Complaint Review: Jim Walter Homes - Tampa Florida

I'm trying to figure out how we can get involved in the class action suit or the news program as well. I realize that we can't post our phone numbers here or email addresses. Once lawyers are willing to take on a case against a business, those lawyers will make arrangements with Rip-off Report to put victims in touch with them. CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

I have been dealing with Jim Walter Homes for 2 years. I live in Venice and am building in North Port. We have gone through the gammet of @#$% they are peddling! I wish that there was a way that we could all get together, compare notes and storm in on them. It's terrible how they can do this to people. My daughter was counting on having her 13th birthday in her new house and inviting all of her friends...now we know that won't happen and we are not holding our breath for christmas either. Over two years...how unbelievably sad!!! For what it's worth (it's not helped me very much) but I've got some names of other people you can call and lay into there... Barry Conners, David Craft, & Joseph Ranier. The latter of the two you would be better of reaching from the Tampa office. I have some personal phone numbers for some of these guys I wish I could post. I just figured if I can put further bugs up their butts (by way of more people calling them) it would make me feel a little better about the heck we have been going through. We have been offered a free appliance package for our troubles...but it's too little too late.

My advice when it comes to letting J.W.H. out of the contract is "Don't do it." You will now pay at the minimum, an additional $30,000 to get a comparable house built because of rising construction costs. We were just as frustrated as you and wanted out of our contract, but we decided to not let them get away with it. I understand your frustration. The delays, the lying, the unreturned phone calls, etc. But you and J.W.H. signed a contract. Make J.W.H. build the house. Why should you have to eat any additional construction costs when it's been J.W.H. causing the problems? Don't make it so easy for them to get out of the contract and if you do let them out, make sure you have legal representation because you need to make sure they have released all liens on your property. As you know, J.W.H. people are real good at lying. You just don't need to find out years from now that there is a lien against your land. And even if they are telling you now that they will release you from the contract without any costs (there shouldn't be any anyway) they can still try to scare you into paying permit fees later by using the lien scare tactic. Nothing is easy with these people, or honest or upfront, so just be careful. We definately want to be know when you're all getting together to speak with WINK. We'll be there. Again, good luck, and if it's not too late, think about NOT cancelling the contract. Make them build the house like they said they would.

We contact Matt in Tampa everyday. We leave messages, b/c of course he is unavailable. An act of God happened on Wednesday, and we actually were transferred to Matt. My husband asked what it would take to get out of the contract without owing any money. Matt said he would look into it and call us back. OH MY GOSH, he actually called us back. He stated that he reviewed our files (this should have been done 10 mths ago!!!!) and we just need to sign some papers tomorrow (6/25) in Ft. Myers. We will be there when the doors open. Next week, wither Tuesday or Thursday we are having a meeting in Clewiston with the other families and WINK news. The lawyer doen't want to be involved in the TV thing but is interested in the class action suit. He says that he needs at least 10 families that are in the same situation as we are. Meaning not just a few mths from contract signing. He wants the ones who have been given every excuse for months on end!!! When I get the actual date and time of the meeting I will let you know.

I am sorry to hear about your house in Arcadia. How many more of us are there with construction being worked out of the Ft Myers office? Counting the 16 that you mentioned, we would be 17. What attorney have you contacted? Maybe we need to file a class action suit. It's interesting that Jim Walter Homes knows that they have a problem with constructing the houses they sell, and yet every time we go to the Ft Myers office,not only are they are selling more homes, but they are also very actively adding on to their sales staff! And I too am very familiar with the receptionist at the Ft Myers office and the phone calls that are never ever returned.Have you tried calling the Tampa Office? The phone # there is 1-800-925-8374 and ask for customer service. Don't even bother trying to get David Cory - the regional President in Tampa - I'm convinced he doesn't even exist.......... Good Luck

Our contract was signed March 12, 2004. We were assured that we would be enjoying our Thanksgiving Turkey in our new home. When Hurricane Charley hit we were assured that we would be opening presents under our Christmas tree in our new home. Of course, both of these events passed and in our rental home we still sat. It is now June 23,2005 and not ONE thing has been done on our new house. Count them, 16 long months of excuses from Jim Walter Homes. They have now stopped with the excuses and are no longer returning calls. If the receptionist knows it is us, we are not even transfered to anyone; a msg is taken, and you guessed it... NO ONE RETURNS THE CALL. When I say not one thing has been done, I mean NOTHING!!! Our permits have expired 2 times and we have now contacted a lawyer, along with 16 other families. In Mike's defense... He is the only one with JWH that has told us the truth. He flat out told us that JWH has way too many contracts and not enough subs to do the work. I don't blame him for leaving. It sounds like he is the only one ever emplyed by this company with any morals or ethics. He didn't cause the mayhem in Ft. Myers and I am sure that there was no way for him to solve the problems.

I am a customer of Jim Walter Homes and what I just read from Mike made me sick. My husband and I are one of the unhappy customers Mike referred to in his letter - we actally met with him personally in the Ft Myers Office and we were the ones who directed him to this site. At our meeting, we explained to Mike our concerns and he assured us that he would take care of it. I guess that meant to leave the Jim Walter Office one day and never come back, leaving hopeful customers hanging, waiting for his help. "Thanks Mike for all your help". And then I read this trash. Trying to make it seem that Jim Walter Homes isn't all that bad. Well they are. We signed a contract on May 11, 2004 and we have trenches dug on our property. That's it. And now Jim Walter Homes is trying to get out of the contract, knowing that construction costs have risen over the past year, but to add insult to injury, they have the nerve to send us a letter saying we owe them over $1300 for permitting fees! Mike was absolutely no help at all and didn't even have the decency to let anyone know he was leaving. He said he "resigned" - it was more like he just walked out. That's what we were told anyway when we called asking why Mike hadn't done anything. And I mean NOTHING. We asked him to simply send a fax to the Tampa office and get an answer for us. According to Tampa, they never got the fax. So thanks for nothing Mike. Don't think you were so great or that Jim Walter Homes is either.

I am a customer of Jim Walter Homes and what I just read from Mike made me sick. My husband and I are one of the unhappy customers Mike referred to in his letter - we actally met with him personally in the Ft Myers Office and we were the ones who directed him to this site. At our meeting, we explained to Mike our concerns and he assured us that he would take care of it. I guess that meant to leave the Jim Walter Office one day and never come back, leaving hopeful customers hanging, waiting for his help. "Thanks Mike for all your help". And then I read this trash. Trying to make it seem that Jim Walter Homes isn't all that bad. Well they are. We signed a contract on May 11, 2004 and we have trenches dug on our property. That's it. And now Jim Walter Homes is trying to get out of the contract, knowing that construction costs have risen over the past year, but to add insult to injury, they have the nerve to send us a letter saying we owe them over $1300 for permitting fees! Mike was absolutely no help at all and didn't even have the decency to let anyone know he was leaving. He said he "resigned" - it was more like he just walked out. That's what we were told anyway when we called asking why Mike hadn't done anything. And I mean NOTHING. We asked him to simply send a fax to the Tampa office and get an answer for us. According to Tampa, they never got the fax. So thanks for nothing Mike. Don't think you were so great or that Jim Walter Homes is either.

I am a customer of Jim Walter Homes and what I just read from Mike made me sick. My husband and I are one of the unhappy customers Mike referred to in his letter - we actally met with him personally in the Ft Myers Office and we were the ones who directed him to this site. At our meeting, we explained to Mike our concerns and he assured us that he would take care of it. I guess that meant to leave the Jim Walter Office one day and never come back, leaving hopeful customers hanging, waiting for his help. "Thanks Mike for all your help". And then I read this trash. Trying to make it seem that Jim Walter Homes isn't all that bad. Well they are. We signed a contract on May 11, 2004 and we have trenches dug on our property. That's it. And now Jim Walter Homes is trying to get out of the contract, knowing that construction costs have risen over the past year, but to add insult to injury, they have the nerve to send us a letter saying we owe them over $1300 for permitting fees! Mike was absolutely no help at all and didn't even have the decency to let anyone know he was leaving. He said he "resigned" - it was more like he just walked out. That's what we were told anyway when we called asking why Mike hadn't done anything. And I mean NOTHING. We asked him to simply send a fax to the Tampa office and get an answer for us. According to Tampa, they never got the fax. So thanks for nothing Mike. Don't think you were so great or that Jim Walter Homes is either.

I am a customer of Jim Walter Homes and what I just read from Mike made me sick. My husband and I are one of the unhappy customers Mike referred to in his letter - we actally met with him personally in the Ft Myers Office and we were the ones who directed him to this site. At our meeting, we explained to Mike our concerns and he assured us that he would take care of it. I guess that meant to leave the Jim Walter Office one day and never come back, leaving hopeful customers hanging, waiting for his help. "Thanks Mike for all your help". And then I read this trash. Trying to make it seem that Jim Walter Homes isn't all that bad. Well they are. We signed a contract on May 11, 2004 and we have trenches dug on our property. That's it. And now Jim Walter Homes is trying to get out of the contract, knowing that construction costs have risen over the past year, but to add insult to injury, they have the nerve to send us a letter saying we owe them over $1300 for permitting fees! Mike was absolutely no help at all and didn't even have the decency to let anyone know he was leaving. He said he "resigned" - it was more like he just walked out. That's what we were told anyway when we called asking why Mike hadn't done anything. And I mean NOTHING. We asked him to simply send a fax to the Tampa office and get an answer for us. According to Tampa, they never got the fax. So thanks for nothing Mike. Don't think you were so great or that Jim Walter Homes is either.