POINTE-CLAIRE – A landscaping nightmare for Donna Riley is coming to an end after strangers gathered to complete the work she says she paid $30,000 for, after she was allegedly abandoned by her contractor.
“Last year, we were pretty down because we were left in a mess and he also took a lot of money,” said Donna Riley.
“But today, it’s a whole new story. We feel great, we’re gonna have all new stone work done and a new lawn and it’s going to look amazing.”
READ MORE: Clients fuming after they say landscaper took their money and ran
Last December, Riley told Global News she made a contract with Steven Miller Landscaping to get work done on her lawn, back patio, drive and walkway.
She said she paid the company $30,000 but, according to Riley, only the driveway was finished.
After the story aired, a group of landscapers came forward and offered to redo Riley’s property free of charge.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Steven Miller Landscaping clients take their complaint to police
“It was just a tremendously good feeling that there are other people concerned about your situation that they’ll help you out,” said Donna’s husband, Ross Riley.
Marc Legault, from Les Entreprises Marc Legault, offered to re-level, re-sod and provide the soil for the lawn.
David Ciampini, from Groupe Pavex, is taking care of the pavé-uni.
“For me, it’s nothing,” said Ciampini.
“It’s a little bit of man hours, a little bit of material but at the end of the day, it’s making the world of difference for them so that’s what counts.”
In March, Global News sat down with Steven Miller.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: West Island landscaper under investigation speaks out
He explained he found out he owed money to Revenu Quebec in July 2015.
After fighting with them for a few months, he and his company were forced to declare bankruptcy.
According to Miller, his company accumulated debt partly because some clients didn’t pay their bills on time.
“Nobody wanted or expected things to come to an end this way,” Miller said.
“As disappointing as it is for my former clients, it’s disappointing for myself as well. They lost some things, I lost everything.”
Since then, others have come forward to say they too gave Miller money for work that was never done.
Montreal police confirmed to Global News the complaint against Steven Miller Landscaping had been handed over to the fraud unit.
As of Friday, the investigation is still ongoing.
WATCH: Landscaping nightmares in the West Island
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