Nick and Susan Perfido of Seminole County, Florida, were excited to transform their backyard into an outdoor paradise. They hired Florida Landscape Living LLC, a Maitland-based company, for the job.
“We’re going to have a fire bowl here—actually, a fire table,” Nick told WESH 2 News, pointing to a pile of dirt where the project was supposed to take shape.
However, shortly after writing two checks totaling $27,654.25 in January and February, the couple claims everything began to unravel.
The couple is fighting to get the money back.
The Perfidos were initially impressed by Florida Landscape Living’s sleek website and polished presentation.
“Everything looked so beautiful and glamorous,” Susan told WESH reporters. “It was all window dressing.”
According to a complaint filed with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the only work done was to destroy grass along their property line, reports WESH. Beyond that, the couple claims nothing else was done. When they requested a refund, the company allegedly demanded a “cancellation fee” of $22,185.60.
“They were trying to do everything in their power not to answer questions,” Nick told me. “That was really the big issue for us, and that’s why we pulled the plug.”
The landscaping business then disappeared in March. Its Maitland storefront was decluttered, signage was removed, and inventory was gone. That’s when the Perfidos filed a criminal complaint with the Sheriff’s Office, claiming fraud, larceny, and grand theft. They also submitted a complaint to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
They are now taking the company and its five principals to court. The couple is suing for “fraudulent misrepresentation” and “civil theft,” seeking total damages of $181,817, according to WESH.
Florida Landscape Living’s attorney, who filed a motion to dismiss the claims, described them as “a hodge-podge of wild-eyed accusations.”
While preparing their case, the Perfidos, working with a private investigator, discovered that the defendants were connected to dozens of inactive Florida businesses. They told WESH that they discovered evidence that Florida Landscape Living may not have had the necessary licenses.
