This sample contract from Texas shows how many of your rights some builders try to make you throw away as a condition for using their services. It’s all right there in print, sometimes even capitalized, no right to a court or jury trial, evidence is limited, no recovery of attorney’s fees, no class actions are allowed, etc etc.
texas
Walmart Flipflops Continue To Chemically Burn Wearers
By 8.30.07
Like Kerry, Walmart told her to file a complaint with the Chinese manufacturer of the bargain sandals.
Time Warner Repairman Jailed For Sexual Assault
By 8.26.07
If a creepy Time Warner repairman says he wants to ‘be with you’ while on a service call, you probably shouldn’t let him back in your house. After making the comment, Steven James Hernandez was dispatched back to the house to fix a problem outside; instead, he decided to bang on the 28 year-old woman’s door. From KENS 5:
Police said the banging at the door lasted at least 15 minutes, and the man at the door was Hernandez.
Jordan Fogal Responds To Your Comments About The Rotten Lemon Tremont Homes Sold Her
By 8.21.07
Two: We did not understand the true ramifications of arbitration, or it’s unfairness. No one who has not been caught in this snare does. We did not know that almost always big business wins. We thought it was like, OK kids lets sit down and not argue and fix this situation. We did not know the system was rigged. We did not understand the builders were repeat clients and the arbitrators meal tickets. No one understands arbitration companies are just the middle men. You still have to put on a trial and have all the costs associated: witnesses, subpoenas, expert testimony you even have to pay for the room to hold the arbitration in… We would not have had to pay a judge as we did an arbitrator or room rent or the astronomical fees charged by arbitration companies. Our arbitration fees alone were $9300. dollars. That does not include going to the kangaroo court where the rules of law no longer apply behind close doors. That was nearly $30,000 dollars…
Tremont Homes Sells Rotten Lemon, Provokes Victimized Homebuyer Into Five-Year Consumer Crusade
By 8.20.07
“We always wondered what life would be like in our sixties, our credit is ruined; we have stored, sold, and given away years of our memories; and for the last three years we have been holed up in a third story apartment.
Everyone But Me Gets To Watch TV, A DISH Install Horror Story
By 8.17.07
“July 25 – So, I recently moved and have had one hell of a time with DISH Network. Apparently my new apartment building has an “exclusive contract” with ATT. So I call up those guys to get some TV in my new apt. ATT tells me to call DISH directly (their partner) and I oblige because ATT doesn’t deal with apartment complexes. I get on the phone to DISH with a guy (I think his name was Sam) who happily placed my order, until he asked me what floor I live on and I told him third. Sam proceeded to tell me that because of insurance reasons their DISH installers will not install on third floor or higher. I was a little baffled by this and Sam told me to goto a DISH reseller, like Radio Shack.
Termite Woes: Am I Evil For Going With Orkin?
By 8.3.07
Reader Melissa is shopping for pest control services. She has termites and needs to get rid of them. She got three estimates and, while Orkin wasn’t the cheapest, she was afraid the cheapest was too low.
Comcast Changes Your Telephone Number, Neglects To Inform You
By 8.1.07
Welcome, Comcast, to Houston, TX, where you’ve already managed to irritate your brand new customers. Laura Gill is perhaps the most irritated of them all.
Marvin Zindler, Consumer Reporter, Dies at 85
By 7.30.07
Join the Consumerist in remembering Marvin Zindler, consumer reporter from Houston, TX. Zindler delivered the weekly “rat and roach” reports and famous catch phrase “all together now, SLIIIME in the ice machine,” on Houston’s channel 13 for nearly 35 years.
New Texas Law Guarantees Access To Restrooms
By 7.23.07
Under a new law signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry, retailers can’t deny restroom access to any consumer with a valid medical condition. Stores with less than two employees on duty are exempt, and mistrustful employees can ask to see a doctors note. The Texas Retailers Association had no objection to the law, which for some consumers, is a godsend:
By 7.12.07
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Hot on the heels of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s announcement that consumers are now much safer from identity thieves because they’re making stores shred instead of merely toss customer records out the back door, id theft watchdog Steven Peisner showed how easy it was to steal Abott’s identity through the incredibly insecure Secretary of State Online Access database. [Freakonomics]
Mom And Toddler Kicked Off Continental Flight For Talking Too Much
By 7.12.07
A passenger on a Continental ExpressJet flight from Houston to Oklahoma City says she was removed from the flight because her toddler would not stop repeating the phrase, “Bye, bye plane.”
Poll: Has Rooms To Go Honored Their Warranty?
By 6.29.07
Cratin ordered a micro-fiber living room set from Rooms To Go after being taken by an all-encompassing warranty. Five months later, Cratin began to notice stains on the fabric. Rooms To Go attempted to remove the stains on three separate visits, and then offered to re-upholster the marred piece. Cratin also noticed that the velcro attaching his couch cushion to the couch was coming undone. Rooms To Go again dispatched three technicians who could not resolve the problem, and then offered to reimburse Cratin if he decided to purchase additional velcro from a hardware store. Cratin is furious and wants to raise bloody hell, but to us, it looks like the Rooms To Go is doing their best. We ask you, The Consumerists, to decide who is right, after the jump:
4 Days Until "Juicy Raspberry!"
By 6.23.07
Emily from Houston brings us breaking news of the Starbucks raspberry syrup situation:
I went to Starbucks today and read their countdown message board – 4 days to raspberry mochas and frappa-wappa-who-whatsits.
Help Catch "The Leprechaun Bandit" Before He Robs A 6th Bank
By 5.1.07
Lt. Dean Sullivan, police spokesman, said the freckled bank robber with reddish-brown hair earned his nickname because of the “Luck of the Irish” green and white baseball cap that he sometimes wears featuring a shamrock and leprechaun.
Anybody Wanna Buy An Enron CEO's Desk?
By 3.22.07
Lay and Skilling, who also served as CEO, were convicted in May 2006 for their role in the accounting fraud that led to the collapse of Enron in 2001. The bankruptcy erased billions in investors’ money and wiped out the pensions of thousands of Enron employees.
Above And Beyond: Home Warranty of America
By 3.18.07
We didn’t know homes had warranties, but according to Brad, they do, and they rock. Brad’s house came with a warranty provided by Home Warranty of America. He has used them three times, “and they’ve blown me away each time.” Brad’s heater “decided that heating just wasn’t its bag anymore.” A serviceman examined the heater and warned it would soon break. When it did finally quit, the serviceman wasn’t available, so Brad called Home Warranty of America.
[The] lady I spoke to not only sympathized with my plight, but actually had me hold on the phone while she looked up and called another service company to verify they could take care of me right away. Not 10 minutes after I got off the phone with HWA, I received a callback from the A/C service company, and they were at my house within the hour.
We might not caution against warranties if they all provided this level of exemplary service.
