By NANCY PARADIS
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 7, 2001
We received a card from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Revenue saying that it was reporting an overpayment of $326 for 1999 state taxes to the Internal Revenue Service for the year 2000. We made a copy of the card, wrote a note that we had never received the refund and sent it back to Pennsylvania by certified mail.
We know it was received because the signed postcard indicating receipt was returned to us. We have also tried calling, but the phone just rings and rings. We're hoping somehow you will be able to help us. John and Elizabeth Snoha
Response: Dale Henry in Pennsylvania's Department of Revenue said the records show a check was mailed to you in June 2000. He said he will issue a stop payment on the check. If it has been cashed, this will generate a copy of the cashed check. If not, a replacement check will be issued. This takes six to eight weeks.
He said he tried to call you but the number is unlisted, so he will send you a letter confirming this instead.
Each month, I send two bills I have been getting from Bayfront Medical Center, for service in July 2000, to Health Options Medicare and More billing unit. I have heard nothing from Health Options. I am no longer with this insurance company and hope it will answer you. Marion Harpole
Response: Mark Wright, spokesman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, said it received the bill it needed to make payment from the hospital on June 14, and it was paid on July 3. You have no responsibility for this bill. In fact, he said that if you take a look at it, the patient balance due is zero.
In November 1999, I purchased a pair of slacks from JC Penney using a gift certificate which left me with a credit balance of $10.17, as the enclosed receipt shows. I recently went back to the store and selected a tablecloth for that amount. The clerk would not accept my receipt, saying I had to have a gift card. I never received one. I would appreciate your getting the store to send me a gift card for that amount. Lillian Lovett
Response: Jeff Kingsbury, the men's wear department manager at JC Penney in Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg, said a gift card is given out with the receipt at the time of return. Customers are told it is like cash and that a $1 charge is deducted from it each month. In the interest of goodwill, however, he is issuing you a refund of $10.17.
My husband and I are currently adding two rooms onto our home. In the process, we will be repainting the whole exterior of the house. The outside stucco on the original dwelling has several areas of rust showing through the paint. Our builder for the current project has stated that the rust is caused by defective corner beading that was used during a one-year time period of house construction. In similar cases he has had to have his contractor replace the metal corner beads with plastic. Painting over the rust will not solve the problem; the rust will just reappear.
To this end I contacted the original builder and asked it to correct this problem prior to the repainting of the house. The builder decided to do nothing about the problem; the reason is that the house is four years old and the defect is not considered structural damage. Is there anything you can do to prompt an equitable solution? Marilyn Ferreri
Response: Unless you have a warranty that is longer than the standard one-year warranty for new homes, we're sorry there is nothing we can do to help.
On July 6, I wrote to you stating that I was not able to get a response from Sharp Electronics regarding a defective start button on my microwave. Shortly thereafter, I received a phone call from Sharp's representative; my warranty was being extended from one year to two, and my microwave would be repaired at no cost to me.
Since that time, it has been picked up, taken to the shop, repaired, returned and reinstalled. I have had two follow-up calls from Sharp, asking if everything was handled properly.
I was amazed that you could get this accomplished so quickly. Sharp never mentioned that you had contacted it on my behalf, but I'm sure you must have. Thank you very much for your help. Janet Boggs
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.
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