BBB Issues May 2009 Hot Topic List
Pittsburgh, PA June 9, 2009 —These are some of the most requested inquiries by local Pennsylvanians at your BBB last month. Information is based on our research as of March 1, 2009. For updated BBB information and a current report on the companies, click on their name. To access over four million companies nationwide, visit www.bbb.org. Please take into consideration the importance of the practice and the total performance of the company.
1. 21st Century Legal Services, Inc. BBB has received numerous inquiries on this company. The company offers loan modification and foreclosure consulting services. Complainants allege the company fails to obtain loan modifications, or otherwise provide foreclosure services. Complainants also allege unfulfilled contracts, company’s failure to contact lenders and the customer’s inability to obtain refunds. To date, the company has an “F” rating with the BBB with 24 unanswered complaints. BBB recommends borrowers always speak to their lenders first before contacting a consultant.
2. NextEve BBB has received consumer complaints alleging this company is not granting refunds as promised. Current BBB rating is “D-“with 5 unresolved complaints. As Prom season ends and Wedding season begins, be sure get in writing a company's policy on cancellation and refund of any deposits paid.
3. Low Pay, Inc. “F”rating, This company offers an unsecured merchant credit card with guaranteed approval. The Low Pay Credit Card is not affiliated with the nationally recognized credit cards and is good only for the merchandise purchased from the company’s website or catalog. BBB advises caution when considering any credit card offer that requires you to pay a fee before you can learn all the details of the offer and to examine the catalog before you pay a fee. Complaints concern a variety of problems concerning deliveries, cancellations, refunds, and selling practices.
4. Franklin Awning BBB has gotten numerous inquiries about this company by consumers who are unable to contact them in order to get their awnings out of storage or repair and report the company may be OOB. BBB is recommending consumers call the PA Attorney General Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555 for further guidance.
5. Richard Payne Complaints concern a misrepresentation of the product, a refusal of refunds from the company despite their 90-Day Money Back Guarantee, and being unable to reach the company or to get a response. BBB has not been able to reach the company by phone or via mail.
6. Basement Waterproofing –Rainy weather can mean wet basements if the basements aren’t properly waterproofed. Roughly 10% of waterproofing companies on file with Western PA BBB do not meet our standards, so before hiring a waterproofer, contact BBB for Reliability Reports and ask your friends and family to recommend a contractor they used. A homeowner who examines the full range of possible causes and potential remedies will be far more likely to obtain effective and lasting repairs than one who settles for the first, easiest, or least expensive method proposed as a solution. It is wise to organize meetings with different waterproofing contractors and have them check your house and prepare a plan for the work that needs to be done and provide an estimate. This way you can choose the one that offers the most convenient solution, after a detailed comparison. After selecting a contractor to do the work, ask for a written contract in accordance with the estimate. Read this contract carefully before you sign it and make sure you understand its contents.
About BBB (www.bbb.org)
BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability ReportsTM and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 125 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring nearly 4 million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information about BBB.
*****
BBB HOT TOPICS ARCHIVE