Monday, February 8, 2010

Legal Dilemna

About 2 weeks ago we finally bit the bullet and had a whole new septic leach field dug. We have had our septic tank pumped 4 or 5 times since Mother's Day 2009. It's a 5 year old house! That is not normal.

Unfortunately the developer has moved out of state and claimed bankruptcy, so we can't sue him. :angryfire2: He took a lot of shortcuts that are causing us and many of our neighbors lots of money, headaches, and in some instances there are safety issues. :irked:

The guy who did it quoted mom a price of $3,000; but hasn't sent a bill yet, because the cosmetic landscape work isn't done yet. They weren't here 20 minutes before the back hoe hit the buried Comcast Cable line. :irked: He apologized and said he would fix it before he left for the day. I was pissed because we have the Comcast bundle. That meant NO television, NO internet, and NO landline for the 9 hours they were here and working. I had to read a book! :yikes:

True to his word, he fixed the cable line before he left, but some tv's had service and some didn't. I called the Comcast and they came out the next day but since it was monsooning they said they would send somebody later that day. They didn't. I called again and someone came out the next day ran a whole new cable line and checked my modem and made sure everything was online. The cable guy said there might be a fee of $75 on our next bill for the service call and running of new line. Also, and this is the best part, it would take 2-4 weeks for the sub-contractors to come out and re-bury the cable.

Saturday, Chad the septic guy, comes by the house because the toilet in the master bath was having issues. He asks my dad if he could help him out and talk to Comcast because Comcast sent him a $1400 bill for burying the cable. Dad and I are afraid Chad will add that $1400 to the initial bill of $3000. I realize the economy is bad but I don't think my folks should have to eat the cost of Chad's mistake. I appreciate the fact that he tried to fix it. But the cable was cut in like 3 different places. He left exposed copper wire and it was raining when he left. This is probably why the 2 tv's that were working stopped getting reception.

So my question is: Can the septic contractor bill my parents for the $1,400 cost of burying the cable?