Unacceptable Experience- Company Stole R18,800

I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with the service of this company. This company has shown unprofessionalism, lack of accountability, and poor customer service. On December 4, 2024, I used Bark.com to find someone for kitchen renovations. I came across this company, and a man named Ben contacted me. He asked me to send him pictures of my kitchen and said he'd get back to me later. That evening, around 21:00, Ben messaged me saying "Hi once again, we would be happy to help you out with this job. Kindly let me know when you're available so I can come measure the space, show you samples of the boards, give you a quotation, and we'll take it from there." The following morning, December 5, 2024, Ben asked about the type of material I wanted for my kitchen. He asked, "Okay, would you want to do gloss cupboards or normal melamine boards with tops/granite or normal boards?" After I informed him of my preference, he gave me an estimate of R22, 400 for the labour and installation. He said he would come on Saturday, December 7, 2024, to take measurements. However, when he arrived, he didn't bring a measuring tape or any samples and tools. Instead, he simply asked about our (my daughter was with me on that day) ideas for the kitchen. He assured me the work would be completed within three days and said I should confirm when I'd be ready to proceed so he could provide a formal quotation. I told him I'd like the installation to begin on January 15, 2025, as I would be receiving my bonus then. On January 15, I paid a deposit of R18,800, which reflected the following day, January 16. When I called to confirm, Ben acknowledged receiving the payment and said his workers would come on January 17 to remove the old cupboards and begin installing the new ones on January 18. Unfortunately, no one showed up on January 17. I texted Ben to ask what was going on, and he rep****, "Hey, my guys should be on their way there." After that, Ben started ignoring my calls and messages. I eventually contacted his admin person, Jolene Hassell, who claimed they were also struggling to reach Ben. Later that day, I received an email from Jolene saying: "Hey again, Just got off with one of our workers. There was a mix-up with addresses. Your materials are ready. Sorry about the inconvenience. Will advise as soon as I know when things are going for your site past the weekend." This was on a Friday. I responded by asking if the workers could start the following morning, but Jolene rep****, "Unfortunately, we do not work on weekends. I will make sure work is started at your place on Monday without fail." On Sunday, January 19, I emailed again to confirm the workers' arrival on Monday, January 20. Yet, no one showed up. Ben continued ignoring my calls and texts, and Jolene stopped responding to my emails. On January 20, I emailed the admin team expressing my disappointment and frustration. Jolene rep**** "Hi, good morning. We have to provide you back with your deposit. Kindly share your banking details." I promptly sent the banking details, but no refund was issued. Later, I received another email saying, "Kindly give me some time. I am failing to reach Ben to confirm a few things." I followed up with multiple emails asking what was causing the delay, especially since I had already sent proof of payment. However, neither Ben nor Jolene responded. As of today, January 21, 2025, I still have not received a refund or any proper communication. This company took my deposit, made false promises, and failed to deliver on their commitments. All I want is to get back my money. To anyone considering their services: Stay Away! They are unreliable, unaccountable, and will take your money without delivering on their promises.