Contractor Phil Slobodzian sentenced to 2 months jail

A contractor operating in the Ottawa area has been convicted for the fourth time under the Consumer Protection Act and sentenced to two months in jail after he took $6,000 from a customer for a project and then never started the work.

In May 2013 Philip Slobodzian of Renfrew, Ont., operatinga home renovation business Country Comfort Living Inc.,agreed to install vinyl siding on a customer's home and asked for and received a $6,000 deposit for the job, which was expected to cost $12,000.

The Ministry of Consumer Services said Slobodzian never started the job and when the consumer cancelled the agreement, Slobodzian's business partner had to return the deposit at his own cost.

Slobodzian was convicted of:

• engaging in an unfair practice by making a false, misleading or deceptive representation.
• failing to refund payment within 15 days of being given notice of cancellation of the consumer agreement.
• failing to provide a consumer with a proper contract containing the information required by the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).

He was also ordered to pay $6,000. In addition to the jail sentence, Slobodzian was also sentenced to two years probation.

Slobodzian is facing additional charges related to an earlier breach of probation.

Slobodzian was the subject of a series of reports by CBC Ottawa in 2010 and 2011 after customers complained he took their money and then either failed to show up to carry out the work, or did a poor job.