(WSVN) – At the very least 16 lawsuits have been filed towards a South Florida window firm. Owners say they paid 1000’s of {dollars} however by no means acquired their home windows, and now state regulators are wanting into it as nicely. 7’s Heather Walker investigates.
Justin and Maricel Lafond moved into their Broward residence a few yr and half in the past. The home has a particular which means to them.
Maricel Lafond: “That is his childhood residence, so his mother and father got here from Trinidad, and so they constructed this home from the bottom up.”
Justin and Maricel determined to put in new impression home windows.
They searched on-line for a contractor, and located Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC.
Maricel Lafond: “They’d – I believe it was like a 4.7 on Google, [Better Business Bureau] critiques have been good, so we have been like, ‘OK, why not?’”
They known as and scheduled a house go to. The worker who visited gave them an estimate and helped them apply on-line for financing.
Maricel Lafond: “He informed us it was the best course of ever. He was going to ship us the hyperlink, and he despatched us the hyperlink, and ideal. Bam! We have been authorized.”
Justin and Maricel acquired a mortgage for almost $48,000. They transferred the cash to Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC to expedite the work.
Regardless of having the cash, the corporate didn’t begin work for 9 months.
Maricel Lafond: “Referred to as in about February. Now, it’s April, and each month that handed, it simply saved on delaying and delaying.”
However the couple says issues acquired worse after the work lastly started.
Maricel Lafond: “That was the day they began ruining my home, They got here in, and so they have been banging my new home windows such as you’d by no means consider. They weren’t slicing the openings appropriately, and so they have been making an attempt to type of match one thing actually massive right into a small opening.”
The home windows and doorways have been put in, however Justin and Maricel have been put out.
Justin Lafond: “The home windows pop and crack randomly.”
Maricel Lafond: “I had stucco uncovered.”
They requested Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC to repair the issues. Staff eliminated the home windows and reinstalled them, however to this date, they haven’t handed inspection, and the work allow hasn’t been closed.
State data present Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC is registered to Luis Alvarez. The enterprise has a Doral deal with, however nobody was there. We discovered a Miami-Dade County eviction discover on the window.
We traced Luis Alvarez to a house in Miami-Dade.
Voicemail recording: “Your name has been forwarded to voicemail.”
Nobody answered the door, or our telephone calls.
At the very least 16 lawsuits have been filed towards Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC up to now yr. In response to courtroom data, clients say after Alco Home windows and Doorways LLC was paid, little to no work was ever executed.
Ana Vieira: “I would like justice to be executed for myself.”
Ana Vieira can’t afford to take her case to courtroom. Like Justin and Maricel, she took out a $12,000 mortgage to pay for her new home windows.
She says she paid the corporate however by no means acquired her home windows.
Ana Vieira: “I felt deceived, as a result of I trusted in an organization that supposedly have been prepared to assist out.”
Ana, in addition to Justin and Maricel, now must pay again the loans. They’ve filed complaints with the Division of Enterprise and Skilled Regulation and the State Legal professional Common’s Workplace.
The State Legal professional Common’s Workplace tells 7News, “Our Shopper Safety Division has an energetic investigation relating to Alco Home windows and Doorways, and we’ve got obtained over 30 client complaints. We can’t remark additional at the moment.”
Justin Lafond: “I’m fully prepared to do no matter I’ve to do to verify justice is served, for everyone.”
These householders additionally need to ensure that others see by means of the corporate’s claims earlier than hiring them.
Heather Walker, 7News.
CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
7Investigates@wsvn.com
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Tv Corp. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.