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Consumer Protection: Advice from The Bucks County Consumer Advocates

April 2007

Q. The other day I was getting gas.  I swear the display jumped three cents before I started pumping.  I never noticed this before.  I told the attendant but he did not seem to care.  He said he would tell the owner.  Besides going back to actually check and see that the problem was fixed, who can I report this to?  R.A., Telford

A. We spoke to the Bucks County Weights and Measures Department.  They said the problem you are describing is what they refer to as “pump jump.”  They inspect gas stations and have a testing procedure to make sure a gallon is a gallon and that the charge per gallon is correct.  They also said the station owner needs to correct the pump jump.  We gave them the station information and they will go out and verify the problem and have the owner take corrective action.  The Bucks County Weights and Measures Department has a free brochure that is very helpful and describes what they do and what consumers need to know.  Their number is 215-348-6060 and the address is 50 North Main Street, Doylestown, Pa. 18901. 

Q.  I have been considering putting in a pool this year and have talked it over with my family.  Yesterday I brought it up at work and my co-workers were telling me some horrific stories about pool problems.  Can you give me any information on hiring a decent pool contractor?  J.S., Langhorne 

A.  The first thing you should always do is to get several written estimates for the work you would like done.  Ask family, friends, or neighbors who have pools who they used and if they were happy with the work.  Investigate the pool contractors.  Make sure you have a physical address and phone number for the contractor.  Check with Bucks County Consumer Protection at 1-800-9472-2669 to see if they have had any complaints against the contractors that you have selected.  Educate yourself on pools, pool construction, pool maintenance and local ordinances with your township or borough.  This way you will know the right questions to ask.  Ask about the warranty,  what is covered, what is not.  Make sure this is all in writing, and make sure you are completely satisfied before signing a contract.  Do not stray from the payment arrangements that you have set up.  It is always a red flag if the contractor starts trying to get extra money or more money before the next payment is due.        

Q.   I read your article every week and enjoy the information that I get from it.  I see every so often questions from a tenant are in the article.  Well I am a landlord and I also have questions.  Is there anywhere that I can go to get some of my questions answered?  B.C., Newtown    

A.   This question comes at the perfect time.  There is a Landlord Event that is coming up in the beginning of May.  The event is sponsored by the Bucks County Fair Housing Committee.  This is for any landlord who rents property in Bucks County.  There will be a panel of experts that will be able to answer questions.  We believe if a landlord has the proper information, they make better judgments.   For more information, please call Bucks County Consumer Protection at 1-800-942-2669.

Q.   I am on a year to year lease.  I have rented this property for the last four years.  My lease expires on the last day of May.  The landlord sent me a notice as required by our lease that he was choosing not to renew my lease.  I called and asked him why he will not renew my lease.  He told me it was his property and that he did not need a reason.  Can he really do this?  K. W., Quakertown

A.   According to the Pennsylvania Landlord/Tenant Act he is correct.  There is nothing in law that requires a landlord to give any reason for not renewing a lease.  The signed lease is the terms and conditions that both parties have agreed to honor.  In your particular lease either party can choose not to renew the lease by providing a sixty day notice prior to the lease term ending.  If you feel that the notice does not give you enough time to find another place, ask the landlord in writing for an additional thirty days.  Keep in mind, though, that he does not have to agree to the additional time.

Q.  Last week I received a call from a person who explained that she was from a databank company.  She said that my bank had a computer problem that they had to correct, but couldn’t correct until verification of my information. She knew my name and what bank that I had an account with, but she needed my routing number.  She made a statement that my last check used was 1010 and I made the mistake and said “no it was 634”.  So I ended up giving her my routing number and my last check.  They offered me $500.00 worth of pharmaceutical coupons because it was their error and asked me for my address so they could send me the coupons.  When I hung up I realized that I may have been scammed.  I also realized that she got me to say “yes” several times in the phone call.  I called my bank and they were not aware of any computer problems.  The bank suggested that I freeze my account and open a new one which I did.  What I want to do is warn other consumers so they don’t make the same mistake.  H.G., Doylestown

A. Good call.  You were able to stop the scam artist from cleaning out your account.  Whenever a consumer receives a cold call telling you they are from a company that you do business with and asking for personal information, hang up and call the particular company back with a phone number that you are familiar with.  Then you know that you are actually dealing with the correct people.  

Q. I had a contractor come out to my house to install windows.  He was almost done and he had me sign a “post installation” checklist.  There were things on the list that were not done yet so he told me just to leave them blank and he would come out and do them the following day.  When he didn’t show up to finish the work I called and complained.  He came out to my house and showed me the checklist that I signed and all the spaces were filled, including the one that says the job has been completed to my satisfaction.  Can you help me?  D.S., Yardley         

A.   Whenever you sign your name to anything, whether it is a checklist, loan or any kind of contract, fill in all blank spaces.  If an answer is not required, write “N/A (Not Applicable) in the blank.  If something still needs to be done at time of signing, make a note of it in the blank space.  Someone could fill in the blank later and make you responsible for something without your knowledge or agreement.  You sent pictures and had another contractor do a written estimate of what it would cost to complete the work.  When the first contractor was contacted by our office, he agreed to complete the project.    

Q. My husband and I received a letter from a company called National Deed Services Incorporated.  The letter basically says that the Federal Citizen Information Center recommends that property owners should have an official or certified copy of their deed.  If we send $59.50 in a check, money order or credit card they will obtain a certified copy of our deed.  What is the deal with this letter and are other people getting it?  C.W., Furlong

A. This is just another company that is trying to profit from public records.  The fact is this company has no government affiliation and is hoping that the letter makes the consumer act out of some type of urgency.  We suggest that consumers not get involved with companies like this.  They are doing nothing that a homeowner cannot do themselves.  Most homeowners can obtain a certified copy of their deed from their local County’s Recorder of Deeds for a fee that is much less than the $59.50 quoted in this solicitation.

Q.   I would like to know how to get on the no call list.  I have been procrastinating for a long time.  This past week has made me act.  I have been solicited several times by the same company to switch my phone service.  What do I need to do?  G.H., Doylestown

A.   The no call list, whether it is the Pennsylvania or the National list, has really worked well.  Some companies have tried to skirt the law but have been stopped by authorities.  Since the law went into effect marketers have stepped up calls to folks not on the list.  The Pennsylvania no call list is run by a third party and   enforcement of violations is handled by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.  You can register for the Pennsylvania list online at www.nocallsplease.com or call 888-777-3406.  If you sign up on the state list you do not need to sign up on the national list.  To register on the national do not call list you can go online at www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222.  Both lists will register you for five years.  After that you will need to re-register.  Please keep in mind that collection companies, political groups, charities and businesses that you already have an affiliation with may still call.

 

Department of Consumer Protection /
Weights and Measures
Michael D. Bannon
Director
50 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-348-7442
Fax: 215-348-4570
Canny Consumer Hotline 1-800-942-2669