's money and never did any work. After the story aired, Smith mailed Rentz his original payment of $745 back and police charged Smith with felony obtaining property under false pretenses, and failing to do work after being paid.
Brown hopes for the same results. He has filed a police report against Smith.
"It was just unbelievable he keeps this up," Brown said. "I hope that the police and others can put a stop to this."
Brown advises others to research before hiring someone to do repairs.
"Had I done that initially, none of this would have happened," Brown said. "Especially, because you know, your story was on the internet."
After our initial investigation, a handful of other customers have said that they paid Smith upfront and repairs have yet to be made.
We reached out to Gordon Smith, but did not get a response.
Smith is due in court on October 13 for the two latest charges he's facing.
