I-Team: Plumber Lawsuit
posted 5:45 pm Wed August 01, 2007 -
-WJLA Script-
Anchor:
TODAY MONTGOMERY COUNTY HANDED OUT CHECKS TOTALING MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO CONSUMERS. IT'S ALL PART OF A SETTLEMENT WITH THE WARNER COMPANIES, A HIGH PROFILE HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING, AND PLUMBING COMPANY IN OUR AREA. ABC-7 NEWS I TEAM INVESTIGATOR ROBERTA BASKIN IS HERE WITH THE DETAILS.
Roberta Baskin on Set:
THERE WERE COMPLAINTS FOR YEARS ABOUT OVERCHARGES. IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME. IN FACT I FIRST REPORTED ON IT MORE THAN A DECADE AGO WHEN I WAS WORKING AT CBS NEWS. TAKE A LOOK.
Story:
HOLLY HOLLINGSWORTH CALLED WARNER WHEN HER FURNACE STOPPED WORKING, SHE WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $1,200 TO FIX IT. LUCKILY, FIRST SHE ASKED HER BROTHER FOR ADVICE. Holly Hollingsworth: "He said, call another company first and see what they think."
GOOD THING SHE DID. ANOTHER REPAIR COMPANY SIMPLY TIGHTENED A WIRE, A REPAIR THAT COST $67. HOLLY'S COMPLAINT WAS ONE OF MANY I HEARD ABOUT BACK IN 1996. USING HIDDEN CAMERAS I SET UP A STING OPERATION AND CALLED THE WARNER COMPANY TO COME AND FIX A FURNACE WHICH ALSO HAD NOTHING MORE THAN A LOOSE WIRE. HIS REPAIRMEN TOLD ME THAT MY FURNACE HAD A BAD FAN MOTOR.
Roberta Baskin: "Is that dangerous?"
Technician: "It's going to go on you one of these days. If you want to change it, we have motors ready to go. That's about $450-$480."
THEN I TOLD HIM I WAS A REPORTER.
Roberta Baskin: "We've had our furnace checked out and there isn't any problem with it other than a pulled wire. Why are you recommending a new blower motor?"
Technician: "I don't think I should talk to you people. You're out of control."
Roberta Baskin: "Well can you just tell me why, what you think is wrong with it? For $450-$480? Can you give me any reason?"
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION WAS ALSO GETTING COMPLAINTS. IT SUED WARNER COMPANIES FOR DECEPTIVE AND UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES. MORE THAN A DECADE LATER, THAT LAWSUIT IS PAYING OFF. THE WARNER COMPANIES OWN DOCUMENTS REVEAL MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND COUNTY RESIDENT WERE OVERCHARGED BETWEEN 1993 AND 1995. A SCHEME CALLED "BONUS HOURS" REWARDED TECHNICIANS FOR OVERCHARGING CUSTOMERS.
Eric Friedman, Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection: "Over 52 hours of bonus time."
Roberta Baskin: "52 hours?"
Eric Friedman, Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection: "52.75 for one customer."
Roberta Baskin: "What did you think when you saw that?"
Eric Friedman, Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection: "Well that was a complete shock, how anyone can be overcharged to that extent."
TODAY MONTGOMERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE IKE LEGGETT ANNOUNCED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE WARNER COMPANIES. MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN OVERCHARGES WILL BE PAID BACK TO CONSUMERS.
Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Executive: "This case here is a perfect example of how an individual complaint, one individual complaint, can sometimes turn into a major case affecting hundreds of consumers."
SEVERAL WARNER VICTIMS ATTENDED THE PRESS CONFERENCE. AND LEGGETT PERSONALLY HANDED OUT THE LARGEST REFUND CHECK OF MORE THAN $8,000. ANOTHER THREE THOUSAND CONSUMERS ARE GETTING SETTLEMENT CHECKS IN THE MAIL. YVONNE DISTENFELD IS ONE OF THE CONSUMERS SMILING TODAY ABOUT HER SETTLEMENT.
Yvonne Distenfeld: "I was totally shocked, thrilled, and surprised and I immediately called my husband and said you're not going to believe this. Remember the Warner suit? We just got a check for over $3,000."
Roberta Baskin on Set:
BELIEVE IT! IF YOU LIVE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND DID BUSINESS WITH WARNER COMPANIES BETWEEN 1993 AND 1995, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND OF THE OVERCHARGE.
TOM WARNER OF WARNER COMPANIES TELLS US HE'S STARTED A SMALLER BUSINESS - EASIER TO MONITOR, HE SAYS. HE SAYS HIS COMPANY'S WEB SITE IMPROVES THE WAY THEY DO ESTIMATES BECAUSE HIS TECHNICIANS "DON'T ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC VERY EFFECTIVELY."
YOU CAN CALL THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE COUNTY AT 240-777-3636 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE.
THERE IS ALSO A TOLL FREE NUMBER AT 1-800-207-0343.
TO DATE NEARLY 3,000 CONSUMERS ARE RECEIVING REFUND CHECKS TOTALING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. THIS REFLECTS 6,673 HOURS OF OVERCHARGES. ABOUT 200 CONSUMERS RECIEVED MORE THAN $1,000, WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNT BEING $8,055.
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