The swimming pool installer who charged huge extras challenges his conviction

Piscines Élégance, this Quebec company that allegedly threatened customers who refused to pay tens of thousands of dollars extra when installing their pool, is contesting a judgment condemning it to pay 18,500 $ to a couple from the Eastern Townships.

Our Bureau of Investigation revealed at the end of January that Dominic Flamant, owner of Piscines Élégance, and his subcontractor Patrick Laurendeau, a former drug trafficker at the head of Excava-Plus , would have given many customers a nightmare during the installation of their in-ground pool.

Among them was a couple from the Eastern Townships, who had been charged more than $35,000 extra for the installation of their pool, paid almost the same price in April 2022. Because the customers refused to pay the full this additional sum, Piscines Élégance lifted a legal hypothec on their residence, thus taken as security.  

Describing the method as intimidation, the owners challenged this opinion in court, in addition to claiming several thousand dollars. Piscines Élégance failed to appear at trial, which was held on February 7.  

Nine days later, the Superior Court condemned the company to pay more than 18,500 $ to the clients and ordered the cancellation of the notice of legal hypothec, deemed abusive. 

In Le Journal

Dominic Flamand's company is now calling for the revocation and suspension of this judgment, in a motion filed last week in court. She blames the inaction of her previous lawyer to justify her absence from the trial.  

Piscines Élégance also claims to have learned “through the newspapers” that the judgment had been rendered against her . 

Considering that it has “serious grounds” to assert against the customers of the Eastern Townships, the company is asking for the resumption of the proceedings and the holding of the trial, in its presence. &nbsp ;

Piscines Élégance maintains that the contract binding the parties provided for the addition of “additional costs”, that it “always acted in good faith” and that the damages claimed are “grossly exaggerated”. Dominic Flamand's company is still claiming some $31,600 from the couple. 

Other lawsuits 

Let us remember that at least a dozen Civil lawsuits involving Piscines Élégance are currently before the courts and are still awaiting a resolution.