Super Bowl rentals: Victims band together

New Port Richey, FL - Kevin Swain is on a mission. Monday night he went door to door to homes near him that are listed on the website FLORIDASUPERBOWLRENTAL.COM.

Swain's house is on the site because the Arizona-based company showcased it on its website. But, when it didn't rent he says they failed to pay back his refundable deposit of $1,200.

Swain knocked on Glean Green's door and Green told him the same thing happened to him but he was able to get his money back. Green says, "With the economy being the way it is, I don't think families can be taking this kind of hit."

Green was one of the first people in the Bay area to list his home on the site back in December. He says he saw their signs around town. When he signed up, there were only 50 to 60 homes listed on the site. Now, there are more than 230 Bay area homes listed.

When his house didn't rent in two weeks, he says he turned the tables on the company. He was recently laid off and says he had plenty of time to hound the company relentlessly and he did.

He called the Pasco County Sheriff's office and had them call the company too. He shows page after page of phone records to prove he never gave up. "I actually had to call them hundreds of times and that's how I eventually got them to give me back my money."

Green says he threatened the company, saying he would visit homeowners listed on the website to tell them the company was a scam and that they should contact law enforcement too. He says his money was quickly returned after that.

Denny Stypinski of St. Petersburg recently remodeled his home and hoped to rent it out through the company too. He got his money back but not from SUPERBOWLRENTAL.COM but by filing a fraud complaint with his credit card company. He says, "From the moment they got our money, it just felt like a scam."

10 Connects News contacted the Florida's Attorney General's Office and Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Terry McElroy, a spokesperson with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, says it's important that the victims file a complaint with their local law enforcement agency, the Better Business Bureau and with their offices, too, because they may be able to help. "We would then attempt to contact the company against which the complaints were filed to see if we couldn't negotiate to get consumers their money back."

Green says he's learned his lesson the hard way and when the Super Bowl returns he won't even consider renting his home out to tourists. "Never and I don't recommend anyone else doing it either."