ceiling

[David Oxhandler]

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 this 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 at www.mfdhousing.com/saa Please let us know how you make out. Good Luck.

[Kelly Smart]

Well here is the story as of today. Day #73. The Franklin service rep came up last Wed. and inspected the house. He was in total disbelief as to the shoddy workmanship on the sheetrock and the condition of the ceilings. He took lots of pictures of everything we have complained about and said he would give the report to his boss and they would let us know what they would be responsible for. Well I got their response today. The recommendation from Franklin is to file a complaint with the state, like many of you have suggested. They said they are responsible for some things in the house but we had major issues that needed to be addressed and they did not feel Franklin was responsible for coming in and fixing the mistakes made by the dealer( sheetrock, ceilings sagging, cracked/ busted ceramic tile on kitchen counter and island). We have our paperwork and will be hand delivering it to the state office in the am. I am not really encouraged though because these are not structural problems and I am really concerned that the state will just say it is cosmetic and do nothing. The Franklin rep. told me that usually the state does only address structural issues but the issues we had were significant enough in that they were preventing us from moving in, because this stuff needs replaced not worked on or covered up. She feels the inspector will make a decision on repairs needing to be done. Oh and also, we have not received our air conditioner which they were paid for when we paid for the house. MY husband called the dealer and they said wwell you need to pay for your concrete and we will get you an air conditioner. We do owe 1313.0 for concrete and my husband told them when they fix the house we will pay it. THe concrete was not even part of the house contract and the air cond. was. Can they legally withhold it. I am so ready for this to be over!

[Mark Bower]

What would it cost you to hire another contractor to come in and fix everything? Like David mentioned in an early post, I think I would have a contractor come in and do the repairs and get moved in. Right now you've probably spent more fighting this than it would have cost you to do the repairs on your own and move in.

Of course you'll then go after the dealer in court for reimbursement of your repairs and other expenses. You can fight it with the State, but most likely they will be slow and your delays will increase by another 73 days easy.

It's definitely not fair, but sometimes its easier to learn from the ordeal and get on with life.

Good luck!
Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[Pendragon]

They should have supplied the HVAC unit, I don't think you will get a certificate of occupancy without one, and without one, you cannot close.

On the other hand, I'm not even sure a CO is required on a mobile.

As for the concrete, pay it, make SURE you get a receipt and a lien release!
Until you pay it, they have every right to place a lien against the home, and sounds like they might just for spite.

Then, I'd find myself a good lawyer.

[Kelly Smart]

Another question I have is the Franklin rep said the reason the dealer was pushing so hard for us to move in is that until we move into the house the dealer is responsible for it eventhough it is on our land. Is this true? We financed the home with the bank and we have made our 6th house payment. The dealer was paid in full in Nov. I think it would take between 5k - 10k to fix the stuff in this house. This is a 90k house. At what point is there a price reduction/reimbursment and that money is used to repair the house.Can the state make a decision on this sort of thing. Call me hard headed but I don't want to put that kind of money into the house and HOPE I could get back in court( which probably would take years to ever come about) this is not a small claims court case.
I know this is a complicated issue and I appreciate everybody giving the advice you have. I know ultimately I have a fight on my hands and I am just trying to get as much information from you guys as I can.
Thanks!

[Kelly Smart]

Another question I have is the Franklin rep said the reason the dealer was pushing so hard for us to move in is that until we move into the house the dealer is responsible for it eventhough it is on our land. Is this true? We financed the home with the bank and we have made our 6th house payment. The dealer was paid in full in Nov. I think it would take between 5k - 10k to fix the stuff in this house. This is a 90k house. At what point is there a price reduction/reimbursment and that money is used to repair the house.Can the state make a decision on this sort of thing. Call me hard headed but I don't want to put that kind of money into the house and HOPE I could get back in court( which probably would take years to ever come about) this is not a small claims court case.
I know this is a complicated issue and I appreciate everybody giving the advice you have. I know ultimately I have a fight on my hands and I am just trying to get as much information from you guys as I can.
Thanks!

[Kelly Smart]

Just an update on what's going on in my world. We filed our claim with the state and they gave the dealer and Manufacturer 30 days to respond. After 2 wks we received our inspection date as both parties refused to fix problems. The inspection took place this past Wed. I have never seen anything like it. We had a rep. from the state, the owner of the dealership and the OWNER of Franklin Homes as well as the service manager of Franklin Homes, my husband and myself. There was alot of arguing brtween the 2 owners. We showed the state rep. everything that was wrong. I offered him a chance to look at the 600 pictures I have of the house, from what it looked like on the lot to what it looks like now. I told him it has been 114 days since the house was delibered to our land. He was shocked. He did tell us while we were talking in another room while the 2 dealers and service mgr bickered outside, that we have got alot of problems. He said although he would like to help us on everything he can only enforce according to HUD codes. He said we should have a report sometime next week. I don't remember if I wrote in my other post but he told my husband last month that he would get us our air conditioner if we would sign a piece of paper stating he didn't have to fix anything else. Of course, my husband said no way. Well, the other day after the inspection my husband asked the dealer about our AC and this is an exact quote of what he told my husband " Well, now Mark I am a Christian man and I realize that I have not handled things the way I should have but you see I am in the red on your house and we are just 2 good ol Arkansas boys and those 2 women in there(he was referring to the Franklin owner and ser. mgr who were still in the house with me) well they are not from here and that one well shes worth multi millions of dollars and they don't care about you and me and well Mark if you side with me we can get all of this taken care of. You know Mark, if you sue Franklin I will be right beside you and 100,000 to them is chump change. If you will just side with me, we can sue them and get your house fixed and pocket 50-60k". Of course my husband told him the problems with the house was not Franklin and if we sued we would be at one table and him at the other. My husband asked him once again about the AC and the dealer told us if we would encourage the state to make Franklin responsible for everything he would have us an AC that day. We have an appt with attorney on 5/25.

[Kelly]

Here is another update on our home. After everything was said and done, Franklin ended up sending people from the factory to fix our home. These guys were here about 3 weeks and they worked from 0630 - 1800 everyday including weekends. They did a great job. It is unreal how much stuff they had to rip out from the other guys repairs and re fix. It is amazing to think that if these guys had been the first guys in here to fix stuff, it would not have taken 171 days to get us in this house. But it is like I told them, my husband and I do not feel the problems we had with the home were Franklin's responsibility. We know what the house looked like on the lot, when it was delivered, after the first group of trim guys got ahold of it, after the second group of trim guys got hold of it and we know the dealer was 99% to blame for this situation because he sent people who were completely incompetent to fix our house.
I know several people replied that the manufacturer should be held responsible and in this case they willingly accepted responsibility and got us in our home.When we talked to them they told us that this dealer would no longer be selling their product. I think this says alot for Franklin because this dealer is a million dollar year seller and for them to tke their product line away from him says alot.
As far as Franklin is concerned, we have been nothing but impressed with them. We love the home. We worked one on one with the service manager and she was fantastic, she called me when she said she would and she returned every call we made to her, she did the things she said she would and you really dont get customer service like that very much anymore. The guys they sent to fix our house did an outstanding job, they were pleasant, hard working and took pride in their job. I know they hated it everyday when I would show up because they didn't know if I had found something wrong with a repair they had done, but they were always pleasant and refixed several things that I didn't like.
Fir anyone out there who is considering a Franklin home, I cnnot say enough good stuff about them. They really came through for us.
Thanks
Kelly

[Mark Bower]

You do have to admire a manufacturer that steps in where the dealer should of. Glad you finally got some resolution.

Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!