Action: Home owner said 'roof'; roofer meant 'roofs'

In January, I received an estimate for reroofing my home from M. Gelling Roofing Inc. The estimate for replacing the roof was $3,260. In February, I told Mark Gelling that I planned to put an addition on the back of the home, replacing a screened enclosure. I asked what the estimate would be without the back porch roof included in the quote. He told me that roof was $600. I agreed to hire him for a $2,660 reroof, the original amount of $3,260 minus the $600 for the back porch roof.

A few days later, he came to my home so I could choose a shingle color. While here, he remarked that his company was not touching the back porch roof and that $600 had been deducted from the price. I concurred. He said he would take the contract with him and rewrite it. As he was leaving, he pointed out several spots on my front porch roof that were leak stains and said not to worry about it, he'd take care of it.

The job was completed Feb. 21, and I paid him the $2,660. On March 7, my husband noticed rain pouring through the front porch roof and climbed up. He found the entire front porch roof had been left untouched. He immediately called M. Gelling Roofing; we received a message on our answering machine saying it had done everything it could with the front porch and we would need to replace it.

My husband called back the next day and said we had already paid to replace it. Gelling then said his company was never supposed to touch the front porch, that it was included in the deducted $600. He said that he had said flat roofs -- plural -- and that it would be a minimum of $250 just to get his guys back out here. When my husband protested, Gelling told him that he was done with him and hung up. He has stopped returning our calls.

I inquired only about the back porch roof, never the front. He specifically knew we were omitting the back porch because of a future addition. He even told me that the leaks on the front porch would be taken care of after the $600 was deducted. I have a copy of the contract, and as you can see, where it says "take off $600," it plainly says "roof." Gelling has never used the plural "roofs" until now. Any assistance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Jennifer Hitaffer

Response: Mark Gelling Sr., of M. Gelling Roofing Inc. in New Port Richey, said that when he originally contracted to do the roof of your home, the estimate included the two flat deck roofs, front and back. A few days before the start of the job, he said you informed him that you were adding an addition to the back and wanted to wait on the flat deck roofs. He said he asked whether you meant both, and you said yes.

Galling said he deducted $600 from the original estimate, which was the amount to do the flat deck roofs. After the job was done, the rains came, and your husband informed him that the front flat deck roof leaked. This was no surprise, Gelling said, because he had pointed it out to you when he was shingling the roof of your house. He said he may have written "roof" rather than "roofs" when he deducted the $600, but that figure included both the front and back flat deck roofs, at $250 and $350, respectively.

Book club finally cooking

Sometime during September or October I joined the Good Cook book club. The offer was to purchase four books at $1 each and purchase one book at regular club price during the next year. The offer also said that club members would have 10 days to inspect the book, and if they didn't like it, it could be returned to the club at its expense.

I ordered three books (one counted for two), and Nov. 4, two of them arrived. The book that counted for two was missing. I called the customer service department, but it was never possible to speak to a human. So, I wrote a letter requesting return postage for the two books I had received. This letter was never answered. On Nov. 27, I wrote again. This letter was also ignored. About mid February, I received a letter from a collection agency demanding payment for all three books, even though only two were received. I called and left a message on the agency's answering machine, but this call was also ignored.

I have done everything possible to return these two books and cease any dealings with this club, but everything falls on deaf ears. D. Vaughn

Response: Karen Cottingham, senior customer service representative for Bookspan, which does business as Good Cook as well as more than 70 other book, record, tape and CD clubs, said the company is sorry you were unable to speak to a representative when you called the customer service department.

Representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. If you remain on the line and do not choose any of the menu options, a representative will answer you call. Alternatively, pressing the pound key at any time will transfer you to one.

A prepaid return label is being sent to you so you can return the two items from your introductory package. Once they are received, your account will be brought into balance and closed.

- Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances.

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