damage to my home
Complaint
bob chenault
Country: United States
on nov 5th i had direct tv installed in my home the direct tv insstaller fell through my ceiling. i was told he would have to call his supervisor to come look at the damage and take pictures of it as well. his supervisor came out viewed the damage and said they would pay for it to get repaired as soon as i got an estimate of the damage. i did this nov 7 i got 3 estimates called nate faust whom was the supervisor i was to deal with he said fax all estimates and we should have it repaired within a week. i called each person that i had asked them to fax it to him. he called left a message on my answering machine letting me know that it was okay to have one of the companys come out and repair it then he would pay them. i called him back to let him know whom i had chosen and i wanted to know how this person would get paid he said call him back or he would call me back to let me know how it would be handled. nov 14 i called him he said everything was good and my claim was approved and he directtv would send me a check in a week for the damage to be repaired. i did not want to have the person fix my ceiling till i got the check. nov 21 called nate to let him know i had not received anything no answer just his voicemail left a message kept calling to let him know that i had company coming and needed my ceiling fixed no answer just voicemail. needles to say ceiling was not fixed before thanksgiving. kept calling nate after no return calls from him called his supervisor was told they would have nate contact me about this and if not him someone would call me . dec 4th nate finally returns my call with an excuse about he's the low man on the totum pole and he gave me ron andersons number told me to call him and he could help me. now let me tell you i have seven children and having this hole in my ceiling during the cold winter months was inconvenient to my family i went ahead and paid for the repairs to my ceiling because of them and because my heating bill was outrageous because of this i have yet to receive payment for the damages that occurred at my residence i still am having a hard time getting anyone at direct tv to help me they keep saying they did not get the fax of my damages i have pictures that i took of the ceiling they said send it to damage claims @ directv.com there is no website for this i am very upset i do not plan on staying with them after my year contract does anyone know who i can contact to get this problem resolved?
Comments
That being said, we cannot be in a mold damaged dwelling, period. It is a medical necessity.
So, when we noticed the brand new carpet in the bedroom smelled like mold, we ripped it up to investigate and discovered years of water intrusion on the floor boards, but no obvious water source. We removed the damages, paid for new carpeting, and kept our eyes out. Low and behold, LA just had an amazing downpour for days.
So, after noticing the outward facing wall was damp, I looked outside and noticed the culprit. Previously, a DirectTV installed did what they apparently always do -- they punched a hole through the exterior wall leaving a 1" gap, and of course, wires dangling haphazardly down to the ground far below held together in a rat's nest of non-compliant wiring mess.
The 1" gap has been allowing water to freely flow into the exterior wall, spill down to the floor, and grow significant amounts of Stachybotrys (black) mold. When I moved the wire from side to side, the exposure I got was so debilitating I became dizzy, sick, and experienced significant allergic reactions which are consistent with the reactions I experienced prior to removing the carpet a month ago.
In addition to water intrusion, punching a large hole in an exterior wall with no flashing other than a dab of putty also creates an air flow dynamic which causes the interstitial spaces to be exposed to moisture, and freely distributes mold that has accumulated in the wall into the living spaces.
Now, I want to know how DirectTV has the ability to violate building codes, create significant health damages, and make a place untenable with no financial repercussions or responsibility.
As I obviously have more knowledge as a layman than most would on this issue, I wonder how many dwellings across America have been violated by these sloppy lying installation thugs who work for or contract for DirectTV. And, I seriously wonder how many thousands of families are being made ill directly because of a DirectTV installation.
In the mean time, trying to explain this simple building science to my landlord or management company will get be on a black list or evicted. I've seen it before endless times.
I strongly encourage a class action lawsuit with a medical damage component. What attorney has the knowledge to handle this? I know a few. Perhaps I will contact them.
I won't even mention my former experience with DirectTV back when I actually considered having their service. It was a nightmare of incompetence that resulted in the highest level of attention. Now, I see this incompetence is evenly spread throughout their lame corporation -- and they need to be milked for damages and justice.
Drilling holes in your house and creating water damage will also create health damages -- potentially significant.
See a doctor, get an investigation and go after DirectTV for negligence, code violations, and medical damages.
Needless to say, they did come, placed the new DISH directly into our roof, not on the pole where our old dish was installed earlier (which we payed for the old dish and they took with them)and our roof leaked down thru our ceilings in 2 locations, leaked on our computer and our carpet got soaked. I still have yet to hear anything from them, so it looks like my attorney is right!! he will deal with them!!!! They sure do know how to reach you when your bill is due though don,t they.
Bottome line, they accepted our claim but have yet to issue the check. Thank you.
I was just wondering if you have gotten any assistance from Direct T.V. as of yet? It has been since dec 1,st 2010 since they installed a dish on my roof which they screwed right into my roof. After 3 people from there company coming and looking at the same things, they finally made an offer, but a ridiculous one which I cannot execpt because the contractor who gave the lowest price cannot even touch the problems with the offer. Mean while I have soaked ceilings, wet carpet, no computer and a leaking roof just making things worse. Now that the snow is ready to start melting, I am really going to have bigger issues. They asked to please not remove any damaged items until they assessed the damages thouroughly, but it has been months and I have a son with asthma. I did not want to do this, but I have contacted an attorney. I do not see any other way of dealing with these people???? Any ideas!!
My son had a satilite installed in my home. First of all, the dish was installed in the front of my house instead of the back. Then, instead of running the wires inderneathe the house, as they did when my satilite was installed, they drilled holes all around the base of my siding and then a big hole smack dab in the middle of my siding! It was freezing outside, so when the tech drilled the hole, THE SIDING CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOLE! The tech patched all around the hole with a big huge gobb of calking, it lookes horrible!! Then he took the line and drilled a hole thru the wall in the 2 rooms where it was installed, instead of coming up thru the floor as before!!
What is wrong with these people???!!! I had no trouble when I had DirecTV installed 3 years ago in the same home!!!
I AM MORE UPSET THAT NO ONE WILL TALK TO ME!!
(meshorething@yahoo.com)