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Templates / Money paid up front and the job stopped.

Review template: paid deposit, work abandoned

Use it when: You paid a deposit or progress payment and the business stopped showing up.

The template

I paid [business] a deposit of $[amount] on [date] for [scope of work]. As of [today's date], [describe exactly what is finished and what is not].

My last contact from them was on [date]. I have sent [number] written requests for a schedule since, all unanswered. I have the signed contract, the deposit receipt, and dated photos of the site.

I am posting this so the next customer can weigh the deposit against the record.

— [Your name], customer since [date]

Filled example

I paid Cedar Ridge Builders a deposit of $2,400 on 12 March 2026 for a kitchen remodel: cabinets, countertop, and sink installation. As of 25 March 2026, no cabinets have been delivered, no demolition has begun, and the site has not been visited since the deposit was taken.

My last contact from them was on 18 March 2026. I have sent three written requests for a schedule since, all unanswered. I have the signed contract, the deposit receipt, and dated photos of the untouched kitchen.

I am posting this so the next customer can weigh the deposit against the record.

— A. Voss, customer since March 2026

What to swap in

  • [scope of work] — quote it from the contract wording
  • The completion description — be literal and countable
  • Contractor playbook: https://www.gopostl.com/how-to-review/contractor
  • Dentist playbook: https://www.gopostl.com/how-to-review/dentist
  • This page is the review form, not those how-tos and not small-claims/AG/BBB.

What gets it deleted

  • "They stole my money" — say what was paid and what was delivered instead
  • Predicting what they will do to future customers

The full wording rules are in how to write a review that stays up, and the terms behind them are in the glossary.

More templates