(WSVN) - They were excited to be first-time homeowners in modern and sleek townhomes, but after they moved in, the problems began. The Nightteam’s Kevin Ozebek shows us in tonight’s 7 Investigates.
With high-end countertops, tile backsplashes and porcelain floors, Lissette Garcia found her dream home.
Lissette Garcia: “It was like love at first sight.”
She bought it in Vittoria Gardens, a new development in Homestead, but soon, her honeymoon with her new home was over.
Lissette Garcia: “March 2020, I moved in. My first encounter with leaks in the home was around mid-April.”
The developer fixed that water damage, but then in July, huge patches of paint were peeling in her master bathroom.
In her master bedroom, parts of her ceiling were bubbling.
Lissette Garcia: “Someone has to take accountability. It’s not something that you can ignore.”
A few doors down, we were introduced to this owner who doesn’t want to show her face.
She shared video of this liquid bubbling up outside her home. She says it smelled like sewage, and look at all the water damage she showed us in her upstairs bathrooms.
Second homeowner: “I can’t shower because I’ll have parts of the paint falling off on me during showering, so we just move to another bathroom downstairs.”
And one street over in the development, we met Justin Sangster. At the time, he had no leaks, but he had higher expectations for his brand new home.
Justin Sangster: “You open it up, and it scrapes the wall.”
There was an issue with his dishwasher door, and these kitchen cabinets were not properly installed.
Justin Sangster: “I told them to fix it, but nobody came.”
Kevin Ozebek: “Do you regret buying this home?”
Justin Sangster: “Yes, definitely.”
Kevin Ozebek: “Are you worried you are going to get leaks in your home?”
Justin Sangster: “Yes, yes.”
Justin’s intuition was right.
A month later, he was showing us water spots on his walls that popped up after a heavy rain.
Justin Sangster: “Now to see this happening not even six months after I moved in, it’s heartbreaking.”
The three homeowners spoke to 7 Investigates because they say I9Tecc, the company that developed Vittoria Gardens, was not fixing their issues fast enough.
Justin Sangster: “I put my hard-earned money and time waiting for this house to be built, and it is not up to standard.”
Second homeowner: “I am living paycheck to paycheck, and it is hard for me to make repairs on my own.”
Lissette Garcia: “We’re regular middle-class individuals. We had expectations that we were going to get a product that was actually high quality, and that hasn’t been the case.”
I9Tecc tells us it “… strives to provide quality homes at exceptional prices. We make every effort to evaluate and repair any issues as quickly as possible. Sometimes, due to circumstances beyond our control, some repairs can take longer than others to complete. The issues brought to our attention in this matter have been assessed, and our crews are working with each homeowner.”
Justin Sangster: “Now it works. Perfect!”
Justin’s cabinets are now fixed, his dishwasher opens without damaging his wall, and the water spots are gone.
Justin Sangster: “I am thankful for you guys stepping in and helping. They acted pretty quickly after you guys reached out.”
Outside of our second homeowner’s house, crews are digging up the street to ensure liquid won’t bubble up again.
I9Tecc tells us it is footing the bill for this because a subcontractor that did the original work refused.
Inside her home, her bathroom ceilings look brand new.
Second homeowner: “Ever since the news station got involved, they’ve been coming by and making repairs to the roofs.”
And Lissette’s master suite has been renovated.
Lissette Garcia: “I’m completely happy. I love my home.”
It’s a before and after she is happy to share, and so are we.
CONTACT 7INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
clue@wsvn.com
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