TAMPA, Fla. — What started as one customer's complaint has grown into a months-long Tampa Bay 28 investigation uncovering more customers who claim they lost thousands of dollars and revealing new lawsuits filed against a Palmetto-based window installation company.
Mister Window, which is listed as a vetted contractor on Florida's My Safe Florida Home Program, is facing a growing list of legal troubles. Since Tampa Bay 28’s first report, more customers reached out to consumer investigator Susan El Khoury, saying they, too, paid the company thousands of dollars and got nothing in return.
Watch full report from Susan El Khoury
Mister Window owner and CEO Michael Cvetetic has not responded to requests for comment.
REPEAT CUSTOMER, DIFFERENT RESULT
Charlene Bauer said she was one of Mister Window's satisfied customers. Last year, she used the company to upgrade her home through the My Safe Florida Home Program, a state grant that helps homeowners pay for hurricane-resistant improvements.
"Inspections went great everything was fine," Bauer said. "I highly recommended them to a lot of people."
One of those recommendations was to her parents. In the fall, Bauer helped them secure a state grant and called Mister Window to get the work started.
"They told me I needed to give a check for $7,875 that day which I did," Bauer said.
She said the company cashed the check, then went silent.
"They have the money, it's gone, and I cannot speak to anybody," Bauer said. "Absolutely nothing."
Bauer said her parents, who are 81 and 83 years old, are now out of their money and at risk of losing their state grant. The My Safe Florida Home Program requires homeowners to pay for upgrades and be reimbursed after the work passes inspection, but the work must be completed within a year or the grant is forfeited.
"What can I do? Who can I call? My parents are out $8,000 they're 81 and 83 years old this was a big commitment for them," Bauer said. "It feels awful."
‘WHERE’S MY DOORS AND WINDOWS?’
Bauer and her parents were not the first to reach out to Tampa Bay 28. Adria Bernstein claimed she paid Mister Window nearly $12,000 to upgrade her windows after finding the company through the state's vetted contractor list. Bernstein also received a My Safe Florida Home Program grant and said she took out a loan to pay for the windows, banking on being reimbursed by the state.
"Where's my doors and windows?" Bernstein said. "I don't deserve this, nobody does."
After that initial report, more customers reached out to Tampa Bay 28 saying they paid deposits to Mister Window and never received what they paid for.
That initial report uncovered court records showing Mister Window was previously sued by a vendor and ordered to pay back more than $136,000 in unpaid invoices. The company was also sued by American Express after being accused of racking up more than $71,000 in credit card debt.
OFFICE CLEARED OUT, NEW LAWSUITS
Things are changing at Mister Window. Currently, the Palmetto office has a lock on the gate, and inside, everything was cleared out. A posted notice stated the company owed its landlord more than $27,000 in unpaid rent. The company’s phones are no longer in service.
Tampa Bay 28 uncovered new lawsuits filed against Mister Window. Two customers filed lawsuits, one in Manatee County and one in Pinellas County. Both suits claim the company took deposits but did no work. One customer claims they are out more than $2,300, the other says they lost $18,000.
A New York-based creditor that specializes in providing loans to cash-strapped companies also recently sued Mister Window, claiming the company failed to repay a loan because there were non-sufficient funds in its account. That creditor claims it is owed $136,000.
A Pennsylvania window manufacturer has also sued Mister Window, claiming it is owed $1 million.
SUIT CLAIMS NEW COMPANY FORMED
The Pennsylvania manufacturer’s lawsuit also names Cool Life Coatings Inc. The suit claims that company was opened late last year by the wives of the two heads of Mister Window, and alleges it was done "in coordination" to "abandon Mister Window's business" "to the detriment" of its "customers and creditors."
Tampa Bay 28 found state records that show Cool Life Coatings' main business address is a waterfront home in St. Petersburg, a home county property records show is owned by Michael Cvetetic and his wife, Jenna Cvetetic.
We went to the home to seek answers. Jenna Cvetetic spoke to us through the door, then asked us to leave. As we returned to our car on the street, she came outside.
"Cool life coating has nothing to do with Mike Cvetetic," Jenna Cvetetic said. "My attorney will contact you."
After we left, the Cvetetic’s attorney called and said Mister Window is in the process of filing for bankruptcy, that it does plan to take care of customers, and that the company did nothing criminal.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Throughout our months-long investigation, Tampa Bay 28 has repeatedly asked the state whether it is aware of the allegations against Mister Window and what criteria it uses to keep companies on the My Safe Florida Home vetted contractor list. The state has not responded to those questions. Customers tell us Mister Window remains on that list.
Bauer said she hopes her parents will hear from the company again.
"Have some kindness in your heart and give them back their money," Bauer said. "I feel terrible, the age of parents is killing me because it’s nothing anyone wants for their parents."
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