BEWARE: Contractor (KM Renovation) in Gatineau – Took deposit and disappeared
Hi everyone, I wanted to share a warning about a contractor operating in the Gatineau/Ottawa area.
I hired an individual named Martin Leblanc, who operates under the name KM Renovation, for a painting job at my condo. After taking a $600 deposit, he missed three agreed-upon start dates (May 4, 6, and 8) and has completely ghosted all calls and messages from my representative on-site.
The Situation:
• ID vs. Business: I have a photo of his RAMQ card, and the face matches the person who visited my property. However, "KM Renovation" is a name registered to a business in Montreal with a completely different owner. It appears he is using this business name without authorization or operating unregistered.
• Address Issues: The address he provided verbally appears to be unverified, and since I am currently managing this from abroad, I’ve had to send all legal notices via email.
Legal Action Taken:
I have sent a formal Mise en Demeure (Formal Notice) giving him until May 13 to refund the deposit. If the money isn't returned, I will be:
- Filing a Small Claims Court case.
- Submitting a formal fraud report to the SPVG (Gatineau Police) with his ID attached.
- Reporting him to the RBQ and Revenue Québec for operating an unregistered business and taking deposits without performing work.
Has anyone else dealt with this specific person? If you have been scammed by him or have a verified address for him, please DM me. I’m building a file for the police and the court.