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Old 01-03-2007, 05:48 PM
Shafer5746 Shafer5746 is offline
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Default Seniors vs. Crime

Seniors vs. Crime is a Project of the Attorney General's Office. We are here to assist seniors and others who have problems with service providers and contractors. In The Villages seniors (especially new
arrivals) have become victims of unscrupulous vendors in the following categories.

Lawn Mowing Services....Payment for service should only be made after the lawn has been mowed. Never pay up front for a month;s service or enter into a yearly contract where payment is required up front.

Landscaping Services....Payment of up to 50% is often asked for on signing a landscape contract. Down payments should never exceed 10% and in case of large contracts no more than 5% should be paid in advance. The contract may call for progress payments as the job progresses.

Water Purification.....There is nothing wrong with the Village water. Once a year you will receive an analysis of the water provided, it is very detailed and shows the water quality to be very high. The cost of a water purification system is expensive. In the event you find the taste of the water not to your liking you can buy an inexpensive water system for your faucet or refrigerator.

Driveway Paver's......Once again you will be asked for a large down payment, usually 50%. The installing company should have the pavers on hand and a large down payment should not be necessary.
Travel Companies.....In exchange for a large down payment you are promised inexpensive travel. The travel is seldom available and the accommodations leave a lot to be desired. You will be told upgrades are available at additional cost. You may also be told by joining you will become a travel agent, which will allow you to be eligible to purchase inexpensive travel, under Florida law you must take education courses before a license can be obtained.

You may call the Sumter County Senior Sleuth Office at 352-753-2799 and we will check the names of contractors that we have had complaints against.

This information is provided by one of the Volunteer senior sleuths.
Sharon Fernandez