Action News Troubleshooters: The tub that was too big
This is the case of a $5,400 mistake: money that just went down the drain after a couple paid a deposit on a bathtub that wouldn't fit in their home.
The Action News Troubleshooters have a warning for you before you put a down payment on any product.
Mary White wanted a new tub because the one she had was too deep.
"It's hard for me to get in and out of it after my knee surgery," she explained. "So I wanted a walk-in tub so all I had to do was walk in, sit down and relax."
White saw an advertisement for Designed for Seniors Hydrotherapy. She called and a representative from Colorado-based Aging in the Home Remodelers went to White's home.
"He went in there and measured the bathroom," she said. "They thought the tub would fit in there."
White paid Aging it the Home Remodelers a down payment of $5,400.
"I gave them the deposit, that was up front," she said.
But a problem arose when the new tub was delivered.
"They would have to take up tiles, cut into the wall to make the door larger," she explained. "The tub wouldn't fit into the small door here."
That would have made the tub installation a big construction job which White didn't want to do. White said when she asked for her money back, Aging in the Home Remodelers refused to give her a refund.
"I was very upset. I was screaming, I was yelling," she said.
After getting nowhere with the company, White contacted the Action News Troubleshooters, who in turn, got her a full refund.
"I think they're wonderful because I wouldn't have gotten my money back otherwise if I hadn't called Channel 6," she said.
Aging in the Home Remodelers told Action News it decided to issue White a full refund "given that the customer was not aware of the size of the project which was due entirely to hidden issues within her bathroom walls."
So here's your Troubleshooters tip: Know that when you sign a contract at your house or a seller's temporary location like a hotel room or a convention center, under state and federal law, you have a three-day right to cancel.
Unfortunately, White didn't know the bathtub wouldn't fit until weeks had passed, but because that sale happened in her home, she could have used the three-day right to cancel had she changed her mind within that window.
The three-day right of rescission also applies to health club contracts. And in Pennsylvania, in the case of timeshares or campground memberships, you have five business days to rescind a contract for a full refund. But you must cancel in writing.
Make sure your cancellation is postmarked within the three-day or five-day window. If you are using the federal three-day cooling off rule, be aware that Saturday is considered a business day. And it's a good idea to send the cancellation by certified mail.
Under federal law, if you cancel a purchase the seller has 10 days to refund your money.
Buyer's Remorse: When the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help
PA Attorney General: Your Right to Rescind
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