Dubious sinkhole repairs raise costs and questions of fraud
By Susan Taylor Martin and Dan DeWitt, Times Staff WritersTampa Bay Times
In Print: Monday, January 2, 2012
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A billboard along U.S. 19 touting Advanced Pier Technology offers to pay cash for homes damaged by sinkholes. Advanced Pier Technology co-owner Taylor Yarkosky, above, advertises on TV and on billboards as “The Sinkhole Guy.”
[WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
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The main offices of Advanced Pier Technology, which was founded in 2004, at 8445 Morningside Drive in Brooksville.
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The engineer who was supposed to monitor the job rarely if ever showed up.
The cement trucks that were supposed to pump grout into the ground sometimes left nearly full.
And one contractor joked that the work was a "perp'' — perpetrating fraud on the insurance company that paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to stabilize sinkholes.
It was a scenario allegedly repeated time and again at homes throughout Florida's "sinkhole alley'' from Orlando to Tampa Bay.
The contractor, Michael Dean Hodge, of Oviedo faces felony charges of racketeering and insurance fraud in what State Farm Insurance said was a conspiracy to charge for work never done and grout never used. Among the companies allegedly involved was Advanced Pier Technology, a well-known Brooksville firm whose co-owner advertises on TV as "The Sinkhole Guy.''
If true, the overcharges are one reason why insurance losses from sinkhole claims have soared, driving up premiums for all Florida policyholders and not just those in sinkhole-prone areas. Citizens, the state-run company that insures nearly 1.5 million property owners, says it has lost an estimated $245 million in 2010 — seven times more than the premiums it took in for sinkhole coverage.
The nature of sinkhole repairs can make it difficult to detect fraud. The two primary methods involve work largely done underground: installing steel piers or pins deep into the ground to secure the house or injecting grout, a cement-based material, into the sinkhole to stabilize it.
There are also numerous players: engineers who are supposed to monitor the work, companies that sell cement, companies that pour cement and repair companies such as Advanced Pier Technology that often act like general contractors.
State Farm, which sued to obtain records from Advanced Pier and others, declined to comment. But court filings show that what grew into a criminal investigation involving the Office of Statewide Prosecution began with a complaint from a homeowner in Hernando County.
In 2007, Joseph O'Boyle hired Advanced Pier Technology to stabilize a sinkhole at his Spring Hill home. The company sent State Farm an invoice for $94,410.
Advance Pier's proposal said the work would take 24 days, but it was done in two weeks "at the top,'' O'Boyle said, according to the transcript of his interview with a State Farm representative. The crew, which came from Orlando, arrived about 10 a.m. and by 3 p.m "they were leavin' already.''
O'Boyle and his family watched workers put in piers, only to pull them out, saying there were "dead holes'' that didn't need to be filled.
And although the invoice showed that Mike Tannous Engineering, a Casselberry firm, spent 20 hours inspecting the site, "we had never seen this man on this job,'' O'Boyle said. He also complained "there ain't no way'' contractors used as much grout as they said. "That's why everybody's insurance goes up, because of stuff like that,'' O'Boyle complained.
'Big bull's-eye'
State Farm reviewed other claims in which Advanced Pier Technology was involved. Of special interest were invoices submitted by A&M Contracting, owned by Michael Hodge.
In 2010, a detective with Florida's Department of Financial Services went to serve a subpoena at A&M's corporate address. It turned out to be a residential lot in rural Seminole County with a locked gate and guard dogs, but none of the heavy equipment usually associated with sinkhole repair. A relative confirmed Hodge ran the business out of his home, but said he worked primarily on Florida's west coast.
Interviewed later, a former A&M foreman, Thomas Coen, said Hodge referred to jobs as "perps" — for perpetrating insurance fraud.
"Specifically this meant that in many cases no holes were actually drilled or voids filled with grout,'' according to a probable cause affidavit. "Mr. Coen stated that because of this practice, cement trucks were sent back full of concrete even though he believes the insurance company or customer was billed for the grout.''
Another employee said they rarely saw anyone from Mike Tannous Engineering, which was supposed to monitor the work.
In August, Hodge, 52, was arrested on charges his company overbilled State Farm $202,800 for grout at 11 homes in the Orlando area. In court records, State Farm listed another 17 houses, including several in the Tampa Bay area, in which alleged grout overcharges were as much as $33,825 for a single house.
Hodge and Advanced Pier Technology "seem to have partnered on multiple sinkhole projects for the very purpose of submitting inflated bills,'' State Farm said in one suit.
Hodge has pleaded not guilty. Bishar "Mike" Tannous could not be reached for comment. Advanced Pier's founder, Mason Chickonski, calls the allegations "100 percent false.''
"We have a big bull's-eye on us because we stick up for homeowners here in Hernando,'' said Chickonski, a licensed building contractor. "Everything we do is for the people, and we caused State Farm a lot of grief and a lot of money. They try to keep us wrapped up in court.''
Just good business
State Farm and Florida investigators also focused on Jeffrey Powell, an independent sales rep for Advanced Pier Technology. In a 2009 lawsuit, State Farm called Powell the "front man'' who contacted homeowners and offered "discounts, reimbursements and other forms of valuable consideration (i.e., kickbacks)'' to get them to hire the company.
In May, Florida lawmakers made it a felony to offer rebates for sinkhole repairs. Homeowners who accept a rebate could have their sinkhole coverage voided and would have to refund the rebate amount to the insurer.
Before the law changed, "every company offered incentives back to the homeowner,'' Powell told the Tampa Bay Times.
Powell said he sometimes gave "cash incentives'' while working with Advanced Pier Technology. As an independent representative, Powell said, he would quote the homeowner a higher price for underpinning than what Advanced Pier quoted to Powell.
"They'd let me sell it for $700 (a pin) and I'd tell the homeowner $900,'' he said. "I could make $200. If I wanted to give the homeowner (money) back on that job, I would.''
With a typical home requiring 20 or more pins, Powell could earn a considerable sum. But he said there was no fraud because the insurance companies were no longer involved — all were closed claims in which the homeowner had received a payout and was on his own to hire a repair company, Powell said.
State Farm dropped its case against Powell, and the state closed its investigation because of "insufficient evidence.''
Missing permits
Advanced Pier Technology, which Chickonski started in 2004, is among the best-known of a growing number of sinkhole repair companies in the Tampa Bay area. Co-owner Taylor Yarkosky advertises on TV and billboards as "The Sinkhole Guy."
In a Tampa Tribune story last year, Yarkosky criticized homeowners who don't use insurance payouts to make sinkhole repairs. "The problem of sinkholes is legitimate,'' he told the paper. "But there are people playing the system.''
Some of those unrepaired homes have been lucrative for Yarkosky and Chickonski, records show. Through a company called APT Properties, the two men bought six houses in Hernando County for as little as $20,000 and flipped them for as much as $219,500. Before reselling the houses, Yarkosky and Chickonski took out county permits to stabilize the sinkholes.
Chickonski, however, bought four other houses and made at least some repairs without getting the required permits.
Among them was a Spring Hill home that Chickonski purchased in 2008 for $81,500 from a man who got an insurance payout, but never made repairs. Six months later, Chickonski sold the house for $157,000. The buyer, Steven Mason, said Chickonski gave him a report from Award Engineering of Tampa, which certified that Chickonski's company had installed 24 piers to stabilize the sinkhole.
Partly because of that report, Mason decided to forego sinkhole insurance. Now he wonders if the work was done as certified, especially since new cracks have appeared and some baseboards are pulling away from the walls.
Award Engineering is among the companies from which State Farm sought records as part of its investigation into suspected fraud. State Farm later dropped its case against the company. Award Engineering's lawyer, Joseph Fritz, said "We're not in cahoots with anybody.''
Fritz said he was surprised, however, that Award engineers who said they inspected the work at Mason's home wouldn't have noticed there was no permit posted, as required.
"I told them, 'Don't ever do a damn project without seeing those things,' '' Fritz said. "Do they make mistakes? Sure. Does that mean the work wasn't done? It doesn't mean that, either.''
Skepticism persists
In 2008, Chickonski bought another sinkhole house in Spring Hill for $25,000 and sold it less than three months later to retiree Frank Pasiuk for $85,000. Pasiuk also was given a report from Award Engineering with photos that showed workers apparently installing 22 piers around the house.
Though he hasn't noticed any problems, Pasiuk is skeptical.
"This guy buys the house for $25,000 and maybe puts $10,000 in to make it appear that it's a sinkhole repair when it might not be,'' Pasiuk said. "It might be a scam that affects the value of my property.''
After the Tampa Bay Times pointed out that there were no permits for sinkhole work at Pasiuk's home or the other houses, the Hernando County Development Department opened an inquiry. Failure to obtain a permit can result in fines and the loss of permitting privileges in Hernando.
Permits are a source of revenue for a county and a way to help county officials monitor construction work.
Chickonski said he takes "complete blame'' for not getting permits on two of the houses. He said he farmed out repairs on the other two homes to contractors who should have pulled the permits.
In saving a total of about $1,000 in permitting fees, Chickonski and the contractors also avoided creating any public record of sinkhole activity at the four houses. Had permits been issued, they would show up on the websites of the development department and the Hernando property appraiser's office.
Said John Emerson, chief deputy property appraiser: "It wouldn't become public knowledge that there was a sinkhole on that property'' — a designation that can scare off potential buyers.
Times researchers Carolyn Edds and Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Susan Taylor Martin can be reached at susan@tampabay.com or 727-893-8642. Dan DeWitt can be reached at dewitt@tampabay.com.
Coming Tuesday
Florida is not the only state with sinkhole problems. Up north, where abandoned coal mine shafts collapse regularly, some states have created their own insurance funds. Learn how Pennsylvania's fund saves homeowners and taxpayers money.
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Viewing 1 - 38 of 38 comments Oldest First Newest First Top Rated
Spock Jan 1, 2012 10:41 PM Yesterday "In saving a total of about $1,000 in permitting fees, Chickonski and the contractors also avoided creating any public record of sinkhole activity at the four houses. Had permits been issued, they would show up on the websites of the development department and the Hernando property appraiser's office."
The properties already had sinkhole claims, wouldn't they already be on public record?
Also, if you're buying a house and you see the seller bought it 3 months earlier at a huge discount to market price, do you think it would be prudent to find out why he got it so cheaply?
Reply Report Abuse 0 11
humble Jan 2, 2012 12:17 AM About 15 hours ago I think it was pretty evident...."Pasiuk also was given a report from Award Engineering with photos that showed workers apparently installing 22 piers around the house." Duh.....another example of no intent to decieve...just an oversight. However innuendo and yellow journalism can mislead a lot of people I guess....HA Reply Report Abuse 10 3
Spock Jan 2, 2012 10:15 AM About 5 hours ago Just pointing out a couple of inconsistencies in the story which seems to be slanted toward the insurance industry. The truth is probably somewhere in-between, as always. There are likely some fraudulent contractors and some insurance companies overstating the problem. Reply Report Abuse 2 4 LightningTdi Jan 2, 2012 10:21 AM About 5 hours ago "Permits are a source of revenue for a county..." No $hit! Reply Report Abuse 0 6 david31 Jan 1, 2012 11:13 PM Yesterday When the truth comes out those involved will pay. They should refund everyone out of their pockets and go out of business and then end up in jail. They knew exactly what they were doing cutting corners, inflating costs of repairs for their own benefit with little regard. I checked out the company website - the compliments posted from former, "customers" praising means nothing. This company's name is tarnished. If you were doing the right thing all the time you wouldn't have this negative spread in the paper.
Reply Report Abuse 2 12
humble Jan 2, 2012 12:13 AM About 15 hours ago I guess you believe everything you read in this rag david. Yes the truth WILL come out....I hope you post a comment at that time. That repair company will only have a "tarnished" name with you.....as most people are smart enough to smell a public relations hit piece...orchestrated by an insurance company. Reply Report Abuse 7 3
Over50NATIVE Jan 2, 2012 6:40 AM About 9 hours ago The THIEVES will find the easiest SCORE. Humble has ALLREADY been TINYs GIRLFRIEND. He'll BENDSOVER on COMMAND. Good DOG HUMBLE. Reply Report Abuse 2 2
humble Jan 2, 2012 9:51 AM About 6 hours ago Wow....I see you have elevated the discourse Over50Native......and you have demonstrated your courage with taunts under an anonymous post...enough said. Reply Report Abuse 2 2 1hotgrandma Jan 1, 2012 11:41 PM Yesterday We had hour home stabilized by a different sinkhole company than Advanced Pier (I won't say who). A relative of ours "took the money and ran" for their sinkhole house, and made a bundle in the process. From that event, I knew there was fraud involved, and this was years ago. To send the homeowner tons of money and not require it to be used for that explicit purpose is just plain stupid. We told our ins. co. to put the sinkhole co. on the check, not just mail us a check, so we could endorse the whole thing over to them. We were on the up and up with the ins co and the sinkhole co and everything worked out fine. We have no intention of moving, and told everyone so. I feel that to avoid scams like these, if the sinkhole check is not used to fix the house, it should be counted as taxable income to the homeowner receiving it, not just free money. Our check never came near our bank account...as it should not have.
Reply Report Abuse 5 7 Gov_Tilt_Head Jan 2, 2012 12:20 AM About 15 hours ago In August, Hodge, 52, was arrested on charges his company overbilled State Farm $202,800 for grout at 11 homes in the Orlando area. - Job creater, small business have too much regulations and close the border.(sarcasm) Happy this scum is getting the justice system up his sphincter. The sinkhole guy looks to be a a$$wh0le too.
Reply Report Abuse 5 5
humble Jan 2, 2012 12:53 AM About 15 hours ago I guess "arrested" means the same as "convicted" to you...LOL.....let's see how this story ends before you throw stones. Reply Report Abuse 7 3
tozzie Jan 2, 2012 4:14 AM About 11 hours ago Humble, you know so much. What is happening to the guy Click that ripped off so many? Is he still in the Hernando Jail? Reply Report Abuse 0 6
humble Jan 2, 2012 9:47 AM About 6 hours ago beats me.....he was "convicted" in court....not the newspaper! Reply Report Abuse 1 2 John Connor Jan 2, 2012 12:24 PM About 3 hours ago tilthead: Hodge is Dick Scott and the corrupt Repiggies type of guy! He's a job creator! Reply Report Abuse 0 0 nevertheless Jan 2, 2012 12:46 AM About 15 hours ago As people can see new laws don't do much to stop this from happening. "Business" owners with good lawyers can find the loopholes. You want to stop this? Two ways...One, actually prosecute the homeowner idiots who file insurance claims on houses they say have sinkholes, pay off the house, pocket the rest, and sell it for a profit. These homeowners are no different than the guy in this article. Two, require Citizens and any other insurance company to get THREE estimates. One from the government, one from the insurer, and one from the homeowner. Compare all three reports and if they all recommend the same thing at least you have somewhat of a consensus of opinion. If the reports conflict you get the 3 adjusters together and find out what the problem is. It's cheaper than writing a blank check for taking to word of a possible fraudulent homeowner. The cost of these reports will be covered by homeowners insurance as it is a report, not a repair.
Reply Report Abuse 6 5
1flhome Jan 2, 2012 6:58 AM About 9 hours ago troll. must have insurance industry ties. insurance is a gamble and the insurance biz dont like the way the dice are rolling. too bad. they have taken it the consumer for years and now they want to weasel out of coverage. Reply Report Abuse 4 4 Bugaboo62 Jan 2, 2012 12:30 PM About 3 hours ago Prosecute the homeowner?! Is this guy for real. ??Shut off the tv, put Down the paper and get off your couch sitting butt and do some research. People ,stop being followers , this country is full to the brim with stupidity. We all think because we read it it's true.... When did we stop using our own heads and let everyone else tell us what to believe? Your post is simply sad. And frankly dumb Reply Report Abuse 2 1 nevertheless Jan 2, 2012 12:49 AM About 15 hours ago To clarify what I said previously. The homeowners I am referring to are the ones who KNOW what they have is not a sinkhole problem, but a settling issue..two different things. If two certified building inspectors come out and state, on the record, that it is not a sinkhole and the homeowner still tries to file for sinkhole coverage they should be prosecuted for fraud.
Reply Report Abuse 2 7 Over50NATIVE Jan 2, 2012 6:37 AM About 9 hours ago Arrest and JAIL the SCUM.
Reply Report Abuse 1 8 Darby Jan 2, 2012 6:40 AM About 9 hours ago So, it's not our exposure to the elements that causes our premiums to go sky high. It's our exposure to crooks.
Reply Report Abuse 1 7 USTAXPAYER Jan 2, 2012 6:57 AM About 9 hours ago we as consumers need to start recording anybody that has anything to do with the repairs, sales, etc of our property. When calling on the phone & a recording states that a conversation may be recorded. Well guess what, the same goes for you. You are being advised that you ill be recorded! Let's see what happens when they know they are being recorded???
Reply Report Abuse 0 4 1flhome Jan 2, 2012 6:59 AM About 9 hours ago Funny how this is breaking news since sinkhole activity has been around forever. What has not been around all that long though is the pressure from the insurance industry to create a very difficult situation for the homeowner. Insurance companies want to weasel out of any liability....they just want to collect the premiums and fight any claims. They need Florida lawmakers help and will get it as long as they "contribute" to the campaigns. baynews9 w/ Al Rueshel also had a strangely biased report on this topic implying the poor insurance companies need to clamp down on these outrageous homeowners having the audacity to file a claim for a sinkhole ! I mean, they got your premium in the mail and know you want , what? these journalist have bought the insurance industry pitch hook , line and sinker. suckers and they trying to spread the word.
Reply Report Abuse 1 7 CageKickerHack Jan 2, 2012 7:17 AM About 8 hours ago Maybe the insurance companies should have actually made sure there was a sinkhole instead of just writing checks.
Reply Report Abuse 0 8 ServingHim Jan 2, 2012 7:33 AM About 8 hours ago Why don't people just do the right thing, the honest thing, all the time?
Reply Report Abuse 0 5
John Connor Jan 2, 2012 12:28 PM About 3 hours ago servinghim: cuz you're in FloriDUH which is full of thieves, crooks, con artists, scammers, good for nothings, vagabonds, lowlifes, rednecks, ghetto hoodlums, illegal immigrants, etc., etc. We even have thieves and crooks running our government! They don't call it FloriDUH for nothing! Reply Report Abuse 1 2 hudson harry Jan 2, 2012 8:06 AM About 7 hours ago I may be missing it but just what is the Fl .new sinkhole law going to be ? What about a realitor that has bought all property that was short saled and appears to have sink hole activity .She has filed claims on all of them to see which 1's will pan out .
Reply Report Abuse 0 3
florida1 Jan 2, 2012 2:18 PM About 1 hour ago I believe they are referring to the new law requiring only catastrophic coverage be provided. Now, your house will pretty much have to actually fall into a hole for you to get payment. They are not going to repair anything less. "Structural damage only". Another win for the insurance companies. Reply Report Abuse 0 0 sselzer Jan 2, 2012 8:20 AM About 7 hours ago Citizens are crooks too. Think about it 1.5 customers and they paid out $245 million in claims that would be like everyone paiding $2.45 in sinkhole premiums. Mine sinkhole premium was like $1200.00. Sure they are always one or two companies that are crooked. But Citizens is the biggest one.
Reply Report Abuse 0 2 sselzer Jan 2, 2012 8:20 AM About 7 hours ago Citizens are crooks too. Think about it 1.5 customers and they paid out $245 million in claims that would be like everyone paiding $2.45 in sinkhole premiums. Mine sinkhole premium was like $1200.00. Sure they are always one or two companies that are crooked. But Citizens is the biggest one.
Reply Report Abuse 0 1
Hector1993 Jan 2, 2012 8:37 AM About 7 hours ago sselzer - make that $163.33 per customer in claims alone. Reply Report Abuse 0 1 Thinkaboutit Jan 2, 2012 8:27 AM About 7 hours ago Where are regular state inspectors to check on the work? What did they do with the cement they sent back? They cannot keep it for another day so where is the information from the company that provides the cement to these guys? How many homes are now showing signs of new sinkhole issues? Where is that info?
Reply Report Abuse 0 4 STFU Donny Jan 2, 2012 8:35 AM About 7 hours ago This is an area where the State has let the citizens down. It seems like fraud is so easy to perpetrate in Florida.
I would have thought the State could hire Geologist's from the leading universities to develop a a survey and contingency plans for homes built on questionable land plots. They could then provide a list of qualified contractor's. Any citizen confronted with a sinkhole could view the State's web site to see who qualifies as competent repair companies. The State monitors all the work and maintains the database of repair personnel.
This issue will never disappear in this state.
Letting the open market resolve this will only bring more fraud including scrupulous builders trying to build on land that presents itself as future sinkholes.
Reply Report Abuse 1 2
John Connor Jan 2, 2012 12:31 PM About 3 hours ago STFU Donny: wooahh, you're WAY too logical and rational. Remember, the guys who will get the work (er I mean perp) are those that give the biggest campaign contributions to Dick Scott and the corrupt Repiggies. That's how it works here in FloriDUH! Reply Report Abuse 0 1 STFU Donny Jan 2, 2012 8:35 AM About 7 hours ago This is an area where the State has let the citizens down. It seems like fraud is so easy to perpetrate in Florida.
I would have thought the State could hire Geologist's from the leading universities to develop a a survey and contingency plans for homes built on questionable land plots. They could then provide a list of qualified contractor's. Any citizen confronted with a sinkhole could view the State's web site to see who qualifies as competent repair companies. The State monitors all the work and maintains the database of repair personnel.
This issue will never disappear in this state.
Letting the open market resolve this will only bring more fraud including scrupulous builders trying to build on land that presents itself as future sinkholes.
Reply Report Abuse 1 1 SilencedVet Jan 2, 2012 8:36 AM About 7 hours ago Now honest people can't get sinkhole insurance at ANY cost. Thanks Citizens...
Reply Report Abuse 0 4 florida1 Jan 2, 2012 8:56 AM About 7 hours ago I don't understand why people think it is fruadulent if a homeowner chooses to pay off his home with the proceeds and leave. Who really wants to live in a sinkhole home? I don't, and if my proceeds had been sufficient to do so, I can't say I would have stayed. I still owe the same on my house, but now it is both underwater and has a repaired sinkhole. If your car is in an accident and the repairs are more than the value, they don't force you to fix it. You paid for the insurance, so where is the scam in that. Any remediation company or inspector found to be committing fraud needs to be prosecuted. This is an extremely dangerous thing they are doing.
Reply Report Abuse 1 4 everythingsmagic Jan 2, 2012 8:57 AM About 7 hours ago Ain't capitalism great?
Reply Report Abuse 1 3 Spock Jan 2, 2012 9:21 AM About 6 hours ago Being tried and convicted in the media sure will save us taxpayers a lot of money in the judicial system.
Reply Report Abuse 2 2 Justthinking Jan 2, 2012 9:55 AM About 6 hours ago Exactly Florida 1! Initially, my intent was to stabilize my home. Then I find the repair companies offer no real guarantees, sinkhole insurance is unlikely even after repairs, even "repaired" my home loses 30 or more percent of its value, if during the repair process damage occurs to other property I can get sued, etc. Plus, the insurance rep told me that everyone involved was corrupt! The intent of this series and the Bay Nine interviewer appears to be to create sympathy for the insurance industry and animosity towards people who make a practical decision. I offered to have State Farm, just pay the mortgage off (no money coming to me) which would cost LESS than repairing my home and State Farm said "NO"! How is that good business sense? I also asked them to pay the repair companies directly and they said NO to that too. They don't want the liability and they don't want the insured coming back to them if the repairs fail.Tell the WHOLE story. Examine the warranties of repair companies!
Reply Report Abuse 0 6 LePetomane Jan 2, 2012 10:28 AM About 5 hours ago Watch out for the "subterranean gyroscope" sell.
Reply Report Abuse 1 1 Bugaboo62 Jan 2, 2012 11:08 AM About 4 hours ago After getting a nightmare run around by my insurance company , I ended up settling ( as is my right for you ins company lovers!) my wife and I hired APT to underpin our home. I can't speak for everyone else, but this company is a class act. They responded promptly , answered my calls ( try getting you insurance Compnay to do that!) and fixed my home . I have an engineering report with pictures of everything they did. I have a permit as well. I would never normally write in one of these comment sections, but it appears that other than a single line response , the contractor hasn't given very much of his side of the story. The media today annoys the hell out of me. I for one am sick of them pushing an agenda on us. They are on the side of the insurance industry and this article proves it. Great start to a new name Tampa Bay times. Some of us hope for unbiased reporting, some day , some year, some century! Why not interview some of the " people" and ask their insurance experience!
Reply Report Abuse 1 5
humble Jan 2, 2012 11:40 AM About 4 hours ago well said Bugaboo........funny how the only "comments" in the story that were in the least negative...are from "ex employess" and State Farm......I guess a compny like APT that takes the homeowners side......as opposed to other repair companies who DEPEND on Insurance company work...WOULD put a target on your back! I for one would like to hear the contractors side of this. Reply Report Abuse 1 3 jakefromaripeka Jan 2, 2012 11:55 AM About 4 hours ago Were all these homes free of mortgages? If so, what the homeowner chooses to do with the money is in fact his/her business. It would seem that a possible solution to protectt neighboring property values might be to require a mandatory inspection to insure habitability after a sinkhole claim is paid. If house fails to pass, then repairs must be made or house demolished. If house passes, then the condition should be noted on the tax assessor's property description which is a public record. If evidence of unpermitted repairs are detected during the inspection, procedure already exists to handle that situation. Anyone who buys a house with a
record of sinkhole repair would know what they are getting and should pay accordingly.
Reply Report Abuse 1 1 Jada Jan 2, 2012 1:16 PM About 2 hours ago The insurance companies should never make the check out to the homeowner alone, it should be made to the owner and the repair company and only after said repairs have been proven. There needs to be someone checking on the whole sink hole repair thing. We can barely pay our insurance premiums as it is and they get jacked up higher and higher do to the crooks committing fraud. It is not fair to the rest of us to pay for something we had no part in. 2 1/2 more years and we are out of this scamming crook haven of a state.
Reply Report Abuse 1 1
florida1 Jan 2, 2012 2:14 PM About 1 hour ago I've said it before and I will continue to say it. When the contractor helps me pay my insurance premium, he should then have the right to have his name on my check. Currently, if it is mortgaged, the mortgage company name is also on the check, because they HAVE AN INTEREST in the property. The contractor has no interest other than getting paid the negotiated amount for the work they complete. Reply Report Abuse 0 1
florida1 Jan 2, 2012 2:21 PM About 1 hour ago I personally did receive a check payable to us and the remediation company, but we were already utilizing their services. Our insurer tried to state they did not have to give us the remediation portion, and only give us the cosmetic portion, if we did not engage a company. I do not think they can legally do that (I think someone had won such a suit previously), but we were doing it anyway so not worth the fight for nothing. Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 1:54 PM About 2 hours ago James Darrell Mason used to work for Chastain Bros (and sister) sinkhole repair co. Here's the kicker ... he's a snitching little dishonest cocaine armed trafficker and all his relatives are city of tampa employees (fire, parking, water, retired, sheriff, cop etc ALSO COUNTY as denoted by sheriff) He snitched out a bunch of mom/pop potdealers (like 84) and got off on probation lite. BUT when he lived close by here we believe and have evidence that here and in the campus park neighborhood they were using HOSES at night to create sinkholes. That kinda explains the huge one that opened up by the VA doesn't it? When you use water hoses to create them the idiots knew they were going to create other problems. I woke up one morning and our tree was at a different angle, my child also reported different issues to the ground. Here and in Campus park we began to research the water bills and they would be between 500 and 700 or more for ONE MONTH. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? Well, the more you learn
Reply Report Abuse 0 1 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 1:58 PM About 2 hours ago SO>>> if anyone remembers the period when Tampa city utilities cut down the random access to water bills, THAT WAS THEN. We saved all the evidence in paint and word docs. ALL THE SAME FAMILY OF CARNIES which the masons (steve mason also quoted in story, probably a relative as city of parking fat mom dorothy roberts mason hides her several homes and one is in SPRINGHILL along with numerous other bikers (john kevin roberts).. THEN .. all that water bill info was hidden in some cases, such as you formerly could go back through EACH tenant of the property no matter how many and the name was there. NO MORE. In fact once they see you researching it they will disappear the criminals as all have records or family with sinister records/jobs. ESPECIALLY 8501 Arden Avenue ... NOW you know. They were making the sinkholes AND collecting the insurance (remember pasco) and then USING THEIR FRIENDS' crooked companies to "repair" them and also doing innocent people out of their homes such. NOTABLY: cre
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 2:07 PM About 1 hour ago Lake crenshaw homeowners and mockingbird lane, sulphur springs many areas, VA area and UNIversity mall area and pasco. Notably after these folks were "sinkholed" sinister freaks who act like cops with plenty of dough slithered in and built mansions to themselves. Our backyard is exactly the same. After we began investigating the water bills and found evidence of that the sinkhole ploy stopped and they upgraded to dropping our oak tree on our roof (thousands of dollars all told) while the city of tampa worked on killing it just after the counting of the grand oaks. Directly after all this "sinkhole" activity you see "Development".. jim norman anyone?? Yes. And the rest of the criminals. All anyone has to do is come investigate our backyard. They use a similar method to pipe in pesticides and other toxins (shelley john golden child molester and son in business with tampa fire rescue note the mason/roberts family again) so that when you work outside you are sickened. it makes you angry...
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 patric Jan 2, 2012 2:13 PM About 1 hour ago The homeowner shouldn't get a penny. If repairs are performed and verified, then a check for the acual repair cost should go to the company that made the repairs. Besides, these companies that do all the drilling and report "activity" are nothing but crooks. People, we live on a sand bar, this is Florida, there is going to be settling of the sand under every home built. Big surprize??? Put these crooks in jail, what a typical Florida shell game.
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 patric Jan 2, 2012 2:13 PM About 1 hour ago The homeowner shouldn't get a penny. If repairs are performed and verified, then a check for the acual repair cost should go to the company that made the repairs. Besides, these companies that do all the drilling and report "activity" are nothing but crooks. People, we live on a sand bar, this is Florida, there is going to be settling of the sand under every home built. Big surprize??? Put these crooks in jail, what a typical Florida shell game.
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 2:15 PM About 1 hour ago The air itself makes you angry. Thick and you can often see the substance hanging in the air. Soon your eyes feel burnt and you feel anger for no apparent reason. this works out very well for LEO such as corrupt Bill Dill and his partners and bosses who somewhere (mumford) take responsibility for the HIT on mike roberts with the SAME CRIMINAL KREWE (note the common thread of roberts/mason/highsmith/city/county/LEO/FIRE) .. they try to catch you when you are under the influence of these nasty chemicals OR even when not and play the crazy train on you. So there is no one to complain to. THEN we have homicide crooked detective HANK DURAN using plant high school, robinson and other teenagers to infiltrate your family and wreak havoc. Besides Christine Breen and Robert O'Neill all hooks trace back to Henry Melvin Duran and his buddy cop 644. AND HINES. Check out Henry's obscene wealth in public records and hidden under wifey's maiden name with sis. Check out henry's affiliation with stalker
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 2:24 PM About 1 hour ago And we also have the ESCOBIO FAMILY heavily participating. How do Henry and MANY OTHER COPS have millions AND MILLIONS IN REAL ESTATE?? HOW does his buddy Julia Hawkins Massucci (and another marriage I believe) have a cocaine dealing sister and other family ensconced at 3819 EUCLID along with scum employed by Jason Kuhn where they just "happen" to have your family member along with every scum on the planet?? Ask Henry Duran if you can find him at his drug lord mansion. Ask Jerry Hamlett on longfellow.
Ask them what they have on these kids. Ask Joey Granda, Jerry's neighbor. Recently figured out they're not just stalkers but MAJOR CRIMINALS. We have NO POLICE, NO FDLE and NO FBI and NO SHERIFF in Hillsborough County Florida. I am going to present a powerpoint of evidence very shortly. Have had enough of these thugs endangering myself and family so they can live like fat lords. Must be a great comfort to Henry's neighbors to have such a slug watching their health waiting for it to falter
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 2:30 PM About 1 hour ago Henry also houses (along with TPD and TFR involved in the BRITO murders) teenagers from plant and other hschools who participate in rampant crime including armed robberies (brian mayo) he gets people who are hurting from the loss of family members to commit stalking. they're not just stalkers they are MAJOR CRIMINALS. As well, he has bryan mayo's partners cousin Kitchens (the only armed robber who did not go to prison) ensconced with the other criminals at 3819 euclid a dump managed by the nephew of the largest con in florida history and owned by those further connected to oneill and breen of three green fields. henry has TWO OTHER houses backed up to the expressway where investigation would lead to further discovery as well, he now has one in his son inlaw's name. WHY DO TPD AND TFR HAVE MILLIONS IN REAL ESTATE??????????? Why is henry allowed to house criminals? Why was every house involved in the brito murders owned by firemen or cops? Do your homework spt or be known as complicit.
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johnbeachfl Jan 2, 2012 3:03 PM About 37 minutes ago med check Reply Report Abuse 0 0
humble Jan 2, 2012 3:17 PM About 23 minutes ago LOL.....yep. Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:24 PM About 16 minutes ago So if you're keeping count .. that's at MIMIMUM FIVE VERY PRICEY HOMES one once rented to a family whose child died sadly and likely was investigated by Duran. ALTHOUGH they owned another home. It just goes on and on. THAT DAUGHTER who lost her brother was used to stalk my family. All public record. While she was doing this officer 644 was also a constant. She appeared to be recording our conversations, as well when we took her to dinner and other places. You have to feel bad for her and then look at what has also been done to her. He capitalizes on human misery and also owns a beach condo. WHAT ABOUT THAT SAYS HONEST COP??? NOTHING. He also likes to be a pall bearer for other kids who die mysteriously. WHO WILL INVESTIGATE HENRY DURAN?? Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:01 PM About 39 minutes ago DURAN MELVIN A-34-29-18-3UL-000000-00032.0 126773-0000 3508 S CONCORDIA AV TAMPA
3 DURAN MELVIN H A-33-29-18-3TP-000018-00021.0 123332-0000 4107 W GRANADA ST TAMPA
4 DURAN MELVIN HENRY A-33-29-18-3TR-000021-00021.0 124117-0000 4107 SAN PEDRO ST TAMPA
Matches found for search results by name "duran ryan"
Owner Name Parcel ID Folio Address City
1 DURAN RYAN A-34-29-18-3UL-000000-00033.0 126774-0000 3510 S CONCORDIA AV TAMPA
(just "sold" to his son who appears involved in stalking online business)
He also has interest in THE FIRST one on concordia because his daughter lives there.
This one or 3504 NEITHER ARE LISTED IN PUBLIC RECORDS yet they exist and his daughter lives in one of them AND also is seen at his druglord mansion WHAT IS A TAMPA CITY DETECTIVE DOING OWNING THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMES UPSIDE THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY??
3506 S Concordia Ave
maps.google.com
Bus: Sterling Av @ Euclid Av
3504 S Concordia Ave
maps.google.com
Bus: Sterling Av @ Euclid ●●●
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larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:38 PM About 2 minutes ago 97 DURAN MELISSA U-19-27-19-1BO-000000-00019.0 033939-4087 1702 BLIND POND AV LUTZ 98 DURAN MELVIN A-34-29-18-3UL-000000-00032.0 126773-0000 3508 S CONCORDIA AV TAMPA 99 DURAN MELVIN H A-33-29-18-3TP-000018-00021.0 123332-0000 4107 W GRANADA ST TAMPA 100 DURAN MELVIN HENRY A-33-29-18-3TR-000021-00021.0 124117-0000 4107 SAN PEDRO ST TAMPA DURAN MELVIN HENRY BARCELO ROCHELE LEIGH Mailing Address 4107 W GRANADA ST, TAMPA, FL 33629-6711 APPLY FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ONLINE NEARBY SALES PIN: A-33-29-18-3TR-000021-00021.0 Folio: 124117-0000 Prior PIN: Prior Folio: 1241170001 Tax District: TH TAMPA Property Use: 0100 SINGLE FAMILY R Plat Book / Page: 14 / 7 Neighborhood: 202003.00 | Virginia Park/Maryland Manor Area Subdivision: 3TR | MARYLAND MANOR REVISED PLAT Reply Report Abuse 0 0 larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:02 PM About 38 minutes ago DURAN ROCHELLE L
HINES CHARISSE BARCELO TRUSTEE
Mailing Address
4107 W GRANADA ST,
TAMPA, FL 33629-6711
Parcel ID Folio Address City
1 HINES CHARISSE BARCELO TRUSTEE A-33-29-18-3TP-000019-00003.0 123335-0000 4106 W GRANADA ST TAMPA
Reply Report Abuse 0 0 grammapoker Jan 2, 2012 3:03 PM About 37 minutes ago Appears there are more and more dishonest businesses in Florida. Isn't there a better way to track what these crooks are doing?
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larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:43 PM About -1 minutes ago Suggested routes2.4 mi, 8 mins W Euclid Ave and S Concordia Ave
Driving directions to 3504 S Concordia Ave, Tampa, FL 33629 3D2D
4107 W San Pedro StTampa, FL 33629
1. Head west on W San Pedro St toward S Lois Ave
440 ft
2. Take the 1st right onto S Lois Ave
0.2 mi
3. Turn right onto W Granada St
Destination will be on the left
472 ft
0.4 mi – about 2 mins
4107 W Granada StTampa, FL 33629
4. Head east on W Granada St toward S Clark Ave
0.4 mi
5. Turn right onto FL-600 W/US-92 W
0.9 mi
6. Turn right onto W Euclid Ave
Destination will be on the left
400 ft
1.4 mi – about 3 mins
3816 W Euclid AveTampa, FL 33629
7. Head east on W Euclid Ave toward FL-600 W/US-92 W
0.4 mi
8. Turn left onto S Gunlock Ave
141 ft
9. Take the 1st right onto S Concordia Ave
Destination will be on the right
0.2 mi
0.6 mi – about 3 mins
3504 S Concordia AveTampa, FL 33629
Save to My Maps
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larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 3:46 PM About -1 minutes ago and on the way you pass his other three properties and vacant lots and those in ill health and lots of confederate flags. I believe now that Henry is a puerto rican which would explain why so many puerto ricans harass my family when we have never bothered ANYONE and have consistently displayed NOTHING BUT LOVE for our fellow humans. When will someone find out how Henry and other tampa cops and firemen have so MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REAL ESTATE and why henry seems to attract armed robbers, gangster, murderers and bereft people??? Check out his deal for the house he finagled across the street. Look at every paper. Then research THOSE NAMES. Something is VERY VERY wrong there. Thanks Henry, for being so abjecty stupid. I remember that from our very brief conversation how very quickly you show how very stupid you are. No surprise you've done well in the tampa police murder and theft ring.
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larryburnettwhitetrashtenants Jan 2, 2012 4:28 PM About -1 minutes ago Henry, if one more FILTHY DIRTY TAMPA COP opines to my family that I am "in need of medication" I assert and avow that you my stupid acquaintance will be in need of a MUCH BETTER attorney than de la grana or laurato to get your ●●● unburied from florida state prison yard where a lot of boys will be happy to see you. Luckily many puerto ricans are there so with the right tattoos you will do OK. All your cop friends are as stupid AS YOU. It's very telling. Back to 3816 Euclid and AJ KITCHENS and Officer BARLOG (brady from southpark) I give you this sole warning. I know what you are and I can prove it. Get your biker scum and your puerto rican scum and your friend colin's IRA SCUM shoved back under that smelly rock of yours.... no doubt you have a huge cash stash. Better move it before the feds arrive (LOL) How many houses ya got to hide THAT IN?? How close to YOUR beach house did molly ammons DIE HENRY????
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