Cant get manufacturer to respond

[Richard]

The manufacturer owes me for charges I incured due to them not building my home according to the order sheet. They were to put a hitch reversal kit on both units but did not so I had to hire a man with a remote controlled miniture Cat to pull my units onto my lot. They refuse to reply to my repeated requests for reembursment for the charges and the charge for installing the kit they did not install.
Any idea on how to get them, Champion/Redman in Arizona to responed? If they are refusing to pay me I need to start the process of Arbitration (which they made me sign before the house deal would close).
I have been calling and faxing the factory CS and sales support staff for 3 months and I am out of patients.
TIA
Richard

[Roy T. Bonney]

From reading your post, it sounds like your problem may be with the dealer, as opposed to the manufacturer. The manufacturer will build to the dealer specs. I would verify how the dealer ordered the home from the manufacturer, they may have built the unit "as ordered".

[Roger]

I agree with Roy, it could be your dealer. I visited the manufacturing plant and met the salesman before ordering my home. During the building process I spoke with the salesman often and discovered several things not on the orginial order submitted by my dealer. IF it is your dealers mistake, good luck, many of them are like used car salesman.

[Richard]

Fact: I spoke directly to the sales representative for my area and confirmed the hitch reversal kit and several other custom items. The entire house was a custom build to my design. The sales manager had me go directly to the factory rep. because the details were way over her head.
I even went to the factory, with the sales manager from the dealership, and met with the rep. and looked at the house a week after manufacture and found several items not to design specs. The house was sent back into the factory for rework.
When it came out they shipped immediately, over a week before the scheduled ship date. Probably so I couldn't reinspect at the factory. In their hast to get it off the lot they missed a few things.
Factory service has sent contractors out twice in the past 5 months to fix some of the items.
I still think they should pay for the added cost to get the house on the lot.
What do you think I should do now? Is there an agency I should contact before having my lawer begin a suit?

[David Oxhandler]

Richard -

A verbal confirmation is not worth the paper it is written on. Did you get written confirmation of your special order and option items? Even though you were in contact with the factory your contract for purchase is with the retailer. It is doubtful that there is any obligation directly between you and the builder except the standard warranty. Your warranty covers construction standards not how they added the options. You must start by trying to get the retailer to address your problems. After that If you have any complaints about the performance of your manufactured home that have not been resolved by the retailer where you purchased the home you should contact the manufacturer that produced the home. If the problems are left unresolved by the factory then you need to contact the state agency where you live that administers the federal code regulating manufactured housing. You can find the contact information for that agency on our site at www.mfdhousing.com/saa It is important to provide the following information with your complaint: First write a numbered list of all the problems. After you have listed each problem then list the dates and names of the people at the dealership and the manufacturer that you spoke to about the problems. Then list the dates that service men came to your home and what they did during that visit. Also be sure to include: Your name, address and a telephone number where you can be reached during the day The name of the manufacturer The serial number and model number of your home The HUD label number (the red tag on the back of the home) The date purchased The name of the retail business who sold you the home. Copies of any correspondence or contacts with the retailer and the manufacturer to resolve the problem. Make copies of this letter. Keep one and send a copy by Certified Mail Return Receipt to: -1- The Dealership where you purchased the home -2- The Manufacturer of the home -3- The Agency that regulates manufactured housing in your state. You can find the contact information for that agency on our site at www.mfdhousing.com/saa Please let us know how you make out. Good Luck.

[troy]

Like most manufacturers Champion does not pay for any claim, valid or not without prior written approval before the work is done. This is clearly stated in the warranty and homeowners manual. David is right that a verbal agreement with the manufacturer doesn't mean anything. And there is no such thing as hitch reversal kit. A home is not structurally capable of having the hitches mounted on the wrong end. If you wanted the house to be delivered backwards you should have been sold a side to side flip. The effect of this option is that the entire frame is installed backwards. Some plants don't offer this option because it often creates conflicts between axle locations and plumbing and ductwork.

[rmurray]

Many manufacturers offer a hitch on the tail end of the home to help facilitate the placement of the home..All are aware this hitch is only for placement and not transport...

The preferred way to place a tight fit would be the house cat this fellow did use..I doubt that the manufacturer will ever offer to pay this small extra expense..This fellow should concentrate on real problems and move on..Maybe the dealer might owe him a refund of the extra money he paid for the home..I am sure the plant did not bill for an option not on the house...The dealer would have had to charge at least an extra 300 which would be about 1/2 the cost of the cat...

[richard]

See Murray's reply. The kit was ordered and paid for. It was $350. It included spring hangers and a mount for the drawbar at the backend of the frame. Once the units arrive the front axel is moved to the new hangers at the opposite end of the frame and the drawbar is moved to the rear, then the truck reconnects and backs the unit into the lot.

The cost of the mini remote controlled cat operation was $1150. The cost of the kit was $350.
The dealer is not responsible for this the manufacturer is.

They think that since I am in California and they are in Arizona I will not pursue this small amount by taking them to small claims court because it will cost me more to get them to pay me for the expenses than I will get, and they are probably right. They are a multi million dollar mega corporation and tie this up till I am to old to drive to an Arizona courthouse.

So I should just move on? After all it is just a measly little $1500.
I will look at the web information you provided,
Thanks for providing that
Richard

[Tim]

Richard,

My question to you is whether you hired the dealership to install your house or whether you hired the installer. If the dealership is responsible it makes sense that the liability is with the dealership and that you can prove your case in front of a small claims judge. My suggestion is to file a claim and take the dealership to court.

The dealership would be more inclined to local resolution rather than the home manufacturer.

[Brooks Burd]

I have a couple of questions. Did you talk with a lawyer? Can you file in California? If you bought the house in CA, you should be able to file there. The ball would then be in your court. If you have an order form and bill/receipt with the extra option on it and the home clearly does not have it, you should at the very least get back your $350. Not what you want, I know, but better than nothing.