What are the biggest rip-off co.s in TV
 

After reading about VIR, there should be a listing of companies posted through out TV to warn residents

Use these companies @ your own risk:
1) Tire Choice
2) Perk Med Spa (in bankruptcy)
3) VIR property mgt

I'm talking about companies that are out & out not reputable

Not companies whose service or job didn't meet your expectations

Please add to this list

Here are a few of my favorite non-reputable companies. All companies that sell annuities, time shares, home warranties, and prepaid cremations. Also, all contractors who require a cash deposit before doing any work, especially those who will not accept a credit card.

Aspen Dental charged almost $1000.00 for 1 hour of scaling .

Village Dental wanted $1200 to scale 3 quarters of my teeth. I went somewhere else.

Aspen Dental is known nation wide as a rip-off chain

Re cremation: I signed up online for prepaid cremation services through Baldwin. I didn't get any kind of sales push, and in fact never spoke to anyone. They've never spammed or marketed to me afterwards. Total cost was $750.

Now, I'm not quite dead yet, so it "cremains" to be seen what happens then!

LOL. I want you to put a $60,000 pool with birdcage in my backyard with over $20,000 in materials and no deposit from me. Good luck

I'm going to let someone else, who is alive, deal with my cremation, or whatever. When you buy a car, do you prepay the dealer for your next car? It just makes no sense to me to pay in advance for your funeral, as long as your estate can afford it. But, you can get a lot of free dinners from people who want to sell you a prepaid cremation. And, I guess they have a vested interest in giving you a healthy meal, so you will live a long life.

I have had a lot of construction work done over the years, and have NEVER paid for work in advance. I have made partial progress payments, based on work completed, but I would never pay someone a deposit who has not done any work. When I first moved to The Villages, Jamies Landscaping and Choice Maintenance both quoted me landscaping projects in excess of $6,000. They didn't want any money until the entire project was completed.

Normally I would agree but in the case of a construction project with custom ordered materials (i.e. can't be returned), a deposit is not unwarranted. Without non-returnable materials, a series of "draws" as work is completed is typical.

I'm talking about the guys who come to your house, give you a verbal quote and want half of the money in advance to "schedule" the work. Anybody who gives these people money deserves to lose it. But, some people do.

Vir
 

VIR is so bad they build in a clause for the owner and renter that you cannot leave negative remarks anywhere on the web about them.

They even build in a surcharge if you dispute a charge for renting a property. $295.00!

Has anyone used this service? -> About Concierge | Concierge | Home Services at the Touch of a Button

I agree that Aspen Dental and Smile Dentistry among some others was giving estimates for way more, than what was needed. IMHO

These dental offices are the only ones that come with Medical Advantage.

After four years, I found a dentists who did what I asked, without trying to rip me off. Of course, I have to pay the total costs but it's still cheaper.

I am a happy camper.

BTW - It's always, buyer beware!!!

///

Any lawn care service company.............

As long as you can use a credit card for up front money what is the problem????

It is a franchise based out of California. This is a local office. It's not clear to me how they make money from the home owner. It might come from the service providers.

exit to add: Dunn And Bradstreet says they are based in Texas

A good contractor should not need upfront money. They should be able to finance the project startup. To me, it is a sign of an under-financed company. Yes, a credit card will give you some protection, but remember, that you only have 60 days to dispute a credit card charge, so you need to have it in writing that the work you pay for will be completed within 60 days. And, if they do some work and then disappear, you will need to convince the bank that the credit card charge should be removed. Banks usually side with the merchant unless you have a very convincing case.

TOTV BIGGEST RIPOFF
Walmart Stack Attack Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips in a Can.

It's a Pringle knock off that only cost a dollar.

Pringles cost a $1.50 but it is filled to the top with much thinner chips. Don't ask me how but they all look the same. Walmart Wannebes has a can the same height as Pringles but the can is only half full.

And if I didn't just eat the whole can while writing this post I would be returning them and getting in the manager's grill. Cause that's how I roll. [not really]

Compared to the rest of the country, the Villages is a bargain. Try finding a retirement community that offers relatively low price housing, low amenity fee, free entertainment, a relatively safe community compared to most cities, fairly good weather most of the year, an active lifestyle with an abundance of activities. The prices of homes and the cost of living is low compared to most every retirement community. You sound like a person that wouldn't be happy anywhere and finds fault with everything. Be specific with what is so bad about The Villages and how unfair it has been to you.

:agree::beer3:

Publix has some veggie chips in a can that are gluten free for my hubby and I think they are delicious. He cannot eat Pringles.

good advice--i'll look for them

Thank You! Thank You for putting Tire Choice at the top of the List!

TOTV is probably tired of my previous rants on this subject, but as a quick follow up...we are now 4 months in to our dispute with Tire Choice’s parent company and their insurers. They have completely destroyed the transmission in a 2015 Subaru Legacy. All because of an oil change gone horribly wrong. Oh they’ve admitted wrongdoing, but their settlement offer is not acceptable. 😡

City Furniture

OP, you list three good ones that are well documented on TOTV although we have not had any “dealings” with any of them. However, We would add Whirlpool Appliances to this list. We know a number of friends, neighbors and acquaintances (including ourselves) that have had “issues” with whirlpool refrigerators, ranges, and microwaves that were installed in new homes in The Villages. At one time, Warranty Department handled these problems but don’t anymore. Whirlpool, like similar large corporations, will consume your time and transfer you around until you just give up and “eat” an economic loss in order to move on to more important things in life. Definitely put Whirlpool on the list.

I don't know about other villages in the past but all of the Whirlpool appliances installed in Fenney come with an additional one year warranty, two years parts and labor is pretty good. I had a much harder time getting a Samsung microwave fixed than I did with a Whirlpool dishwasher.

Do a search of that person of all posts.......your answer is there.

Let's not forget, Service Smart, stay away from them at all cost.

How about the notorious Davis Clinic. They can cure anything?

👍👍👍

That is not always the case my husband has been a contractor all his life and done very well. Something to consider is the folks that don't pay and want to screw the contractor.
So when delivering the equipment at the day of installation 1/2 down is required to at least secure the items brought on the job. Unfortunately the door swings both ways my friend just a FYI.

I would add almost all new appliance brands......

If you buy your appliances with a MasterCard, the factory warranty is doubled

We had a neighbor a few doors down that would brag about the money he saved screwing contractors doing work at his home. Obviously all of the local contractors knew to avoid him. When I was in business my contract stated 1/2 down when materials delivered and job started, but trying to get final FULL payment when job was finished was a pain at times....

When I was in business, and in NJ you could not force sale of a property to satisfy a lien, if and when the property was sold you might get paid

My attorney told me, "Moses is still waiting to get paid on the pyramid job"

AMEN!:22yikes:

I have no problem paying for materials and/or labor that have been delivered or installed. But, I never pay a contractor who hasn't done anything. That has been my policy for 50 years, and I have had a lot of work done. And, there are plenty of contractors who will do a project that way. This site is loaded with posts where someone has paid in advance and been ripped off.