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Post by slacker 🐨 on Apr 29, 2024 10:40:36 GMT -5
I'm not gonna go into too much detail at this point since I've got the Better Business Bureau working it, but in a nutshell a local contractor uses sketchy practices to trick you into signing a contract to have them do work. When I exercised my right to cancel the "contract" under Iowa's 3 day cooling off period law, they price gouged me on the preliminary work they'd done (per my insurance company they charged my over 3x the going rate).
I wrote the company and the franchise head office with no response (both guaranteed delivery). Now I've got the BBB going after them. BBB reviewed my complaint and notified me today they're forwarding to the contractor for a response. Even if I get no relief on the cost, I'm gonna make sure I'm an ongoing thorn in their side. This is just the first salvo in my plan of attack.
I'll keep you posted.
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Post by Rick Knight on Apr 29, 2024 10:45:44 GMT -5
Good luck.
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Post by Taildragger on Apr 29, 2024 11:24:54 GMT -5
I've had really good and really bad luck with contractors over the years.
Seems like dealing with them is a crap shoot.
I will say that, when it's a large project, having an honest one in charge to "ride herd" over subcontractors is a blessing: they know what to say and how to apply effective pressure when it comes to resolving disputes/problems.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Apr 29, 2024 11:36:45 GMT -5
Yeah, this wasn't a well-planned deal. Tree fell on the house.
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Post by Taildragger on Apr 29, 2024 11:39:52 GMT -5
Ouch!
Sorry 'bout that.
Hope this gets resolved to your satisfaction an with minimal headaches.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 29, 2024 12:02:58 GMT -5
Ugh, I can't say I've ever had a smooth transaction with a contractor. The work I've had done here in Texas that's been the best experience has been with independent guys. The best was Maximino, a guy our son used many times. Inside and out painting, flooring, etc. But alas, Max went back to El Salvador to pursue love. I've got contacts for plumbing and electrical work who've all been responsive, reasonable and reliable. A small roofing company did our house in a day and a half. When we had damage from the mega ice storm a few years back I had half a dozen "contractors" flake out and ghost me. Took half a year of opened walls to finally find a guy to do the work. One of the contractors that ghosted me lives half a block away. I give him the stink eye every time I drive by.
Best of luck, this kind of stuff sucks.
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Post by Larry Madsen on Apr 29, 2024 12:21:10 GMT -5
Good luck on a resolution.
Since much of my educational background is in the field of building construction, I have been able to do almost everything myself.
Now, at 67 years of age I might see my abilities wane a bit. 🤔
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Apr 29, 2024 12:40:44 GMT -5
The good news is we hired a different contractor to perform the repairs and they did a great job at a fair price. The amount involved for the complaint isn't really that much, but I hate that they use sketchy business practices and I hate that they think they can take advantage of me on this deal.
I can be a real pit bull on this kind of stuff as a seller found out when they pulled a fast one on a short sale that we tried to buy. They thought they could use me to leverage a different deal (presumably for a friend or family member). Little did they know that I'd dig in and expose 'em. They ended up losing the house to foreclosure thanks to my efforts to uncover what was going on. Notified their secondary mortgage holder and a whole crapstorm ensued. All I did was inform the interested parties of the facts and let the chips fall where they may.
Ultimately, we were offered the house at our original offer price, but we already had an accepted offer on another place by then.
This one will turn out the same. Even if we're not refunded the difference, they'll get enough bad pub to cause much more damage to their reputation than what they gouged me for. At a minimum, this will likely hurt their BBB rating....that's before I post my reviews and facts on a myriad of review and social media sites.
I warned them initially that I wasn't going to take this lightly, they called my "bluff" and will find out I'm not sitting on 7-2 off suit. I may not win the hand, but neither will they. I got bullied a lot in high school....I don't take it sitting down now that I'm not the proverbial smallest kid in the schoolyard.
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Post by LTB on Apr 29, 2024 17:45:13 GMT -5
Yeah, this wasn't a well-planned deal. Tree fell on the house. Sorry your house and you got gouged. Hope it rectifies soon for you.  |
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chucksmi
Wholenote
Posts: 174
Formerly Known As: Offshore Angler elsewhere
Age: I saw Jerry Live
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Post by chucksmi on Apr 30, 2024 15:36:46 GMT -5
I didn't even know the BBB still existed. Today people use Angie's List or social media. Not sure what the BBB can do. If they ever contacted me I'd just laugh at them.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 30, 2024 19:05:51 GMT -5
The BBB is still a thing. They actually still get results.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on May 1, 2024 9:40:01 GMT -5
I didn't even know the BBB still existed. Today people use Angie's List or social media. Not sure what the BBB can do. If they ever contacted me I'd just laugh at them. I'm OK with them laughing at the BBB if that's their response. As I said, I have a multi-tiered approach that will ensure that a lot of local people (specifically the people looking for their services) know the facts of my case and also that this will be a near-constant annoyance for them for at least the next 12 months. I'm betting that, at some point, someone there will sigh and mutter "we should have just reimbursed them". I'm really creative about this kind of stuff. I'm a pitbull, I don't let go and I usually find a way to push a button or two that makes them squirm. Like I said, the last time I got into one of these battles, the other side had their house go to foreclosure/sheriff's sale. I know for a fact they regret screwing me over. |
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