“It was like a fog bank,” Nancy Young said, recalling the day the fire started in December.
She said she can still smell smoke that once filled her bedroom. The incident happened after Nancy paid a remodeling company named Seniors’ Choice to fix a water leak under her mobile home.
“I heard something about fire, he [Seniors’ Choice employee] was soldering so I came in, went into my bedroom and it was smokey,” Nancy said.
She said they fixed the water leak but after they left, she started seeing smoke again. Nancy said she called Seniors’ Choice and they told her to call the fire department.
“Firemen came in, big chainsaw and cut out the toilet in the master bedroom where smoke was going up into the bedroom,” Nancy said.
She said she contacted Seniors’ Choice and the company said they would take care of the damage. The company fixed the wiring problem, cleaned her carpet and bedding and replaced her curtains. The company also returned her $800 payment for the repairs and gave her a $100 Walmart gift card.
After the repairs and repayment, Nancy said she’s still not happy. She said her mattress and box springs have not been replaced and since December, she has been sleeping on her living room couch because she can’t stand the lingering smell of smoke.
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Feeling like she was out of options, Nancy contacted NBC 7 Responds. We reached out to Seniors’ Choice and the company’s president Caryn Leventhal said they have done their best to mitigate the unfortunate circumstances. Leventhal said the company spent $5,000 trying to make it right with Nancy but every time they go to the house, Nancy would add to her demands.
To read the company’s full statement to NBC 7 Responds, click here.
NBC 7 Responds asked Leventhal for a more detailed account of all the repairs made to Nancy’s mobile home and whether or not the company would replace Nancy’s mattress and box springs but the company did not respond to our requests, citing that the California Contractor's State License Board is now investigating Nancy’s complaint.
The Contractor’s State License Board said the best way consumers can protect themselves before any work is started is to ask the contractor if they have general liability insurance. This protects you and the company in case there’s an accident.
Leventhal confirmed Seniors’ Choice has general liability insurance but would not comment on whether or not a claim was filed.
The Contractor’s State License Board also recommended consumers file complaints with their office if they run into problems with a contractor.
To learn more about what you should know before hiring a contractor, click here.
