"The promise that the order is already on its way, I heard about twenty times." Belarusians have been waiting for months from an entrepreneur for their products, for which they paid in advance

"He spoke politely in the office"

Katsiaryna (name changed at the heroine's request) contacted the craftsman in the spring of 2026. The woman made an advance payment for a stone countertop, but after several months, the order was still not fulfilled.

"It all started in the spring of 2026 when we were furnishing our kitchen and looking for a craftsman who could make a stone countertop. I got this person's contact from another individual entrepreneur I had contacted regarding the kitchen.

I called the craftsman, we arranged a meeting, I came to his office, which was located at Peramozhtsau, 121. The office was large, with stone samples everywhere. The man himself looked quite presentable and spoke politely. I had no doubts then that he could be trusted.

I needed a stone countertop for the kitchen. At that moment, the kitchen itself hadn't even been ordered yet, but the craftsman assured me that the necessary stone was in stock. He called someone in front of me, clarified its availability, and said that the material could be reserved for us. We agreed that once the kitchen was installed, a measurer would come, take measurements, and after that, the countertop would be made. In April, we signed a contract and made an advance payment of 6306 rubles, which constituted 80% of the order cost."

According to Katsiaryna, the first problems arose after the kitchen installation when it was time to take measurements for the countertop. She claims she contacted the craftsman, but he began to postpone the specialist's visit under various pretexts.

"Finally, the measurer did come, took measurements, but immediately warned that there were some problems in production and the countertop couldn't be made quickly. He said that all clients were waiting for their turn. Exactly what happened in production, no one really explained.

Павялічыць

We decided to wait, and then began an endless series of promises. First, they said that production was moving, then other difficulties arose. Each time I asked about deadlines, I was promised that everything would be ready soon. The individual entrepreneur also sent videos to prove that our stone really existed. One of them showed the material in the warehouse with a glued paper on which our object's address was written. Later, I went to investigate myself and found out that it wasn't his production at all. As far as I understood, the video was made in someone else's warehouse.

Павялічыць

All this time we lived with an installed kitchen, but without a countertop, and couldn't properly use either the sink or the stove. Imagine: the kitchen seems to be there, but it's impossible to cook on it. We spent about two months in such conditions."

Later, Katsiaryna accidentally came across an online review from another customer who had also encountered problems working with this company. The woman contacted the author of the review, who then added her to a Telegram group where people share similar stories.

"There were about 20 people in the group, of whom, as far as I understood, approximately 10 are still waiting for their order to be fulfilled or their money to be returned. Some have been trying to resolve the issue since 2024.

After communicating with other customers, I decided to find out what was happening with our material myself. I found out which warehouse the stone was supposed to be supplied from and contacted an employee there. According to him, the entrepreneur hadn't even purchased the stone for our order.

Павялічыць

For me, this was the last straw. It turns out that all that time, while I was being told about production queues, busy installers, and the rapid readiness of the countertop, the material hadn't even been purchased, even though we had paid for it back in spring.

I sent the entrepreneur an official claim for contract termination and demanded a refund of the advance payment. Today, he has only transferred 310 rubles out of 6306 to me. I have not received the rest of the money.

At the same time, the man continues to be in touch. I can call him, he answers, talks, and promises to resolve everything. Sometimes he says he's coming to accept some object today, sometimes he'll finish the window sills tomorrow and immediately deal with the refund. Each time a new reason arises why the money cannot be transferred yet.

As a result, when it became clear that waiting for the countertop was pointless, I turned to another company. There, within 10 days, they purchased the material, manufactured the countertop, and installed it."

"His favorite phrase is 'I'll call you back in 40 minutes'"

Yauhen and his wife were preparing to open an establishment in Lida this spring. Before the tourist season, the couple decided to completely renovate the interior, including replacing tables, and ordered 14 countertops, transferring about 16 thousand rubles to the same company. However, the promised deadlines passed, and the order was never fulfilled.

"We bought the premises, decided to make everything beautiful. The location is touristy, near the castle, so it was important for us to be ready for the season. One of the main issues became the tables. The table bases were made for us on site, and we decided to order countertops made of quartz agglomerate.

First, we went around different companies in Minsk, looked at materials, compared prices. Somewhere it was too expensive, somewhere we couldn't find a suitable option.

Then we decided to search online again and found contacts for a company that dealt with stone products. We came to their office, where there was a full-fledged showroom: tables made of quartz agglomerate, kitchens with stone countertops, various materials. Even the work desks, on which computers stood, were made of stone.

The entrepreneur recounted how many projects they had already completed, showing photos of finished works.

Павялічыць

As a result, we found a sample that we really liked. We even took a piece with us to Lida, applied it to the interior of the future establishment, and saw how it would combine with the rest of the furniture. We decided that this was exactly what we needed. We contacted the company, sent a photo of the chosen material, and asked for a cost calculation.

We needed 14 countertops: 10 of non-standard sizes and 4 more measuring 80x80 centimeters. He prepared a layout, showed how the stone would be cut, and quoted a price – about 16 thousand rubles.

At the same time, he immediately warned that we needed to hurry with the payment, because if it wasn't made soon, we would have to wait a month and a half for the materials. And we couldn't wait: we planned to open by the tourist season, already dealing with staff, renovations, and work organization. So we decided not to limit ourselves to the 13 thousand advance payment he asked for, but immediately transferred the entire amount – 16 thousand rubles.

Павялічыць

According to the contract, the tables were supposed to be produced by the end of May 2026, as far as I remember, approximately by the 29th. I emphasized several times that the deadlines were very important to us. I explained that the establishment is located opposite Lida Castle, the tourist season would soon begin, so we needed to open on time.

The entrepreneur assured us that everything would be done on time."

At first, everything seemed normal. Yauhen waited for the countertops, occasionally called the company, and each time heard that work was progressing. But the promised date passed, and the tables were still not there.

"Each time I heard roughly the same thing: just a little more, almost ready, we'll deliver soon. About another month passed like this. Then it suddenly turned out that our countertops were allegedly being made in Moscow. The entrepreneur explained that some force majeure had occurred there, and the finished products could not be sent to Belarus. I asked him to sort it out because the deadlines had long passed, and we still couldn't open the establishment.

At some point, he announced that he would go to Moscow himself for our order. I asked him to send photos and videos to confirm that the countertops were indeed made. He sent some recordings, but it was impossible to understand from them whether it was our material or someone else's. In some places, only the edges were visible; in others, everything was covered in dust.

Павялічыць

He also had a favorite phrase – "I'll call you back in 40 minutes." I even gave him a nickname – "40 minutes." Because those 40 minutes could stretch into two days, and the call never came.

About three weeks after all this, he finally sent a video on which I recognized our material specifically. My wife and I watched it and calmed down a bit. We thought that since the stone really existed, the order was indeed being fulfilled.

But time passed, and there were no countertops.

By that point, the situation had already seriously impacted our business. We planned to open by the start of the season, hired employees in advance, and organized their training. Personnel preparation took about two and a half months. People were ready to work, but we continued to wait for the furniture.

Павялічыць

I constantly explained to the entrepreneur that because of him, we couldn't launch the establishment. If he had immediately said that there were no countertops and they couldn't be made, I would have ordered everything elsewhere a long time ago. But he regularly sent some videos, promised delivery in a few days, and each time it seemed that just a little more — and the issue would be resolved.

All this time, we paid about 7 thousand rubles a month for rent. According to my calculations, due to the delay in opening, approximately three months of rent payments accumulated – about 21 thousand rubles. This is in addition to the money we already transferred for the countertops.

I told him about these expenses, warned him that I was going to court and would demand compensation for losses. He agreed, apologized, and promised to fix everything. August 1st arrived, and nothing had changed; the countertops still hadn't been delivered. The stories continued about the products already being on their way, being polished, or problems at the warehouse, or something being flooded.

In my estimation, I heard the promise that the order was already on its way about 20 or 30 times.

Finally, I started looking for information about the company online. I came across publications on TikTok and Threads, and then found a community where other people who also complained about unfulfilled orders communicated. I was added there, and after talking with the participants, I finally understood that waiting further was pointless.

Павялічыць

By that time, we had already missed part of the season and could no longer afford to simply wait. We ordered wooden countertops to at least get some revenue for half a season. Then I told this individual entrepreneur to return the advance payment, but during this time, he hasn't transferred a single kopeck to us. Despite this, he continues to answer calls and promises to settle the debt.

"What angers me most is not even the delay itself, but the constant promises. I was ready to look for another solution, to order tables from other craftsmen — but each time I heard that everything was already ready, that the goods were on their way, that there were literally just a few days left to wait."

"The countertop was made by another craftsman, and we are still getting our money back"

Aliaksei (name changed at the hero's request) decided to update his kitchen back in the summer of 2025. He then ordered a stone countertop, which was promised to be made within a month. However, more than a year passed, and the family never received their order.

"My wife and I contacted the company back in July 2025. We needed a countertop for the main work surface and a kitchen island. We found the craftsman through a recommendation from an acquaintance who was designing our kitchen. He said that his other clients had already contacted this person and were satisfied: everything was made quickly, no problems arose.

Therefore, we didn't even look for reviews online or compare offers from different companies. The prices were roughly the same everywhere, and here, after all, was a recommendation from someone we trusted.

Павялічыць

The entrepreneur himself came to our house, bringing an assistant. They took measurements, we discussed the materials and order details. The man made a good impression: he spoke confidently, explained everything – no unnecessary questions arose.

We signed the contract, as far as I remember, on July 31, 2025. We made an advance payment of $2000, or about 5900 rubles at that time's exchange rate. According to the contract, the countertop was supposed to be ready within a month, i.e., by the end of August."

At first, Aliaksei calmly waited for the order, but by the end of August, it became clear that the craftsman had not met the promised deadline. The entrepreneur cited various delays, asked him to wait a little longer, and then postponed the readiness date of the countertop again and again.

"This went on for about a month and a half. Each time we contacted him, there was a new reason why the order wasn't ready yet. In October 2025, we decided to figure out what was happening. We started looking for information about the company and found that there were already enforcement proceedings against it. As far as I remember, at that time, there was talk of a debt of about 100 thousand rubles.

Павялічыць

After that, we realized that further waiting was pointless. We ordered the countertop from another contractor, who ultimately made everything. And we demanded the advance payment back from that company. He agreed, saying he would return everything. But in reality, nothing happened. We called, reminded him, he promised to settle the debt, but he didn't give specific deadlines or constantly postponed them.

Around November-December 2025, we filed a statement with the police. They investigated our appeal, but found no grounds for initiating a criminal case. They explained to us that these were civil-law relations and the issue needed to be resolved through court.

Interestingly, shortly before the end of the investigation, the entrepreneur suddenly transferred 500 rubles to us. I got the impression that he wanted to show that he was indeed returning the debt and fulfilling his obligations. After that, we tried for about another six months to get the rest of the amount back. He periodically transferred money in small portions: sometimes 100 rubles, sometimes 300.

Thus, we gradually managed to get part of the money, and today he still owes us approximately 2.7 thousand rubles.

We didn't go to court because I know he has other debts and enforcement proceedings. So even with a court decision, getting the money will be difficult: according to my information, he has no property or stable income from which the debt could be quickly repaid."

"I'm a fool, I made my own mistakes." The entrepreneur's version

"Onliner" contacted the individual entrepreneur (IE) against whom the heroes complained and offered him to tell his version of what happened.

The man confirmed that he has unfulfilled orders and debts to clients. However, he claims that he did not intend to deceive anyone, and the problems began due to force majeure in his business.

"Of course, there were reasons that prevented me from fulfilling orders. The first serious problems started back in 2024, but then I somehow managed, and in 2025, the situation became much more difficult. In short, I was 'scammed' three times with payments. One furniture company, where we completed a very large order, went bankrupt. To cover it, we used working capital and lost a total of about 300 thousand rubles. After that, everything started to collapse."

Павялічыць

"Now I'm paying clients back in installments. I've already returned something to many, delivered products to many, but there simply isn't enough cash flow for everyone. And after customers started writing about me on social media, the situation got even worse. I can't properly advertise, some old partners have turned away from me. It's a vicious circle: I need to earn to pay back the money, but the opportunities to earn are shrinking."

"I'm not disappearing; if I had intended to deceive anyone from the start, I wouldn't have paid people any money at all. I would have paid a nominal 20 rubles a month and lived peacefully. But I am paying normal amounts: I returned half the advance to some, $500 to others, $1000 to some."

— Are you still taking new orders?

— "No, I have suspended taking new orders; I am only dealing with those I took in the spring. Of course, there are delays with them, but I am not an alcoholic, not a gambler, I'm not building a house for myself, and I'm trying to return everything to everyone. I even took out a loan against my apartment to pay off some of the debts."

"I don't want the situation to look as if I'm not to blame for anything at all. I'm a fool myself; I made my own mistakes: somewhere I didn't sign acts on time, somewhere I thought I'd do everything later. I worked all day, came home, and just collapsed onto the bed from exhaustion."

— They say you have a lot of enforcement proceedings against you.

— "Yes, clients sued me, and I lost — I don't deny that. Someone filed a report with the police, alleging that I was a fraud and intended to deceive everyone from the start, and checks were conducted. As far as I know, they refused to open criminal cases for fraud."

Павялічыць

"I understand that people want their money back, but if you want money, then give me the opportunity to earn it and return it. And for that, I need a source of stable income. Yes, I could go work as a taxi driver, but then half of my earnings would immediately be seized by the enforcement department, and I wouldn't have anything to pay back with."

"When people tell me: get the money wherever you want, borrow it, sell a kidney – well, that's not how it works. I myself would want to snap my fingers and settle with everyone immediately. But where do you get money if you don't have it? And when people start blocking advertisements, writing complaints, calling 'Onliner,' they make the situation even more difficult. I explain that if I can't work at all, I won't have anything to pay my debts with."

"There were periods when I didn't answer the phone because I simply didn't know what to tell people. There were also depressive states when I had to take sedatives. Just imagine, almost every day people contact you and demand their money back, and you don't have it – what do you tell them then?"

— So how do you live then?

— "Money for living expenses, travel, and some necessary things are given to me by my sister and parents. Clothes, thank God, I have, some tools are left, so I try to perform individual jobs: cutting, polishing – whatever I can. I understand why people are angry; in their place, I might react the same way."

— What do you see as a way out of the situation?

— "I am not denying my debts and fully acknowledge my responsibility for what happened. I want to work and gradually pay everything back. Fulfill a few orders, earn money, return part of the funds, restore my reputation, and so on. All of this takes time, and I don't see any other way out."

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