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OKC,#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, February 09, 2003
HBW sent an engineer to inspect our brand new home's foundation failure. His findings were that the builder screwed up our foundation and grading. HBW ignored their own engineer's report and denied our claim, said if we wanted to dispute it, we would have to arbitrate with their chosen arbitrator. We had already hired our own engineers, too, and they were all in agreement that our builder screwed up. We refused to arbitrate and thankfully found out that since we had an FHA loan we did not have to. A HUD/FHA agent called HBW and got them to accept our claim and drop demands for arbitration. I wonder how many FHA loan customers never find out about that regulation in time and are forced into arbitration, (i.e. kangaroo court)? The National Association of Home Builders is trying to get HUD/FHA to do away with that so they can force all home buyers into arbitration. HUD's website is http://www.hud.gov I encourage anyone to write to HUD and demand they stop letting the home building and warranty industry destroy the protection HUD/FHA is supposed to be there FOR. It is OUR money that funds HUD, but of course the builders and warranty co's probably aren't getting their "favors" for free.