Many of Kurt Wittin’s past clients have accused him of fraud. He has also been the target of numerous losing lawsuits.
Many customers in Canada and the U.S. say that Wittin’s reference to the TV show in his marketing material and on his website played a major role in their decision.
CBC News reports that British Columbian Winnie Lin paid $27,000 to have a pool constructed from a metal container. She says she signed a contract after watching Wittin on the show.
CBC News contacted the trucking firm Wittin had told Lin he’d use. The company revealed that it had delivered two pools to Wittin over a year earlier and never received payment. The company claims Wittin owes it more than $20,000. However, they don’t expect to receive the money.
Wittin also uses variations of his name in his emails and contracts, such as Kurt Witten and Kurt Witton. This makes it harder for customers to find reviews about his services.
He has also changed the name of his business several times. Kustom Container Builders has been one of them.
A customer from Texas says she has heard of clients who have paid large sums of money for Wittin’s services but never received any pool. She paid him US$27,000 ($36,752) but never received the pool.
Chantelle Delion, a Kelowna resident, received a difficult cancer diagnosis in 2020. She wanted to install a swimming pool for her children as she faced multiple surgeries. Seventeen Pools was found online, and she was impressed with Wittin’s responsiveness and engaging personality. She negotiated the price at $45,000 including delivery while still in hospital. Her family then opened a credit line to pay. Nearly two years after the purchase, she has not received her pool. Wittin was sued and she won, but he only paid her around $1,000 via wage garnishment. Delion told Wittin that she had spoken to CBC News. Wittin responded, “If I wanted to get paid, don’t ruin the thing trying to earn money to pay me.”
Delion took this to mean that she should have kept quiet if she wished to receive the money.
Wittin explained the delays in an interview with CBC News. He attributed them to a failed partnership, issues related to COVID, and many other factors. Customers who were disappointed said that they’d heard the same excuses over and over again. Wittin admitted owing clients money, but claimed to not know how much. Alleine in Manitoba, Wittin was facing more than $500,000. Wittin also declared bankruptcy 3 times and had an extensive history of complaints from customers at previous businesses. Customers tried to complain at the police but were told that it was civil matter.
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