NC families pay thousands of dollars, wait months and still no hot tub: 'On the next truck'
NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- Triangle homeowners are upset after paying thousands for a spa, only to be left wondering where's the hot tub.
Sharon Shepard paid more than $7,000 in July to Backyard Leisure to put a hot tub at her Cary home. She says, "Ordered it July 18th, they said three to five months."
However, eight months later Shepard still doesn't have what she paid for.
"I've been extremely patient waiting on my new hot tub. Every email I have says it's on the next truck." Each promise of a delivery date comes and goes and Shepard says she still doesn't have her hot tub despite repeated promises.
It's the same waiting game for Apex homeowner Catherine Hennessy.
Hennessy said, "Their promise was that they would deliver the hot tub within eight to twelve weeks of ordering. We're at 18 weeks I believe."
In her case, she paid more than $12,000 to Backyard Leisure in November and said they missed several promised delivery dates. "Called us on February 22nd, the night before, and said that it wasn't on the truck," Hennessy tells ABC11 Troubleshooter Diane Wilson.
Wilson contacted Backyard Leisure and a representative said with Hennessy's order, they were told a delivery date by mistake and apologized, and with Shepherd's hot tub, he also said they are confident to have a delivery date soon.
Shepard says, "I would like to have my hot tub but I'm not going to wait indefinitely."
Hennessy feels the same way, "I just want my money back. Deal with somebody that can deliver me a hot tub in two to four weeks."
The representative with Backyard Leisure says he hopes to have an update on the delivery day this week. Troubleshooter Diane Wilson will keep you posted on any updates.
In both cases, the customers had to pay the full amount up front when they signed the contract. We try and caution against that, if you do have to pay in full, try and pay with a credit card as that offers the most protection if you need to dispute it.
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