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Contractor Matt Banks' Escambia County license revoked for failure to pay restitution

Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read

Escambia County revoked embattled contractor Matt Banks' license Thursday morning after he failed to pay restitution to two families.

The former Escambia contractor has had dozens of complaints filed against him over recent months for allegedly failing to complete, or even begin, construction after taking down payments of up to 50% on home remodel projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Andie Gibson, Escambia County's public information manager, told the News Journal the county revoked Banks' license after the Contractor Competency Board ordered him to pay over $62,000 to clients Jennifer and Eugene Stone, clients who filed complaints regarding unfinished repairs.

Escambia County resident David Bryan describes the lack of work completed by Banks Construction on his home's bathroom on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. Banks Construction began the remodel late last year and has not finished the job after taking thousands of dollars in payment.
Escambia County resident David Bryan describes the lack of work completed by Banks Construction on his home's bathroom on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. Banks Construction began the remodel late last year and has not finished the job after taking thousands of dollars in payment.

"(Matt Banks) had his license revoked this morning," Gibson told the News Journal.

Northern District of Florida court records show Banks filed for bankruptcy Tuesday for his construction company, Banks Construction LLC, while also recently registering two new LLCs under his name — 3 T Construction LLC and Fourtee Construction LLC, according to the Florida Department of State Sunbiz website.

Santa Rosa County permanently revoked his license during a Building Code Board of Adjustments and Appeals meeting Wednesday. The revocation came after the board unanimously found Banks guilty of violating two Florida statutes while working on Gulf Breeze residents Kirk and Jennifer Anderson's home.

All the allegations: Dozens of people allege Escambia contractor took their money but never fixed their homes

License revoked: Santa Rosa revokes license of Pensacola contractor Matt Banks amid fraud allegations

Jennifer Anderson has become one of Banks' most outspoken critics and says she paid Banks Construction $40,000 for a full kitchen remodel but the company never started the work.

Banks Construction has had 15 complaints reach the Escambia County Contractor Competency Board's agenda since March of this year, including four complaints addressed during an Aug. 3 meeting, according to the competency board's agenda schedules.

Escambia County resident David Bryan describes the lack of work completed by Banks Construction on his home's bathroom on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. Banks Construction began the remodel late last year and has not finished the job after taking thousands of dollars in payment.
Escambia County resident David Bryan describes the lack of work completed by Banks Construction on his home's bathroom on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. Banks Construction began the remodel late last year and has not finished the job after taking thousands of dollars in payment.

Banks is also under investigation by the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, for possible fraud charges after Anderson compiled a list of hundreds of people who were allegedly duped by Banks.

OALE investigator Greg Johnson said he could not comment on the case, and the Department of Agriculture media line did not respond to the News Journal's calls.

Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola contractor Matt Banks' license revoked by Escambia County