Need advice please, legal issue or am I dead in the water?

[labrocha]

Have a meeting with the new owners, reguarding their future business, it still rests on word of mouth. As far as your concerned, they still have some kind of afilliation with the old company, employees, location, equipment etc; Maybe they will understand, and feel your pain enough to meet you halfway. Good luck...

 

[880jedi]

I've been the victim of this crime, (yes, I call it a crime) before.

I now have a new policy when paying anyone to do something for me. I insist on bringing the payment to the company's owners home. Why? Because when you hand him the check, you can remind him that you'll be back if any funny business happens. If they say no, they don't get my business. They will learn that ripping off customers could lead to dire consequences.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

I'm also curious to see if it's same people that own the 'new' company?
Maybe same folks simply filed BQ to get away from debts and warranties, then reopened under a different company name? If that's the case you may be able to go after them.

 

[Amode]

Try your homeowers insurance co. They may not cover the roof but get a high est. for the damage inside to cover for the roof. Just keep after them.

 

[Busa1166]

Are you sure the old owner has no involvement in the new corp??? People run scams that way they take turns as owner an keep switching names around if he is still in there somewhere there may be something you can do.. But I would at least burn this guys time trying to solve it but if they just switched owners no point in using them again cause they got the job done wrong and let them know you will spread the word that same group of incompetent workers are still there if that is indeed the case.

 

[Big Bo]

Call an attny. Do business with another co.

 

[busa186]

If its a newer roof. Then the leak is caused by the install. Track the leak and repair your self. Tell the company you fully understand, tell them you would like to try them out. Get him to come out and give you a quote. Talk bad about the other company and goat him in to telling you what and where the other company messed up. Then fix it yourself.

How big is this company? What did he buy? A couple trucks? Business leads, do the same employees work there? Sounds fishy, that he would buy a roofing company and change/cut ties. Why would you buy the business? Why not open your own.

 

[GNBRETT]

small claims court is cheap and you dont need an attorney. but since the company is out of business I think ur SOL. cant draw blood from a stone even if you sue the previous owner personally

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

small claims court is cheap and you dont need an attorney. but since the company is out of business I think ur SOL. cant draw blood from a stone even if you sue the previous owner personally

Many a rich man has a failed business. Just because the company failed doesn't mean the owners were or ARE broke. May have walked always from a dead company but still be worth millions.

 

[dadofthree]

 

[frisbee]

get it fixed by someone else . then talk to a lawyer , if he says you have something then and take them to small claims court.

 

[GNBRETT]

Many a rich man has a failed business. Just because the company failed doesn't mean the owners were or ARE broke. May have walked always from a dead company but still be worth millions.

what u know and wat u can prove rarely go hand and hand and were not talkn corporations here were talkn some low life that did shotty work which is why hes out of business likely to begin with. unlikely hes a fortune 500 guy with many companies. ppl like him scam dozens of ppl all the time then close shop and disappear.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

My thoughts:

1) Try to appeal to them on a "right thing to do" level (if the same guy that sold the roof is with the new company, they should accept responsibility to some degree).
2) Appeal to their bottom line by ensuring they understand that they'll have a reference and a customer for life if they honor the warranty.

If they refuse to be cool...switch tactics:

3) Ensure they understand that they will be reviewed poorly on every business site that will accept your rating/explanation and that you will name the individuals that did the selling and the installation.
4) Let them know that you will be contacting every news/media organization with your story. Nobody wants "7 on Your Side running" an investigative report.
5) Bluff that you have a lawyer in the family that will handle your case on a complimentary basis.

In the end, the only thing you can do to get your money's worth is either appeal to their better nature or bolster or threaten their reputation. If none of that works, there's likely little recourse in terms of saving your dollars. Even with a "free" attorney, YOUR time would cost more than $750 and in the mean time you either leave the leaky roof or have it repaired by someone else.

Here's wishing you best of luck on them having a change of heart!

Best of luck!

 

[newman]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Man these people will do anything to get out of paying out insurance, or honouring their warranties.
Some woman got her roof blown off in high winds here, but the insurance company would not pay out because the wind was 47mph, and in the insurance policy the wind had to be at least 50mph, before the would pay out.

 

[twotonevert]

Thanks guys. I have a meeting the guy that worked for the company that sold me the roof at noon. Lets see what happens. No matter what happens, I will not be suing anyone. Now if it was the entire roof I needed to replace, that might be a different story.

 

[Professor]

You need someone else to look at it. Someone not connected to either company to do an inspection. If that valley was not correctly laid, what else did they do wrong? Contact the bonding company and file a claim for improper workmanship.

When you have work like this done always insist they are bonded and you have a copy of that bond (or letter) sent directly to you from the bonding company.

If it was an LLC, or corporation that was sold intact, you may be able to force them to fix it. The new owners accept that liability. Chances are that it is not the case.

 

[racerV]

It should cost you about $150 to fix yourself. Give me a call if you want info on how to do it. It isnt that difficult unless you have a steep roof.

 

[BlondeOnaBusa]

Seems like if company1 sold the business to company2 then they would have had to buy the warranties along with everything else. I'd ask more questions but you will probably have to fork over the cash anyway. I know this sux, sorry.

 

[skydivr]

I like calling the local TV station; they LOVE stories like this...as you are probably not the only one....

 

[twotonevert]

Its in a bad place John, I have to remove shingles and the siding to get to it.