TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) — More homeowners tell the News 4 Tucson Investigators they had a concerning experience with a local plumbing company.
This after our investigation into an elderly woman’s nightmare.
Her home uninhabitable after she was charged thousands for work that was never completed.
Sally Rendon’s home is still in shambles after hiring Elite Rooter to do some plumbing work over the summer. Now several homeowners are coming forward with similar stories involving the company.
“Within 24 hours we were out of the house, we were $18,000 in debt,” Rita Paredes said.
Rita and Eddie Paredes are trying to piece their home back together after hiring Elite Rooter to do plumbing work in August.
Rita says one issue led to another issue and their home was being torn apart before they could even process the scope of work ahead. Rita
“Half of what they said they did, they didn’t do.”
Elite Rooter got paid right away, leaving the Paredes’ in debt for $18,000 lent from a bank the company told them to go through. A loan they say they never approved.
Then a restoration team was brought in, billing them around $25,000, they say work moved at a snail’s pace so they had enough and fired them. Because both bathrooms were torn apart they were unable to live at home for three months, until Eddie decided to make some repairs himself.
“At the end of the tunnel, they don’t do their job.”
Frank Salinas says he feels like he dodged a bullet after watching our News 4 Tucson Investigation into Elite Rooter earlier this month.
“I wish they weren’t in business,” Frank Salinas said. “I was able to put two and two together and stop them at the door.”
Frank says he was just days away from having Elite Rooter start work at his home. He feels like he was being manipulated, just like the Paredes family, one plumbing problem became a bigger problem.
“Dollar signs going up and everything.”
Frank was shocked to see a notice from a financial company that a line of credit was opened in his name, which after interest would have cost him around 29 thousand dollars.
“I just couldn’t put my arms around it.”
The News 4 Tucson Investigators first exposed issues with the company Dec. 1. Sally Rendon’s home had plumbing work done by Elite Rooter, and a line of credit opened for over 16,000 dollars.
“They opened the account without my consent, they took the money without my consent,” Sally Rendon said.
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors investigated and found the work done didn’t meet standards and Elite Rooter didn’t have proper permits for the work.
Sally says her signature on the contract was forged, Frank also found a signed document from Elite Rooter he says he never signed.
“That’s not your signature?,” Chief Investigator Chorus Nylander asks.
“No. My name, but not my signature,” Frank answers.
In a side by side comparison, Frank’s real signature shows little resemblance to the signature on Elite Rooter’s contract.
“I can confirm that I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” said Joel Garcia, a former employee of Elite Rooter.
Joel Garcia worked for Elite Rooter for around three years, saying he left because he was concerned about forged signatures and how customers were being treated.
“A job that would generally run you $2,000, $3,000 these guys were pushing like double sometimes triple the costs. You know it’s wrong.”
For customers like Sally, Rita, Eddie and Frank, they want to see accountability.
“I have plans to have a lawyer involved because it’s not right, it’s not right,” Frank said.
If you have a story you’d like us to investigate email us at investigators@kvoa.com or call our tip line at 520-955-4444.
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https://www.kvoa.com/news/local/n4t-investigators-tucson-plumbing-business-facing-new-allegations-from-customers/article_78919fc6-9aeb-11ee-920b-bb5183bfe64f.html
