Novotny & Company Corporate greed and heartless business practice Houston Texas
I was happily married and living in Houston TX in 2007. I owned a home that I lived in with my husband. I responded to an advertisement from Novotny & Company on February 22, 2007 to represent me in the tax assessors office to lower my property tax. Approximately one week later my husband told me he wanted a divorce. I seriously did not believe him since we had been happily married for 4 years, and had not fought or even thought of breaking up in all of that time.
On February 27, 2007 I received a letter in the mail form Novotny & Company with an attached Property Information form and Appointment of Agent form to complete. I did not return the forms, and instead, I called Lucie Novotny on 3/6/07 in response to the letter and left a message for her in her voice mail that the property was up for sale due to divorce, and to stop representing me. The letter said to "FAX OR SEND IT TO US IMMEDIATELY" (their emphasis). "The hearings run through the summer and fall and we cannot influence when your hearing will be scheduled by the Appraisal District."
I thought that since I did not return the Appointment of Agent form that they would not be able to represent me. I do not know if they forged my name to the form to satisfy the Harris County Assessors office requirements. I still have the blank form in my possession.
But after I had moved to CA they sent me a bill for $451.80 for half of the saved property tax. I can not verify that they saved any property tax, because I do not own the property. So I can only assume that they are billing me for work they did.
After they billed me I wrote a letter explaining that I had not returned the form, I had called and cancelled, and my income was currently below poverty level and not expected to increase due to physical impairment. They are generously allowing me to pay off the bill at the rate of $10.00 per month until my social security kicks in when they will allow me to pay more.
I want to give them the award for Heartless Corporate Greed in the Houston area for the year 2008.
Denny
Yorba Linda, California
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
L Novotny
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Update
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, December 02, 2008
Since Ms. H defaulted on her payment plan, Novotny & Company sent her a letter requesting that she pay her invoice of $451.80 for services rendered from July 31, 2007. We received her payment on October 31, 2008.
L Novotny
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, August 15, 2008
Novotny & Company
9219 Katy Freeway #257
Houston, TX 77055
Re: 13403 Carousel Court Complaint
This letter is in response posted by Ms. Hxxxxx claiming that because she did not send her appointment of agent form and left a voice message on Lucie Novotny's voicemail that she had cancelled her account. However, per the contract, which we have documentation that Denise signed herself in February of 2007, it states in bold that the agreement is irrevocable for 2007 and will remain valid under the same conditions unless revoked in writing by the Owner before March 30th of any subsequent year. As Ms. Hxxxxx signed this agreement herself, it must be assumed that she read, understood, and was aware of the terms of our agreement. The questionnaire that was not returned is in no way a contract nor is the act of not returning one equivalent to canceling a contract. As the terms and conditions are very clearly stated in our contract and by signing Ms. Hxxxxx accepted these terms.
In response to the accusation that our agreement of $10 a month qualifies our company as heartless, we must also make a claim. It was Ms. Hunter's suggestion to pay us $10 a month rather than the whole invoice at once. In her letter to Novotny & Company, received April 7, 2008, she wrote and personally signed the payment agreement which states, If it is not possible [to write off this bill], I can pay you $10.00 a month until it is paid in full or until I qualify for Disability or [] Social Security. At that time I could pay more per month. Novotny & Company took her situation and disability into consideration and promptly accepted these terms the next day. As the property in question was owned by both her and her husband and sold for a $60,000 profit, we feel this is more than reasonable.
As of August of 2008, she hasn't made any payments, although she accepted to pay per her letter dated April 7, 2007. Novotny & Company still expects her to remit the payment in the manner suggested by her.
L Novotny
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, August 15, 2008
Novotny & Company
9219 Katy Freeway #257
Houston, TX 77055
Re: 13403 Carousel Court Complaint
This letter is in response posted by Ms. Hxxxxx claiming that because she did not send her appointment of agent form and left a voice message on Lucie Novotny's voicemail that she had cancelled her account. However, per the contract, which we have documentation that Denise signed herself in February of 2007, it states in bold that the agreement is irrevocable for 2007 and will remain valid under the same conditions unless revoked in writing by the Owner before March 30th of any subsequent year. As Ms. Hxxxxx signed this agreement herself, it must be assumed that she read, understood, and was aware of the terms of our agreement. The questionnaire that was not returned is in no way a contract nor is the act of not returning one equivalent to canceling a contract. As the terms and conditions are very clearly stated in our contract and by signing Ms. Hxxxxx accepted these terms.
In response to the accusation that our agreement of $10 a month qualifies our company as heartless, we must also make a claim. It was Ms. Hunter's suggestion to pay us $10 a month rather than the whole invoice at once. In her letter to Novotny & Company, received April 7, 2008, she wrote and personally signed the payment agreement which states, If it is not possible [to write off this bill], I can pay you $10.00 a month until it is paid in full or until I qualify for Disability or [] Social Security. At that time I could pay more per month. Novotny & Company took her situation and disability into consideration and promptly accepted these terms the next day. As the property in question was owned by both her and her husband and sold for a $60,000 profit, we feel this is more than reasonable.
As of August of 2008, she hasn't made any payments, although she accepted to pay per her letter dated April 7, 2007. Novotny & Company still expects her to remit the payment in the manner suggested by her.
L Novotny
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, August 15, 2008
Novotny & Company
9219 Katy Freeway #257
Houston, TX 77055
Re: 13403 Carousel Court Complaint
This letter is in response posted by Ms. Hxxxxx claiming that because she did not send her appointment of agent form and left a voice message on Lucie Novotny's voicemail that she had cancelled her account. However, per the contract, which we have documentation that Denise signed herself in February of 2007, it states in bold that the agreement is irrevocable for 2007 and will remain valid under the same conditions unless revoked in writing by the Owner before March 30th of any subsequent year. As Ms. Hxxxxx signed this agreement herself, it must be assumed that she read, understood, and was aware of the terms of our agreement. The questionnaire that was not returned is in no way a contract nor is the act of not returning one equivalent to canceling a contract. As the terms and conditions are very clearly stated in our contract and by signing Ms. Hxxxxx accepted these terms.
In response to the accusation that our agreement of $10 a month qualifies our company as heartless, we must also make a claim. It was Ms. Hunter's suggestion to pay us $10 a month rather than the whole invoice at once. In her letter to Novotny & Company, received April 7, 2008, she wrote and personally signed the payment agreement which states, If it is not possible [to write off this bill], I can pay you $10.00 a month until it is paid in full or until I qualify for Disability or [] Social Security. At that time I could pay more per month. Novotny & Company took her situation and disability into consideration and promptly accepted these terms the next day. As the property in question was owned by both her and her husband and sold for a $60,000 profit, we feel this is more than reasonable.
As of August of 2008, she hasn't made any payments, although she accepted to pay per her letter dated April 7, 2007. Novotny & Company still expects her to remit the payment in the manner suggested by her.