Consumerist: Santa Monica

Hey, Thanks For The Bed Bugs!

Meg Marco — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:46:36 EDT

Sarah is experiencing every traveler's worst nightmare. Bed bugs!

I just started reading The Consumerist. I did a search on bedbugs to see if you had any posts, and then thought I'd tell you my own story after reading about the people who found bedbugs in a Santa Monica hotel. In August of last year, I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Santa Monica.

The last night of my stay, I woke up about 2am, got up for a minute, but when I went back to bed, I saw a small bug crawling on my bed. Then I looked at the other bed, and saw another tiny brown bug. Grabbed kleenex, tossed them in the toilet, but every time I walked back to the beds, there were more of them. Most were tiny and brown, a couple of them were larger and a dark black/brown. Didn't know what they were, but I called down and asked the front desk to move me to a different room. Was creeped out, but didn't think anything of it until three mornings after I returned home, I woke up covered in bites. Did some research, and figured out that they were bedbug bites (three bites in a row, that swelled up and were very itchy). The pictures I found matched the bugs I saw on the bed in the hotel room. I had to go back to that hotel the following week (for work, the company booked the room) and I told them that I had found bugs in my home which matched the bugs I found in their hotel. Got a gee, that's too bad response.
Once I confirmed with an exterminator that I did have bedbugs, I called the hotel again. Got another gee, that's too bad response, but they did refund the cost of the stay (about $950). Over the next month and a half ( the time it took to get the exterminator to my apartment and then get the treatment) I spent about $5000 on dry cleaning, storage supplies, the exterminator, and moving out of my apartment during the two-week treatment. I called the hotel again, and asked them to cover those costs. Since then, I've been given the run around, ignored by the hotel manager, passed off to corporate who said gee, that's too bad but it's up to the hotel, and finally given over to a risk management/insurance firm for InterContinental Hotels. This firm has called me a liar, said that I didn't have proof of bedbugs being in my apartment because even though I found them in my apartment and the exterminator confirmed what they were and treated, the exterminator never wrote down specifically that they found bedbugs, that because I didn't go to the doctor and have the doctor confirm that the bites were from bedbugs that I had no proof that they were indeed bedbug bites, and now will not return phone calls. They say that the hotel exterminator checked all the rooms and found no evidence of bedbugs, even though the hotel told me that their exterminator wasn't looking only for bedbugs, just does a bi-weekly sweep for general problems and didn't find anything.

I'm staying after them, but the worst thing I can wish on them is not that I go to court, sue them and they lose - it's that the hotel management and the people from this risk management company all bring home bed bugs and have to go through the sheer hell that is getting rid of them.

Regards,
Sarah

Yuck! Sadly, it seems that since we stopped drowning our planet in pesticides the bedbugs have started to stage something of a comeback. They're a fact of life now, and travelers should be on the lookout for infected hotel rooms — even in nice hotels.

Here's some advice for travelers from Harvard University (PDF):

During travel, before you check into a hotel, check into the mattress. Carefully remove the sheets and examine the head section of the bed, look at the seams of the mattress as well as both sides of the head board. If you see any small insects in either of these locations, they are probably bed bugs.

Bringing your favorite pillow along on your travels may increase the chances of this pillow becoming infested with bed bugs and the transport of these bed bugs back to your home. If you have a favorite pillow, make sure it is encased in a bed bug proof sealed pillow case.

Remember not to place your luggage next to the bed. Find a location as far from the head of the bed as possible, and store your luggage in this location. This same principal applies to portable radios and other items that could conceal bed bugs.

If you do see bed bugs or think you have been bitten by bed bugs during your travel, it is extremely important to report this incident to the hotel management or else other unsuspecting individuals may meet the same fate.

This advice assumes, of course, that the hotel management cares.

Any readers been through what Sarah is going through? Advice?

(Photo:Getty)

FiOS Is Great, If Verizon Ever Manages To Actually Install It

Ben Popken — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:36:27 EDT

Ben is getting some crappy customer service from Verizon in attempting to get FiOS installed. His phone is disconnected, they made a half-assed install, don't show up for installs, don't call, oh, and he still doens't have FiOS. He writes:

To file amongst other I hate Verizon articles. Typing and summarizing while on hold with Verizon for approximately the 8th time...

Approximately 2 months ago, our apartment building alerted us that Verizon would be installing FIOS. Hooray, I thought...I can finally access the internet at what the Japanese and Europeans consider "broadband" speed.

A month after install, FIOS finally became available in our unit. I suppose before then, the fiber optic cable in my closet didn't really exist. I scheduled an install 2 weeks out, between 8 am - 7 pm. A customer-friendly 11 hour window.
2 days before, I get robo-called and am forced to submit to a voice-prompt menu to confirm my install date.
Verizon 1 | Dignity 0

The techs arrived, and said the original techs didn't connect the fiber correctly in the garage, and that type of tech would have to come again. They would call and let us know when they would come so we could open garage.

No call.

4 days later we get buzzed by a Verizon tech who is at our door, looking for garage access. We let him in. Repairs are supposedly made to the garage. We get rescheduled for a 3/20 between 1-3 pm to install FIOS.

3/19...Verizon robo-caller forces me to listen to computer to confirm the install appointment again.
Verizon 2. Dignity 0.

3/20 Verizon doesn't show. Doesn't call.

3/21 In attempting to call home, the call won't go through. Arriving at home, I discover no dial tone. Phone is dead.

3/21-3/23 Out of town.

3/23 evening, I return home and decide to call Verizon about still dead phone. Can't get to phone service via robo-menu. Forced into FIOS tech support. I explain that I don't have FIOS (yet) and that they never showed, but bigger problem is no phone service. I am told that Verizon thought I wanted FIOS phone and switched that over. Then apparently called me at my DISCONNECTED number at 8 pm on Thursday the 20th to "reschedule." I tell support I don't want, never wanted, and will never want FIOS telephone. I need my phone turned back on immediately. He tells me I can't call tech support directly b/c system thinks I have FIOS and will only route me to FIOS support, which can't fix "copper" problems. He attempts to connect. 30 minutes later he can't get through, tells me to call billing on Monday during office hours.
Verizon 3 | Sanity 0

3/24 I call billing. They acknowledge I don't have FIOS. Still don't offer to fix telephone issue. I ask for 3 month phone credit (I have basic service- $17/month including taxes, just local service). They refuse and I ask for supervisor, who I'm holding for now still, about 16 minutes by my phone timer.

They told me my phone service was set for service by 7pm on 3/25. They refused my request for 3 months of service credit, and only offered 5 days (the time I've been disconnected to date) of credit. My phone is still off, I still have no FIOS install date, and a "supervisors" supervisor is supposed to call me back tomorrow on my cell phone.

I admit I almost lost it today, as I was on hold almost 15 minutes waiting for the supervisor to connect me to repair (which never happened, they came back and said a repair ticket was already created, which surprisingly took 15 minutes to check). As I was on hold, they repeatedly played a voice-over advertising the free HD TV redemption offer for some level of FIOS order, and I asked why they could give away tvs but not credit me for $45 worth of phone service after they cut it off themselves. Then I asked for the TV. That was also refused.

Questions:
1) Why can't someone offer to actually fix my copper line? Maybe handle that while I hold?
2) Why does the robo system refuse to connect me to copper support? Is it inconceivable that an error like mine could happen?
3) Why doesn't Verizon give their own employees access to other departments to install / correct / fix services?
4) Can someone give me some suggestions on any other high-speed service in Santa Monica California I can use to dump Verizon forever?

I saw you have the executive customer service reps email on Consumerist.com. I'll email that tomorrow if my phone is not turned on.

That is some bad customer service. Here is a little pile of emails and phone numbers you can use to quickly escalate your issue. C'mon Verizon, help this guy out, before he decides to put a hammer in his backpack and visit your local office.

212-395-1060 is the number for the CEO's office.
212-719-3349 is the fax number for the CEO's office.
212-321-8700 is Verizon Executive Customer Service.
ivan.g.seidenberg@verizon.com is the CEO's email address.

Mark D. Reddick
Executive Customer Relations
140 West St.
Manhattan, NY 10007
Mark.D.Reddick@verizon.com
212-321-8457 (office)
212-321-1047 (fax)

Call 1-800-483-7988 and press 3 to reach the Verizon Customer Advocates for landlines and DSL.

Cassandra Flippin
Consumer Advocate in the Verizon Executive Offices
212-321-8458

william.barr@verizon.com, robert.e.ingalls.jr@verizon.com, thomas.j.tauke@verizon.com

(Photo: Cayusa)

Circuit City's Clever Circular Ad Misprint Explanation

Ben Popken — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:10:39 EDT

Mark writes:

Saw a great deal at Circuit City in yesterday's Sunday ad. Not crazy, but great. $5 for a Sony 1G Microvault Flash drive... The ad said, "Save $25. Reg. 29.95."
I went in today [10/08, to the store in Santa, Monica CA] and they said it was a "misprint." It was supposed to read, "14.99" instead of "4.99," they said they left out a "1."

That's a heck of a misprint, because then not only is it missing a "1", it's got an extra "2." Obviously Circuit City's ad-making division messed up, that happens, but just give it to us straight.

RELATED: SlickDeal forum chatter about people's varying degrees of success and failure getting this deal.

Walmart Nazi Tshirt Watch: Day 66

Ben Popken — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:28:51 EST

Sixty-six days after t-shirts bearing Nazi insignia were discovered in Walmart, the retailer has yet to remove them from all their stores, despite initial promises to do so within days.

Patrick in Santa Maria, CA writes:

"I found the following Nazi shirt at the Santa Maria, CA store today (01/16/07 3PM) and it was most likely the only one as I glanced around and didn't see any others right way.. It was folded up. I didn't want to try buying it even though I know many others had a chance to do so I took a picture with my cell phone. I have been following this story for a while now and I didn't think I would find one. I was surprised that I did! "

The story has taken on a life of its own. Chuga chuga, choo, choo. — BEN POPKEN

Recent updates to this story.
Backstory.

Time Warner Cable Customer Service Staffed By Crackheads

Ben Popken — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:00:44 EST

Jorge writes in about trying to get Time Warner Cable to not charge him for service he already canceled.

After he explained his plight, the first rep pretended to credit Jorge, and then pretended his computer went down. The next rep Jorge called demanded Jorge return his cable box and chastised him for stealing cable, even though Jorge had already returned the box months ago.

We suggest he call Time Warner Cable Executive Customer Service at 203-328-4017 which seems to be staffed by people not addicted to smoking freebased cocaine.

Jorge's letter, inside... — BEN POPKEN

Jorge writes:

"I have Time Warner's new Internet Service and it's always going down. I can't stay online for more than an hour at a time without having service interruptions. But that's something that I've learned to deal with.

My major gripe with them is that they are charging me for Basic Cable Television service that I don't have. I used to have it and it was canceled 2 months ago because I switched to a satellite provider and had no need for Cable. So I figured my last months bill was to cover the service from the previous month so I paid it.

Then this months bill comes in the mail and it's a whopping $72! After examining the bill closely, I realized that their bill says that all services are paid in advance, so the next billing cycle is for Dec. 11th through Jan 10th.

After reading this I immediately called them and tried to get out of paying for a service that I canceled two months ago. Customer Service Rep #1 was cool and calm and told me that it would be taken care of and I didn't have to pay for the extra $30 in charges because I would be essentially canceling my service today and won't be using the cable services for the next month. (since it's paid in advance).

Then things went awry: The rep said , "I'm sorry sir, my system just went down, but don't worry I'll make sure to cancel your cable so that you don't have to pay for television services that you don't use." So that was that....

But I got worried. So I then went to my phone and called back 2 hours later. I got another representative after dodging all the automated responses that plague call centers today, and the rep said that the cable was never canceled, and that the system has never gone down at their location. She then told me that I had to return a cable box and remote control before they could cancel my cable television services. I explained to her that I didn't have a box or a controller since I canceled the service nearly two months ago, and that I've been paying only because I thought they were charging me for the final month of television services.

She then got angry or something, because her voice began to grow louder as she said "I can't help you Sir, please return the box and we can cancel your cable services." I then replied nicely that I didn't have a box or controller since all that was given back upon canceling two months ago. She then got louder, and told me that I would be charged until I returned it, even if I didn't have the cable service working on my television whatsoever. Furthermore they would cancel my internet and send me to collections if I decided not to pay the amount due in full.

I told her that i had no box, and after being yelled at about the severity of stealing cable equipment she said that she was a supervisor (amazing how they change status so quickly) and that I have to figure out how to find a cable box and return it or face the consequences of paying for the equipment out of pocket.

Mind you, I returned all the equipment 2 months ago upon receiving satellite service, and canceling the television portion of my services with Time Warner.

So they hung up on me after yelling a lot, and I am stuck with a bill that I don't want to pay since I have satellite!

This is the second time Time Warner treats me in this fashion. The first time was when trying to get the internet installed the technician didn't know how to configure it and spent 3 hours at my house reading the manual while I watched a WWE DVD.

So there you have it, my gripe with Time Warner as of today.

I don't want to pay, but I don't want to lose my internet service either, but something tells me I'm going to bite the bullet somehow.

loyal reader,

Jorge O.
Santa Monica, Ca"

UPDATE: Jorge writes again:

"I went over to their offices and talked to their clerk, they found the box canceled the cable, but at this point won't refund anything.

Weird.

I'm going to see what I can do, because my wife is home now and I'm getting the third degree over having to pay for it."

UPDATE: 12/12/06

"After returning my box yesterday, and having them print me out a receipt for it. I call up today to make sure that next month's bill will NOT have cable television services on them. The lady said that they can not cancel cable television services over the phone, even after returning the box. They said that they need to schedule a technician to come out and cancel the cable.

This is exactly the opposite of what I was told yesterday.

So now, tomorrow a technician is coming out to cancel my cable, and the representative said that next months bill will show the changes.

Lastly:

My internet service has mysteriously been shut off. I'm now "borrowing" someone's signal, because mine is no longer available.

This is the worst company I've ever dealt with, and I've dealt with some bad ones.

So I hope tomorrow it gets settled and I'm not charged "in advance" for another month of service that I don't use at all.

-sir Jorge"