JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A group of Northeast Florida homeowners says they paid thousands of dollars in deposits to a popular Jacksonville roofing contractor, only to be met with delays, excuses, and eventually silence.
Steven Otwell, Regina Morgan, and Maurice and LaTasha Hills all told Action News Jax they hired Massey Contracting for roofing work that was never completed. Between the families, they say they paid more than $42,000 in deposits, and loan withdrawals tied to projects that never moved forward.
“There’s been excuse after excuse after excuse,” Morgan said.
Otwell, who lives in St. Augustine, said he signed a contract with Massey Contracting in October and paid an $8,500 deposit for a new roof. But months later, he says the work was never started.
“It was one excuse after the other of why they couldn’t come,” Otwell said.
Eventually, Otwell said he sent the company a termination letter and requested his money back. He says he still has not received a refund.
“All contacts have just disappeared,” Otwell said. “So, I’m not getting any response.”
Morgan shared a similar story. She says she paid Massey Contracting a $15,077 deposit in December for roofing work that was also never completed.
“It was too cold, couldn’t put the roof on. Then it was too wet, couldn’t put the roof on,” Morgan said.
Months later, she says she still has no roof work and no refund.
“We haven’t heard anything since,” she said.
Maurice and LaTasha Hills say they were approved for a $19,000 loan through a company they say Chase Massey referred them to. According to the couple, Massey withdrew $4,000 from that loan after they signed their contract, but they say no roofing work was ever done.
“We haven’t had no work done at all,” the Hills said.
The couple says they eventually stopped hearing from the company altogether.
“I think they blocked our number,” they said. “Well, they did block my number. They blocked our number.”
When Action News Jax called Chase Massey with questions, he said customers who want refunds will receive them.
“Anyone that wants a refund, they will get a refund,” Massey said.
About 30 minutes after that phone call, Otwell said Massey contacted him and told him he could pick up a refund check the following Monday.
“The next will be to go up there and see if indeed someone is there to give me a check,” Otwell said.
But the homeowners are not the only people accusing Massey of owing them money.
Action News Jax uncovered multiple lawsuits tied to the contractor and his business dealings.
In March, former employee Dean Richardson filed a lawsuit against Massey, alleging he is owed more than $36,000 in unpaid wages.
Court records also show four separate lawsuits filed by commercial lenders accusing Massey of taking upfront business funding and failing to repay it. Two of those lawsuits have since been dropped, but the remaining cases are still active. Court records show the contractor is accused of owing more than $440,000 in the ongoing cases.
When asked about the lawsuit from his former employee, Massey told Action News Jax the issue is being handled by attorneys.
“Our lawyers are dealing with that,” he said. “It’s commission-based stuff.”
As for the lawsuits from finance companies, Massey said the debts have already been resolved.
“Those have been paid off,” he said.
Massey says he plans to make things right with the homeowners.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of homeowners in the area, so this is kind of disheartening to hear,” he said. “But we’ll get it fixed.”
Since Action News Jax started asking questions, two of the three homeowners said Massey has now been back in contact with them.
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