Before I start telling my story, let me preface it by saying it has a happy ending so far.
We went for the LifeSpas presentation about two months ago, and decided to buy a spa from them. We had investigated several companies in the previous three weeks and were prepared with what we wanted and how much it would likely cost.
I had checked with the Better Business Bureau, and LifeSpas Inc. was rated "A". They had only eight complaints against them since 7/16/1999. Five complaints where they agreed to perform according to their contract, and three complaints where they refused to adjust, relying on the terms of the agreement. This looked like a pretty good track record to me.
When they offered the deepest discount to customers who paid cash at the end of the presentation, we foolishly gave them a check for half the total, $2,500, for a model LS 7000 with a foot dome option which included four extra foot jets. I say foolishly, because we could have paid by credit card, and been totally safe, but we were greedy and wanted an extra discount for cash. The only thing we changed on the contract, was to add a guarantee that the spa would be delivered in six weeks.
The next morning I was horrified at what my greed had exposed me to. Perhaps we had been the target of an elaborate scam! When I looked more closely at the contract I signed, it was on California Custom Spas letterhead, with Lifesprings Spas listed in the first sentence, but reading more closely, I realized that it was actually a contract with TNT Global Enterprises, Inc., an independently owned and operated store!
To my horror, I could not find a business license for TNT Global Enterprises, Inc., and they don't seem to be listed with the Better Business Bureau! This was a non-revocable contract. What had I done?
But to my shock, the spa was delivered 10/7/2005, one week late. It looks super! and they threw in a years chemicals and a $225 multicolor LED light for being a week late.
Now if I can just get the 220 hooked up...