'He ghosted me': Hot tub owners claim repairman took thousands in deposits

Edmonton hot tub owners are issuing a warning to others after they say they were taken advantage of by a repairman.

The Edmonton Police Service announced it was investigating Kenneth Nicholls, 55, on July 29.

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EPS said Nicholls recently advertised his hot tub sales and repair business on Kijiji under the name "Hot tub services."

Police said he previously owned a hot tub store front on Yellowhead Trail and 87 Street, but the business has since closed.

EPS said Nicholls took large deposits for services, parts, or hot tubs that he never delivered.

No charges have been laid.

Upon announcing the investigation, EPS said it had received 17 fraud complaints about Nicholls.

Since that time, an additional 15 complaints have been received.

'I'm not ripping you off'

Dion Beier says Nicholls took a deposit from him last October on a refurbished hot tub he never received.

He says before he put down the deposit, Nicholls did maintenance work on his old hot tub, and the pair developed a rapport.

"He seemed very honest, professional. He seemed to show up when he was going to show up. Had no problem answering my phone calls, text messages and whatnot," Beier told CTV News Edmonton.

"He showed me a couple of tubs that were in various stages of repair. I picked out a tub and we struck a deal."

Dion Beier (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

He says the pair agreed on a timeline of four to six weeks for Nicholls to finish refurbishing the hot tub, and Beier sent e-transfers for $3,500 for a deposit on the total agreed purchase price of $5,300.

Within days of sending the transfers, he says he started to have trouble getting in contact with Nicholls.

"He'd reject the call and he'd text me back, 'I'm in the shop right now. Just give me a minute. I'll phone you back. I'm with another client. I'll call you later.' And those phone calls never came."

He says he confronted Nicholls via text several weeks later.

"I wrote him a longwinded text. 'Hey, I feel like I'm being played here. So what's the scoop?'"

"He said, 'I'm sorry. I apologize. My daughter has cancer. She's in the hospital. We're taking turns. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.'"

"'I'm not playing you here. I'm not ripping you off.'"

Ten months later, Beier says he hasn't received the hot tub, and he is still out $3,500.

"I believe it's removed now, but he did have his business on Kijiji this whole time, same phone number," Beier said.

"So even while this is all still going on, after my money had gone missing, he wasn't replying to me, he still has his business online, and he's still conducting things as is, status quo."

'He would not return a call'

Travis Zaplotinsky says Nicholls also took money from him.

He says he found Nicholls on Kijiji last December when he needed a quick hot tub repair.

He claims he ultimately paid Nicholls $1,223.25 for a hot tub pump and cover.

"[He] gave me a timeline of three months and justified it with the fact that it was winter time. There was a lot of people looking for new hot tub covers because of the price of the power," Zaplotinsky told CTV News Edmonton.

Travis Zaplotinsky and his hot tub. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

"I put it in my calendar to contact him back in April and he ghosted me. He would not return a call, would not return a text. I've sent him numerous texts and no response."

Zaplotinsky says Nicholls asked him to pay full price for the cover at the time of his order.

"He told me specifically he's been scammed out of money when people have not prepaid for the tub cover, because if they don't decide to take it, then he's got a hot tub cover that he can't sell.”

Judgements granted against Nicholls

EPS won't share the total amount of money Nicholls allegedly took from clients, but alleged victims tell CTV News he hasn't shown up in court to answer to civil claims.

An Alberta Court of Justice document shows a judgement for more than $13,000 was granted against Nicholls to two plaintiffs.

Court documents also show claims from employees that they weren't paid.

One employment standard judgement shows he owes nearly $5,000.

Nicholls refused an interview with CTV News Edmonton.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha