Hole in wall bonus of floor tile job?

By NANCY PARADIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 30, 2000

On Dec. 4, we purchased tile from Factory Direct Interiors in St. Petersburg for our family room. We were told the tile was in stock in the Sarasota store and would be shipped within the next week or so. We chose to have it installed on Dec. 20, and I confirmed the date when I called the store on Dec. 16.

On Dec. 20, no one showed up to install the tile, so early in the afternoon I was told by "John Jr." that the installer would come the next day. Still no one showed up, but the installer did call to say he would come on Dec. 22. He did so and laid the tile, telling us to stay out of the room and off the tile. We did as we were told.

The next day, Dec. 23, the installer came to lay the grout and again told us to stay off the floor for several hours so the grout could dry. We again did as the installer instructed. Late in the afternoon we went into the room and admired the great job that had been done. It was then that I noticed a hole in the wall in the closet that had also been tiled. That hole was not there before. I called and reported the hole. The installer came to take a look at the hole. He said he would repair it. The hole has still not been repaired. We would like it fixed. John and Carol Shinske

Response: Angelo Ditommaso, general manager of Factory Direct Interiors in Sarasota, said that he finds it hard to believe that the hole was made by the installer and that the installer furthermore denied having made it. However, in the interest of customer satisfaction, Factory Direct has agreed to repair the hole after you return from your vacation in July.

Magazine subscription

In April 1999, I ordered a two-year subscription to Entertainment Weekly through Omegazine Subscription Services. I paid $51.48 for this subscription in three monthly installments. Since I was already receiving this magazine, I was told my subscription would be extended by two years.

To date my subscription has not been extended. I called Omegazine on Oct. 15 and was told it sometimes takes 10 to 12 weeks for it to be effective and to try back in two to three weeks. I have since called at least a dozen times and always get a busy signal. I wrote the company the attached letter and have not received a response. I also called Entertainment Weekly subscription services and was told it had never received a request for renewal from Omegazine.

Since my subscription ended in February, I had to renew through the magazine and pay $51.96 for a one-year subscription. I would appreciate any help you can provide in getting my subscription from Omegazine. Barbra Sessa

Response: Unfortunately we do not hold out much hope for a refund. We were unable to contact Omegazine in Seattle by phone and the mail is being returned marked "Box closed. Unable to forward. Return to sender." The Seattle Better Business Bureau reports that the company has an unsatisfactory record.

Action is seeing an increase in complaints such as yours against subscription services. We urge you to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Although the commission does not become involved in individual disputes, it does look for patterns of possible violations of the law which are vital to its law enforcement efforts, and needs to hear your complaints to do so. You may contact the FTC's Consumer Response Center at its toll-free number (877) 382-4357; TDD: (202) 326-2502; or write to Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20580. Complaints may also be filed through its Web site at http://www.ftc.gov.

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, 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (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. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.