The Fearless Consumer


THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- $20 dispute: Another reason to pay at the pump Published on Mar 29th, 2007 0 comments As readers who read my note two issues ago know by now, Barbara Nordin has decided to focus on other writing projects, including a book of true-crime pieces set in Charlottesville, while continuing...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Roommate ruse: Bank scam claims another victim Published on Mar 15th, 2007 3 comments When Tom Steeves advertised on craigslist.com for a roommate, he didn't realize that he would fall prey to a faceless criminal and pay a wrenchingly high price for his misfortune. A...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Absolutely similar: Another plumbing job goes awry Published on Mar 15th, 2007 5 comments "I couldn't believe my eyes," Lynn Childers wrote, "when I saw your recent article on Absolute Plumbing"– not only because she had a similar experience with Absolute, but because the consumer I...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Absolute conflict: Stopped toilet and check ignite dispute Published on Mar 8th, 2007 0 comments County resident Lynn Ward's Tuesday was off to a bad start. Her first-floor toilet was stopped up– for the second time in a week. The plumber she'd called the week before had said it might be a...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Talk to me: Missed communication on the mountain Published on Mar 1st, 2007 0 comments Compared most of the disputes I cover, this week's dust-up may seem trivial at first glance. Even so, it raises issues that merit discussion– primarily, the critical need for good communication...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Interrupted dream: Couple and company lift house cloud Published on Feb 22nd, 2007 0 comments When problems with their dream home started appearing, Marcia and Jim Wills turned into documentarians. Soon, armed with copies of letters, e-mails, memoranda, and numerous photos of alleged flaws...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Flyer buyer: Ignore come-ons, get references Published on Feb 8th, 2007 2 comments "I don't remember anything about that," Doug Taylor replied when asked about the landscaping work Charlotte Mabry says she hired him to do in August 2005. Mabry emailed me an overview of what she...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Many a mile: DMV typo stalls car sale Published on Feb 1st, 2007 0 comments A typo can have expensive consequences– just ask Beth Schrank, who saw the value of her 2000 Volvo go from $12,000 to $3,500 due to what she claims was a DMV typo on the car's title. For 10...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Getting snippy: Yard work dispute raises tempers Published on Jan 25th, 2007 0 comments "She got all bent out of shape," says Doug Taylor; he's talking about the reaction he got when he explained to Young Hahn on October 29 why he hadn't finished the work she and her husband had paid...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Tricks 'R Us? Store delivers bundle of toy Published on Jan 18th, 2007 2 comments Dave Weiss was so eager to get a Nintendo Wii at the $279 price Toys R Us had advertised that he lined up outside the store at 4am one Sunday in early December. When he got inside, however, he...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Dumpster blues: when the collection agency calls Published on Jan 11th, 2007 0 comments I get nostalgic whenever I'm reminded of the bright orange, 20-foot-long Dumpster that used to be parked in front of my house. That's because I remember all the junk it was full of: ugly cabinets,...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Shard sale: broken home angers Louisa buyer Published on Jan 4th, 2007 0 comments "We offer a TRUE TURNKEY DEAL!" That's how easy Oakwood Homes promises it will be to make your "dream home" a reality– your dream manufactured home, anyway. Oakwood's guide for buyers lists 13...
FEARLESS CONSUMER- How <i>not</i> to: Contracting <i>contretemps</i> dominate 2006 Published on Dec 21st, 2006 0 comments It is a truth universally acknowledged, that remodeling one's house is more stressful than can possibly be imagined when, armed only with glossy magazines, floor plans, and how-to books, one bravely...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- This old house: Roof leaks top list of problems Published on Dec 14th, 2006 0 comments "At first," Laura Watkins says, "the house appeared old, but in reasonable condition." That was in April 2006, when she moved into a cottage on Jeanne Seering's farm in Greenwood. Watkins...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Wrong numbers: Embarq's bills mystify customer Published on Dec 7th, 2006 0 comments When Alexis Zeigler opened his phone bill in May and saw $429.58 in charges for long distance, what he calls his "personal nightmare" began. After all, in early May Zeigler had signed up for Sprint...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- $87 solution: $5K later, tenant's ordeal ends Published on Nov 30th, 2006 0 comments The moral of today's tale o' woe: Get it in writing! Arin Bennett certainly wishes he had insisted on that with University Place Apartments, instead of allowing the situation to drift off into the...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Clipped: Lawn service charges grow like weeds Published on Nov 16th, 2006 0 comments When I read Heather Sweet's account of her dealings with Albemarle Super Wash and Lawn Maintenance, I must admit I felt a thrill. That's because it held out the promise of another visit to owner...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Taking a bath: The price of finessing permits Published on Oct 26th, 2006 0 comments "You don't need permits." Unless the building inspector is talking, those can be dangerous words. Just ask Charlottesville resident Ellen Pratt, who claims that's what Dominick Wells, owner of...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- I don't: Wedding deadlines spark friction Published on Oct 26th, 2006 0 comments Kimberly Raines didn't realize how slowly things move in the wedding-garment world when she went to Tiffany's Bridal in Richmond to order her wedding dress. Although Raines says she placed the...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- On the carpet: Spotty installation riles nurse Published on Oct 19th, 2006 0 comments Sara Anderson wasn't happy. She had agreed to pay For the Floor $2,500 to install carpeting in four rooms, but when she surveyed the finished job, she claims she discovered that a floor-length...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Swell solution: Counter claim gets results Published on Oct 5th, 2006 0 comments When she decided to replace her kitchen countertops, Denise Benson chose Hicky's Woodworking Shop because her brother-in-law, who's in construction, recommended Hicky's "very highly." That was early...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Let down: Theater request irks nursing mom Published on Sep 21st, 2006 9 comments On July 29, Brian and Kristin Bell took their three-week-old son to a matinee at the Regal Cinema on the downtown mall. What started as a fun outing, sadly, ended in anger. In a written account...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Fancy pants:<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Blindstitching an ugly sight Published on Sep 21st, 2006 0 comments "It looked like someone stitched them with their eyes closed or blindfolded," Lisa Hunnicutt says; she's describing the Armani pants her son Travis took to Crystal Cleaners in Seminole Square for...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Off the fence: Delay has horsewoman on the ropes Published on Sep 14th, 2006 0 comments "Please, fence me in!" That was the subject line of Karen Knight's email, and she wasn't being facetious; it was also the plea she said she issued repeatedly to a fence builder who took her $2,500...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Brown study: Cycling through UPS payment rules Published on Sep 7th, 2006 1 comments When Tom Rose walked into the UPS Customer Center one day last June, all he expected to do was pay a cash on delivery, or C.O.D., charge and collect a shipment of vintage motorcycle parts. By the...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Simple as ABC? Verify daycare center payments Published on Aug 31st, 2006 0 comments "There were some things I didn't like," Barbara Beverly says, but nothing serious enough to stop her from enrolling her daughter, Hannah, at ABC Preschool for the past three years. When a slot at a...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Picture this: Wise tenants take precautions Published on Aug 24th, 2006 0 comments If you're a UVA student in the heady first days of a new relationship, remember this: What you don't do now to protect yourself can lead to heartache and expense nine months down the road. No, I...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Bella case: Vet tells his side of the story Published on Jul 27th, 2006 0 comments My recent column on the death of Sarah Hald's dog, Bella ["Surgical strike," July 13], brought a strong reaction from veterinarian Richard Freedman. Freedman performed surgery on Bella's knees last...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Surgical strike: Should owner pay if dog dies? Published on Jul 13th, 2006 0 comments Losing a pet is always painful, whether its death is the result of injury, illness, or old age. And when the loss is complicated by a dispute over the veterinarian's bill, it's easy for pain to...
THE FEARLESS CONSUMER- Queasy exchange: Anonymous web digs rile restaurateur Published on Jun 29th, 2006 0 comments "It's been a learning experience for me," the website's owner says. Well, yes. The restaurant owner whose business was recently featured on the website, however, appears to be more bruised than...