TAMPA, Fla. — A local pool contractor at the center of a 10 Investigates investigation has had his license revoked.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation recently pulled JE Clear Pools' license. Customers tell 10 Investigates that while they are happy to see the state take action, they are still left with incomplete pools and out tens of thousands of dollars.
John Harvey White, who is listed as the pool contractor, had his license revoked doing business as both VMW Luxury Pools LLC and JE Clear Pools LLC based in Tampa. There are still open permits.
A spokesperson for Hillsborough County told 10 investigates that the Development Services team found:
- No new permits have been opened since February.
- He currently has 10 open permits.
- 37 completed permits and 3 permits have been withdrawn.
- Both licenses are listed as revoked at the Department of Business & Professional Licensing.
- The company has had one code compliance case which has been completed and closed.
10 Investigates also looked for projects in Pasco County and found JE Clear Pools has five open permits. There are also nine expired permits.
According to the order from DBPR, White has been ordered to pay an administrative fine of $17,500 and investigative costs to DBPR for $89.98. The board also ordered restitution for the homeowner who filed the complaint of no less than $15,000.
Customers like Chris Tontini told 10 Investigates back in March that JE Clear Pools was leaving them with just a mess in their backyards. Tontini says after the initial story ran, the company came out and put in PVC pipes at his Land O’ Lakes home, but then once again, never came back.
He’s paid JE clear pools $60,000 since signing a contract in June 2023.
Unfortunately, this is one of the handful of pool companies, including Platinum Pools and Olympus Pools, that 10 Tampa Bay has reported on where customers say they’ve paid for a dream pool and ended up with anything but that.
Here’s a deeper dive into how you can protect yourself:
- Under Florida law, if someone takes 10 percent or more of the total cost of a project for a deposit, they’re required to apply for any necessary permits within 30 days of that payment and start the work within 90 days of getting those permits.
- The BBB says just because they give you a license number, don’t stop doing your homework. Make sure you get a copy of the actual license and compare the name on there with the one on the contract.
- Make sure you call some of their previous clients too.
- Make sure you either write a check to the business on the contract or pay with a credit card because your creditor could have added protections should you have problems.
- Be aware of what’s called a price escalation clause which might drive up the price of the project:
Tontini says he has transferred his project permit so he can get the job completed with another contractor. If you are in a similar situation with a contractor, that might be your best option, as well, so that you don’t have to pay to get another permit down the road.