SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Multiple Valley women are searching for answers after paying thousands of dollars upfront for flooring from a Scottsdale business that they say was never delivered.
Elizabeth said she thought she had found the perfect hardwood flooring for her family's new home when she discovered the local business Haute Plank Flooring. She said the Scottsdale-based company had the size and color she wanted.
"In April of 2025, we started looking for hardwood flooring for our new house. We came across Haute Plank," Elizabeth explained.
"We placed an order at the end of April. They required an ACH payment, which was 100% of the cost of the flooring, which we did find unusual," Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth said the owner of Haute Plank told her the 100 percent upfront payment would ensure that she received the flooring in six to eight weeks. However, June, July, and August passed, and her flooring never came.
"The middle of June, when we were expecting to receive the flooring, we started reaching out to them, asking where the flooring was, and what the expected delivery date was. They started to say that there were some delays, that it would be towards the end of June, then it would be in July," Elizabeth said.
Tired of the delays, Elizabeth asked for a refund. She said after some back and forth, the company finally agreed to provide a full refund at the end of August, but that led to a new set of delays. Elizabeth shared text messages with us showing the back and forth between her and Haute Plank.
"There have been several meetings set up to meet with them at their bank, at Wells Fargo, meet them at their office, meet them wherever to get a check, to get a wire transfer, to somehow get any type of refund," Elizabeth explained.
"Every single time, they have canceled the appointment. They have made up some excuse," Elizabeth said.
That’s when Elizabeth reached out to Let ABC15 Know. Our volunteer Andrew reached out to the business on her behalf, and he was told by the owner that Elizabeth's refund was coming. Months later, she still didn’t have her money. We reached out to the owner directly, and she assured us in multiple emails that Elizabeth would get her refund, but she never did.
Throughout this process, Elizabeth discovered she was not the only Haute Plank customer waiting for flooring that was already paid for.
Donna said she was also told by the owner of the business that she had to pay 100 percent of her flooring costs upfront when she went to place her order last fall.
"She said it's custom, and that's my policy," Donna explained.
"And she said it would be six weeks, and we had to move in in October. So, that meant we would have our flooring in August," Donna added.
Months later, Donna also does not have her flooring.
"You'll see duct tape all over our plastic floors," Donna said while walking the Let ABC15 Know team through her home.
"It's a cascading effect. You can't put your flooring in, you can't put doors in, and you can't put other features in the home," Donna said.
"We got the run around for several months. By the time I think October came around, I started asking for proof that the order was actually ordered," Donna added.
She said she never received her proof, and when she tried asking for her money back, she was told the order was non-refundable.
"I didn't even know it wasn't refundable until I asked for a refund, and then she told me, yeah, check your invoice," Donna said.
"It was in this little writing on the bottom," Donna said.
Donna and Elizabeth have both filed reports with the Scottsdale Police Department. The department sent us a statement saying:
“Scottsdale detectives are actively investigating three cases and working with the AZ Attorney General’s Office as part of our investigations. Victims are also encouraged to make a report with the AZ AG’s Office.”
Donna has also filed a lawsuit against Haute Plank.
The Let ABC15 Know team discovered there have been at least four civil lawsuits filed in Maricopa County Superior Court against Haute Plank and its owner since 2024. Two of those lawsuits are for breach of contract. In another suit, a judge ordered Haute Plank to pay the plaintiff more than $120,000. According to that lawsuit, the customer said he also had to pay upfront for flooring and never received it.
Donna and Elizabeth said they don't know if they'll ever get their money back, but now they want to warn others about the business.
"This is more about getting the word out to other people, because I don't want anybody else to be taken advantage of," Elizabeth said.
We reached out to the owner one last time to ask why Elizabeth still does not have her refund and why Donna never received her flooring. The owner directed us to her attorney, who sent us the following statement in response to our inquiries.
"Haute Plank takes all customer concerns seriously. Because this matter is the subject of pending litigation, we are unable to comment on specifics at this time. Haute Plank remains focused on providing its customers with high-quality products and customer service. We are confident in the merits of Haute Plank’s position and look forward to presenting their side of the story at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forum. We will have no further comment until the matter is resolved.”
Tips for Consumers
When making large purchases, consumers should always get a contract before paying for anything and be very cautious when companies ask for full payment upfront.
Consider asking for a payment structure where an initial deposit is paid to place the order, then the rest of the payment is made once the materials are delivered or the project is completed.
Make sure to research the business thoroughly. Look for reviews on Google, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau.
You can also check the Arizona Registrar of Contractors to see if the business is licensed and in good standing.
If you pay for a good or service from a business and they don’t deliver, you can file a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
Do you have a consumer problem? Let ABC15 Know! Email Consumer@abc15.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
