Midtown General Maintenance

I contacted this business on the 5th of February 2014 to have some work done on my HVAC system. The employee (and I assume to be owner/sole operator) of this business, a man who goes by the name [redacted] gave me an estimate of $475 to do the work. He arrived at my place of residence with his friend, a woman named [redacted]. He requested half of the money up front for supplies, so I wrote a check for $237.50, and [redacted] requested it be made out to [redacted]. I assumed that they were business partners. They wrote a paper "receipt" for me, but it does not have any identifying information on it. I then later discussed the work with my landlord who told me that he would use his own contractor, so I should cancel the job I arranged. I notified [redacted] of this the NEXT DAY before the work was even begun, and told him I would not need his services any longer. A few days after this, on the 10th of February, he cashed the check I wrote anyway, despite knowing that the work was not going to occur. I then contacted him shortly after to discuss a refund. He said that he would talk with his "corporate office" about sending me a refund check in the mail that would arrive in two weeks. Two weeks later, nothing arrived. Contacting him again, he told me that he would talk to them and I would have the refund within a week. As of 11 April 2014, it has now been almost exactly two months since he first cashed the check, and nothing has ever shown up in the mail, nor have I seen "[redacted]" face to face again. He has given nothing but excuses and made up reasons as to why he cannot give me a refund for work that was never even begun. I've asked for the phone number for his "corporate office", but he would never disclose it to me saying that they won't listen to customers who don't have an official receipt. He eventually said he would pay me the refund out of his own pocket, but two times that we were supposed to meet for him to give me the money, he would conveniently be out of service or not answer his phone.Product_Or_Service: Home repairs for HVACOrder_Number: XXXXXXDesired SettlementAll I desire is to receive $230 back as a refund for the work that was unable to be completed. I have learned horrible lessons regarding 1. not paying half up front for anything, EVER, and 2. the ability to put a stop on a check with my bank before it gets cashed. I will never fall into this kind of scam trap again, but I would still like to have the $230 back so I do not have to accept the knowledge that I practically gave this business free money for nothing.