Recently, I rented a very expensive vacation house. Upon arriving, the house was a disaster with broken tiles and broken stairs. None of the kitchen appliances worked. Many of the advertised amenities were either missing or broken. On top of this, there was a terrible leak coming through the kitchen ceiling from the floor above. It was definitely not the beautiful house advertised. I asked for a partial refund from the owner. He had a thousand excuses why the house was in this condition and refused to issue a refund. I said that I would make a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. He then said that if I made this complaint, he would sue ME for the water damages!! This was apparently a long running leak based on the huge crack and water stain on the wall. Isn't it illegal for this company to threaten me like this? By the way...I made the complaint and the owner admitted to the threat but said he was 'joking'. Still no refund.
2007-09-17 16:10:36 · 5 answers · asked by noluck 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I paid $4200 to stay there for a week. It should have been immaculate.
I would have thought it would be illegal to intimidate someone into not making a complaint.
Perhaps I will need to look into a small claims court.
Thanks!
2007-09-17 17:03:52 · update #1
Laws vary from state to state of course, so it depends on where this all went down, but I really don't believe that threatening to sue somebody if they do something you don't like is illegal in any jurisdiction. Unethical, yes, but not illegal.
I really can't tell you the laws of every state though, so I could very well be wrong.
2007-09-17 16:20:36 · answer #1 · answered by Expat Mike 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can they sue you for the leak that was there before. Yes. They can sue you for anything. The thing is that they would have to prove it in court to get anything from you.
As far as the threat to sue you, they are *** holes, but I'm not sure they broke any laws. They did not threaten you with violence.
FYI - filing a complaint with the BBB will do NOTHING for getting you a refund. You need to sue them in small claims court.
2007-09-17 16:18:42 · answer #2 · answered by Michael C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually, he won't be able to sue you for complaining to the BBB, as long as you shop on with the fact. of course, his crummy techniques-set is what's degrading his organization, and the BBB (besides as clientele such as you and me) take promoting and coupon info very heavily -- and if this guy won't be able to get it actual, he does not must be in a valid organization. additionally, the BBB will inspect it and shop a checklist of it, and that i'm valuable he will have a brilliant gamble to contest it. i does not subject ... adult men like that are extraordinarily lots what the BBB is for.
2016-10-20 01:36:18 · answer #3 · answered by christler 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should be filing a fraud suit. You didn't get anything you were promised in the advertisement. Hopefully you took pictures of the condition. BBB is the most useless organization around and will do you no good. They are a business that promotes their members who pay a fee for the privlege.
2007-09-17 17:28:54 · answer #4 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not giving legal advise here, but my gut tells me that it is illegal for him to threaten you. Besides, if there is long-term water damage, it seems easy to determine it wasn't your fault unless you had either been there a long time or had waited a long time to report him.
Personally, I'd continue with the lawsuit. People like that need to learn they can't treat others the way he did.
Good Luck! Get every penny you can!
2007-09-17 16:22:58 · answer #5 · answered by Brittae 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋