Halloween Safety

It's almost time to creep around for candy. Halloween is just a couple of days away. You hear it every year, but in order to keep your Halloween happy, here are a couple of tips for a safe night for the kids. If you have any other tips for a scary, but safe Halloween, post your comments so others can learn from your wisdom!

The American Red Cross released a scary fact - children are four times more likely to die as pedestrians on Halloween than on any other night of the year. Keep your kiddies on the sidewalk if possible and look both ways before crossing the street (and cross at corners rather than darting out in the street). Make sure that they're carrying some sort of light or reflective device once the sun sets.

Not all neighbors are fans of Halloween, so if the porch light is out, tell your kids to skip over the house. It's just common courtesy.

When it comes to the candy, tell your ghouls and goblins not to eat the candy until it's been checked out by an adult at home. We're hoping there's only treats in their goodie bags, but beware of tricks as well. Stay away from the candy that is unwrapped or looks fishy.

This is just a start. There are a million and one ways to stay safe on Halloween. What are your ideas???

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

Call for Action on a Roll!!

Our Call for Action office has been up and running now for about a month, and I assure you, they're already making a difference. Our volunteers have handled hundreds of calls and have already retrieved $4,631.34 for consumers in our area. That's a lot of money!!

According to our statistics, the most prevalent call is concerning automobiles. These are calls involving the purchase of used cars, companies that aren't honoring their warranties and faulty repairs.

We've also received a bunch of calls about housing. Winter is approaching (are you allowed to say that when it's 92 degrees in mid-October??) and residents are concerned with their utility bills on the rise. Families who are renting apartments and houses are concerned with the speed their landlords are (or are not) fixing faults in their rental units.

Jeff and I told our volunteers when they first signed up for Call for Action that they would hear every kind of story that they could imagine, and many that they couldn't imagine. After a month, I think they're understanding what we meant!

If you have a consumer complaint, these guys are ready to hear your story and research your problem. They're available Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am until 1 pm. Give them a call at 803-442-4550. That $4,631.34 is proof enough that they are really working for this community!!

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

Rebates

We get calls from time to time about people who are waiting for their rebate check. And they keep waiting. And waiting...You probably wonder why companies even offer rebates if they aren't going to send you the check.

The big sign in the store that says "This $1000 TV is only $500." The small print says "After mail-in rebate." But you buy it, thinking it should be pretty easy to get that check for $500, and then you've bought a TV for half price. Great deal!

I once bought a mattress set, and filed a rebate offer for free delivery. Then the company filed bankruptcy, and rather than a check for $60, I got letters from the company's attorneys.

That hasn't made me wary of rebate offers, but I do take precautions up front, and you should, too. First, read every bit of the fine print on the rebate. If it says "only use black ink", don't use red. If it says "post mark by Sept. 15," assure that the Post Office has that rebate in their hands with the post mark BEFORE the 15th, just to be on the safe side.

Make sure that you include every piece of material the company is asking for. Circle the price on the receipt. Completely fill out the forms.

I always make copies of the materials before I mail them. If the rebate says "6-8 weeks" I write a note on my calendar as to when I should expect that check. If I don't get it, I have all of my documentation ready to make calls to the company.

If you never receive your rebate, file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau. Companies are legally obligated to fulfill the rebates within the specified time period, or they could get a fine from the FTC.

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

Gym Memberships

A couple of weeks ago we started getting calls from members of a local gym, Power South. It seems many of these people signed two-year contracts one week, and the next week, their gym was closed. Many of these folks paid about $200 up front for two years at the gym. What a bargain, right? That's less than $10 a month! But the bargain is a bust when the gym shuts down within weeks of signing your contract.

The Department of Consumer Affairs in Georgia and South Carolina are the state agencies that handle complaints on fitness clubs. If you're out money because your gym disappeared, DCA would certainly like to know. But as always, there are a couple of things we'd like you to know BEFORE you sign a contract for gym membership.

As with any contract, make sure you have thoroughly read and understand what it's saying. If the contract says that you lose your money if you cancel early, keep that in mind before you sign on for a year or more. Georgia's DCA recommends a "pay-as-you-go" plan, so that if the gym ceases operations, it's easy to get your money back.

After you've entered into the contract, you're allowed seven days (in Georgia) to cancel the contract for any reason. Make sure that you use the gym a couple of times within that time period to make sure they've got the amenities that you're looking for, and make sure to cancel within that seven-day period if it doesn't satisfy you.

Once you've accepted the terms of your contract and are ready to work out, you may still run into problems, like the members of Power South did. If you can't get your money back from the owners, go to the Department of Consumer Affairs! In Georgia, call 1-800-869-1123 and in South Carolina call 1-800-922-1594.

Here's some additional information:
Georgia Department of Consumer Affairs on Health Spa Memberships
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs on Gyms
12 OYS: Left in the Dark

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

The Gas Pricing Game

Let's say you work in North Augusta and live in Grovetown. You know you need to get gas on the way home from work, so you pull off at Washington Road and fill up for $2.49 a gallon. This sounds like quite a bargain compared to the last several months. Now your tank is full and you continue on your way. As you pass the Wheeler Road exit, your stomach lurches...gas is $2.21. You could have saved 28 cents a gallon if you'd only waited a couple of minutes. That really adds up!

But what's your excuse for not knowing? Can't predict the future? If you trust your fellow consumers, you don't have to. Web sites like gasbuddy.com let consumers post up-to-date gas prices as they see them. You can view gas prices for a particular area, by grade, by station, or price. If you're willing to spend a little time online before you fill up, you can make a more educated decision. The site tells when the price was updated, so make sure to check that you're looking at a current price!

And if you're heading out of town this weekend, why not do a little research before you head out. Check out your route before you leave home and learn which cities or counties sell the cheapest gas.

And why not get in on the game? You can post gas prices on these sites as well. After all, without people posting the prices, we'd never know where to fill up!

Here are some Web sites with local prices:
Augusta Gas Prices
North Augusta Gas Prices
Aiken Gas Prices

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

What you should know if you're a renter

Thousands of families in the CSRA rent their homes rather than own them. The majority of those folks probably have no problems with their landlords, but at 12 On Your Side we get dozens of calls from renters who can't get their landlords to make repairs. Here are some things that you, as a renter, should know about Landlord-Tenant regulations.

If you have a lease, make sure you read and understand it before you sign it. (This is important with ANY kind of contract.) The lease should address the correct procedure for reporting needed repairs, any fees you will be charged for late rent, whether you're allowed to keep pets on the property and which appliances are included in the rental.

Landlords are required to provide and maintain smoke detectors, adequate heating and plumbing, but the state does not require landlords to provide appliances such as refrigerators or stoves. If the lease states that these appliances are included, the maintenance and repair of the appliances falls to the landlord as well. Make sure you know up front whether the property you are interested in includes these major appliances, because once you've signed the lease, it will be too late to ask for it.

As far as repairs go, landlords are required to keep the rental property in good repair. The building structure, heating, and plumbing are the responsibility of the landlord. While air conditioning is not a required part of a rental, if it is provided by a landlord, it's maintenance is also the responsibility of the landlord. Some landlords allow the tenant to "repair and deduct" - the tenant makes the necessary repairs, provides receipts and deducts the repairs from the rent. Before you assume you can do this, check with your landlord.

If you have a problem that needs repair, you should first notify your landlord verbally and then follow up by putting the request in writing. Make a copy for yourself to prove your request. If your landlord does not comply with the request, you may need to call your county's code enforcement office.

Richmond County Code Enforcement 706-312-5049
Columbia County Code Enforcement 706-868-3400
Aiken County Code Enforcement 803-642-1518

For more information on Landlord-Tenant Laws:
Georgia Landlord-Tenant Hotline 800-369-4706
Georgia Landlord-Tenant Laws
15 Common Renter's Rights

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com

Give yourself a helping hand

When we get your calls at 12 On Your Side, we want to help you. One of the best ways we can help you, however, is by showing you how you can help yourself! Many times, the way you handle your consumer issues directly affects the outcome of your issue. Here are a couple of tips to handle your consumer problems.

First, keep your cool. Whether you are talking to a company representative in person, on the phone or through email, be courteous. If you use a threatening tone or nasty language, then whoever is on the receiving end is very unlikely to help you. Good manners really will get you further than you think.

Second, ask if you can speak to someone in charge. If you call a large business, you could talk to one of a thousand employees, and these folks may not be trained to help with your situation. When you speak with a store manager or someone who is trained in customer relations you may have an easier time getting your point across.

Third, be prepared to back up your claim. Whenever you make a big purchase or schedule a service, make sure that you keep a paper trail! Keep all of your receipts, work orders, warranties, proof of payment and anything else that looks even remotely important! When you shell out $350 for a lawnmower, you expect it to be in perfect working condition, but if you toss your documentation after it trims the lawn the first time, you may be out of luck if it breaks down six months later. File this important information WHEN YOU BUY IT and save yourself the hassle down the road. Once you have a problem, make notes each time you talk to a company representative so that you'll have a good log of how you attempted to get your situation resolved.

Fourth, write a complaint letter. Filing a written complaint often carries more weight than simply calling a company on the phone. Make sure to include your name, address, phone numbers and account number if applicable. Explain when and what you purchased and include copies of receipts that you have saved. Make sure that you keep your originals! Explain what went wrong, and if you've kept a log of how you've already tried to resolve the problem, highlight those attempts as well. Keep a copy of your letter, and to prove that you mailed it, send it certified mail with "return receipt requested." This service is available at the post office.

Hopefully, by following these steps, you were able to help yourself and get your problem resolved, but if you've tried all of this and are still getting nowhere, give Jeff and I a call at 803-278-1212! We are here to help you. Your paper trail will help us as well, and we often require that before we can get involved.

We also have a 12 On Your Side tip sheet with hundreds of numbers for local, state and national consumer resources. For a copy of the tip sheet, visit wrdw.com or call us at 803-278-1212.

Paula Hinely
12 On Your Side Research Assistant
paula.hinely@wrdw.com