Florida homeowners left in the dark after generator company vanishes with thousands in deposits

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Preparing for hurricane season in Southwest Florida often requires a major financial investment to safeguard homes and families. But for several homeowners across Lee and Charlotte counties, thousands of dollars handed over for backup generator installations they claim yielded nothing but unkept deadlines, unreturned calls, and missing contractors.

Generators By Design allegedly collected five-figure deposits from clients before closing its doors and vanishing.

According to business records, the company was managed by Nathan Schaffer, Matthew Groot and Steven Deanglis. 

Broken Promises and Cleaned-Out Shopfronts

For David and Jayne Perkins, installing a standby generator was a matter of basic safety. Having lived through extended power outages following major storms like Hurricane Ian, David sought a permanent backup system so his wife would not have to maneuver a heavy portable unit in severe Florida heat.

In the summer of 2024, the couple signed a contract with Generators By Design and handed over an $11,500 deposit. Work was slated to begin after hurricane season. When November arrived, David called to check on the installation timeline, only to meet silence.

"I kept calling, calling. I even drove down to the business address, and it was an empty storefront... scrubbed clean, ready for somebody else to move in," Perkins said.

After contacting the Punta Gorda Police Department, Perkins briefly reached former manager Nathan Shaffer, who set a prospective installation date for February 2025. That date passed without any work performed or further communication.

"The date came. Nobody at my front door, called—crickets is all I heard. Nothing," Perkins said.

Unpaid Judgments and Financial Collapse

The Perkins family is far from alone in their experience with the contractor. WINK Investigates reviewed Better Business Bureau records. The BBB logged seven formal complaints against Generators By Design detailing unreturned deposits, with only one resolved.

Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander spoke with customer Bruce Rosenblatt. He says he and two neighbors each handed over roughly $13,000 deposits in July 2024. After months of delays, Rosenblatt secured an $8,000 small-claims judgment in May 2025, but states he has not recovered a dime.

“Shame on them for scamming people, karma is going to get them,” Rosenblatt said. 

Another customer named Andrew Twombly, who did not want to be interviewed, took the company to small claims court. In June 2026, a Lee County judge issued a default judgment ordering Generators By Design to pay Twombly his full $7,000 deposit back plus court costs.

Public records show Generators By Design officially ceased operations in February 2025 citing a "lack of cash flow," leaving customers without prior notice.

Federal filings show co-manager Matthew Jacob Groot filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 14, 2025. The company collapsed under more than $1.7 million in liabilities—including commercial debts and merchant loans—leaving virtually no liquid assets to satisfy judgments. When the Chapter 7 case closed in May 2025, Groot had over $1.3 million in unsecured debts discharged.

Navigating the Aftermath

Repeated requests for comment sent to former company managers Nathan Shaffer, Matthew Groot, and Stevin Deangelis via phone and email were not returned.

To secure reliable power, the Perkins’ were forced to hire an entirely different contractor, turning what was supposed to be a $20,000 installation into a $30,000 nightmare on a fixed income.

"You work all your life, you pay your bills. I would no more ever think of ripping somebody off for a dollar," Jayne Perkins said.

Twombly noted that the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) informed him he may be eligible for repayment through a state contractor recovery fund, though that process remains ongoing. The DBPR did not respond to WINK's requests for comment.

If you have a story you’d like WINK Investigates to look into email us at winkinvestigates@winknews.com or call our tip line at 239-344-5074.