[Warning] Jeremy Johnstone has $100 of mine!

Hello everyone,

I would like to share my experience with a user here called Jeremy Johnstone, developer of hotscripts and cerberus.

Why am i posting this? Well to be blunt, i am appauled at the way i have been treated. Jeremy showed a total lack of professionalism and complete disrespect for me as a person.

My aim with this post is to try and get my $100 back and to warn other members who might be thinking about doing business with him....to seriously think again.

It all began one month ago, i contacted Jeremy to do a small script, his own words were "Couple days tops". I decided this would fit my own deadlines and paid him $100 upfront on the 28th November. I had several offers from freelancers at programmingtalk, i felt Jeremy (with his reputation would be the perfect candidate, how wrong could i be....)

Days went by with no word from Jeremy, i recieved no communication from his side, not one update of the script (to this day i am still not even sure he bothered to start it).

One week after the initial payment, i contacted him for any updates, his reply was "Not yet... been finishing something else up... Should be done with it this weekend"

The weekend came and went......when i eventually got hold of him to ask for an update i was often greeted with (what i perceived as rude comments, especially for a paying customer).

Me - "hi, any updates on the script, havent heard anything."
Jeremy - "bbiab... just walking out the door and already late"

On the 7th of december, about 1 week over the initial deadline he tells me with confidence "Should be done tonight", i ask for a preview (i assume if it is going to be finished tonight, i must be able to see something?) I must have mug written on my head...i am fobbed off with yet another excuse, "maybe in a couple hours... haven't done any HTML yet... just writing code".

So the next day....yet again i message him to ask about the project (He never once contacted me, i was always chasing him up). His response...."Not yet.... assuming I don't pass out I should have it done soon".

The story then changes somewhat....i am told his partner has slacked off and he is having to do work on another clients project. He then proceeds to tell me he has taken on two new clients, even though he is behind by over a week with my script!

Days pass....same questions, same answers. The 16th of december i speak to him again, his response "Looking like it will be done by tonight/tomorrow" where have i heard that before? Ah yes....10 days ago!

So anyway, communication falls dead on MSN, he never responds to anymore messages, he probably blocked my handle or something, because i always see him active on his companies forums. I make a post there asking him to contact me (sure enough he does)...it was the only way i could get any sort of communication. "Don't post on forums" is the first thing he says.

I then e-mail him asking what is going on, the project is over a month late...i haven't seen any previews...and he still has my $100 downpayment. The response from the e-mail sets me back quite abit!

"In light of current circumstances, you will be receiving a refund via
PayPal before the end of the week (most likely tomorrow morning). I
will not be completing the project and also will not be accepting any
kind of contract work from you (or anyone else for that matter) in the
future. I wish you the best of luck in finding someone who can work
with you"

I find it astonishing! A script that was "nearly done" 3 weeks ago, a script that was going to be finished up on the 6th of december has now been totally written off! Oh....and it seems he is also late on that refund, it has been 5 days now! I have sent numerous other e-mails...to no response, even though i can clearly see him active within communities.

I am sure there will be people responding to this message (deal with it in private, this isn't the place) Well i have tried, i am not getting anywhere..maybe when he reads this and understands i am not one to sit around waiting he will do something about it.

So, situation now is. He has my $100, i have never seen any evidence he even bothered with my script and he is avoiding all my e-mails.

I just want my money back, so i can find a decent programmer to finish the job Jeremy started (or didn't).