September 19, 2012

Many Mid-State homeowners claim they have a disaster in the backyard..

They say a local pool company took their money, didn't finish the job, and left a huge mess.

The company is called Premier Pools and Patios, and last week the owners filed for bankruptcy.

FOX 17 News has learned those owners have a criminal past.

"Nobody likes to see a construction zone in their backyard," says one Williamson County homeowner.

It was supposed a beautiful pool completed in time for Summer, but months later it's still a mess.

A homeowner, who doesn't want to be identified, says he paid $93,000 dollars to Premier Pools and Patios.

The work started last November, but he claims workers wouldn't show up for weeks at a time.

"When April and May rolled around, we began to get a little nervous because we were still dealing with basically a mud hole in our backyard," says the homeowner.

Premier Pools and Patios currently has an "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Last week the company filed for bankruptcy.

A list of creditors includes nearly 100 customers and subcontractors across Middle Tennessee.

FOX 17 News spoke to a number of former customers, all of whom are out tens of thousands of dollars for pools that were never completed.

"In my mind they're shysters, they're absolute criminals. They have a very bad habit of lying to the consumer, and they're not a legitimate company in my opinion," says the homeowner.

FOX 17 News has learned that Premier's owners, Ed and Anna Shanks, have a sordid history.

They were arrested several years ago in Mississippi for home repair fraud. Prosecutors say they received payment to build pools, but performed little or no work.

FOX 17 was able to speak with Anna Shanks on the phone. She says she's very sorry about the bankruptcy, and that people are unhappy. However, on the advice of her attorney, she's not making any other comments.

The company claims to be the "pool people, people trust."

But now many customers have a mess on their hands and thousands of dollars down the drain.