POINCIANA, Fla. — Action 9 has helped two consumers recover thousands of dollars from local companies that had stopped responding to their complaints.
A family finally got their $6,000 new fence, plus consumer investigator Todd Ulrich helped a man from Apopka after a bad oil change damaged his new car.
Frank Goldenberg’s Shetland Sheepdog can finally run free inside the new white picket fence at his home in Kissimmee.
Goldenberg had contacted Action 9 claiming Osceola Fence Supply collected a $2,900 cash deposit six months ago before seeming to disappear.
“We tried over and over, could never get in touch with them. You were the ones that did,” Goldenberg said.
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Action 9 found at least 16 other consumers had similar complaints against Osceola Fence.
Ulrich found the president of the company, Anthony Paradiso, picking up mail at the company’s former address.
“You’ve taken their money. How can you keep it?” Ulrich asked.
“I haven’t taken their money. We’re building every contract. We’re installing as we speak,” Paradiso replied.
Paradiso told Ulrich that fencing material shortages and fewer employees because of COVID-19 had caused serious delays but said he would get the job done.
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Two weeks later, Goldenberg was surprised by what he saw. “Yeah, out of the blue I heard some noise out front, looked, and there was a truck with a trailer.”
The company was on his property installing his $6,000 white vinyl fence.
Goldenberg said he was glad he contacted Action 9. “We figured if anybody could do it, you folks would.”
Since Action 9′s story first aired, four more consumers have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau about missing fences.
In general, use credit cards for any contractor deposits. That way, you can dispute the charges if there are any ugly surprises.
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Action 9 was also able to help a man from Apopka after an oil change disaster.
“This is my new engine,” Christian Saavedra said as he opened the hood.
Two months after he first spoke with Todd Ulrich, he can once again drive his 2021 Honda Civic.
Saavedra was desperate when he contacted Action 9, claiming a bad oil service at a Take 5 Oil Change in Poinciana destroyed his engine.
“All hell broke loose, and my motor started smoking,” Saavedra said.
He told us Take 5 Oil refused to pay for his new engine at an estimated cost of $13,000.
“At first, they said no, but then you guys came along,” Saavedra said.
He showed a video to Ulrich, documenting how the engine had failed five miles after leaving Take 5 and showing how its technician appeared to add oil at the site where the car had broken down.
Ulrich went to the shop and asked the manager on duty about Saavedra’s oil change. The manager explained that he was new and that Ulrich would have to speak with the district manager.
Initially, Take 5 denied responsibility for the engine failure.
Ulrich contacted the Honda dealership that was going to repair the vehicle. A manager from the dealership sent an email stating that the engine was damaged by an improper oil change.
Once Ulrich sent that information to Take 5′s corporate office, managers then agreed to pay for Saavedra’s $13,000 new engine.
“I’m really happy. No question, you guys do get the job done,” Saavedra said expressing his gratitude to Action 9.
If you can’t resolve a vehicle repair dispute, send a complaint to Florida’s Division of Consumer Services, the agency that regulates auto repair shops.
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