Advertisement

Complaints about work on house are ineffective

 
Published March 23, 1990|Updated Oct. 16, 2005

In June 1989, I hired Enterprise Aluminum to install a soffit and fascia on my house. The contract I signed called for the removal of the old metal vents in the overhang because they were so clogged up with paint that no ventilation was getting through. I asked the salesman to put that in writing so it wouldn't be forgotten when work began. When work on the front of the house was done, I noticed that the workers had not removed the metal vents. They said they had forgotten but would take care of it when they finished the back. They did remove the old vents from the back of the house, and they said they also had removed the old front vents, so I paid the bill and they left. Only then did I inspect their work and discover they had not removed the old vents along the front.

The first few times I called the company in June and July, I was assured the workers would be out to correct the problem. They never came. Upon my fifth call, I was told there was no record of my prior calls but they'd check into the matter.

In September I had to go home on emergency leave and had a friend call and check for me. My friend was told that the soffit and fascia were put in up to code and nobody would be coming to fix anything.

On my ninth call in October a woman, who remembered my last name but said she had no record of any of my previous calls, said she would find out when someone was going to send a crew to my house.

On my 12th call of Nov. 6, I was told to hold on for a minute and a man came on the line. He said no one was coming to my house because everything was done per the contract. I tried to explain that this was not true, but he said he did not want to hear it, that my constant calling was harassment and he would sue me if I called again.

Each time I tried to explain he would yell at me to stop calling, that I had to be sick to worry about such pettiness. I tried to ask for his name at various times but he would not give it.

Finally he yelled, "Don't call anymore, you hear?" and slammed the phone down.

I hope there is something you can do. As you can see, having the old vents removed was written into the contract, so their refusing to remove them is a breach of contract.

If they don't want to do the job, then a fair rebate to cover the cost of having someone else do it also would be agreeable. I would be willing to obtain a written estimate from a reputable company if necessary.

Angelica Tirado

Response: We sent a copy of your complaint to Enterprise Aluminum and got this reply from Charles Macaluso:

"All work on this project was performed per contract our company had with Angelica Tirado. The warranty is a lifetime warranty and will be honored by our company. Thank you."

You have several recourses.

You can complain to the Pinellas County Consumer Affairs Office, 530-6200; the Better Business Bureau, 535-5522; the Contractors and Builders Association, 573-4464; the Department of Professional Regulation, (800) 342-7940; or all of the above.

You also can take the matter to Small Claims Court, 892-7681.

Weather line provides

long-distance forecasts

How can a traveler find out, just before leaving Florida, what the weather is like at his destination?

B.J.

Response: American Express and Metromedia Long Distance offer a weather service that is updated at least twice a day. You dial 1 (900) WEATHER, and then punch in the area code (or first three letters of a foreign city's name) to get temperature, humidity, sky conditions, heat or wind-chill index, wind speed and direction and a three-day forecast.

The cost is 75 cents per minute.

To get a free list of destinations covered, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to 1-900-WEATHER, 261 Central Ave., Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735.

Reaction

In response to Terese Nettles' query about art classes for 11-year-olds, Judy West tells us that the Pinellas Park Art Society offers classes in pastels for children ages 9 to 14 on Saturday afternoons from 2 to 4 p.m. The cost is $8.50 per lesson. For information, call 896-9020.