Homeowner hold Havnanian's feet to the fire |
Saturday, 07 July 2007 |
Hovnanian ordered to pay homeowners' court costs
Homebuilder J.S. Hovnanian & Sons must pay legal fees for a group of homeowners who went to court with complaints about their houses, an appeals court ruled Friday. The three-judge panel upheld a lower-court ruling that Hovnanian must pay residents' expenses of about $250,000 under terms of the state's Consumer Fraud Act. In a class-action suit, the homeowners contended their utility rooms had inadequate ventilation. They initially sought monetary damages and a court-run program, at Hovnanian's expense, to inspect the rooms and make any needed repairs. Both sides settled during a trial, with Hovnanian agreeing to conduct inspections and repairs. Post Comment - send a letter to the editor.
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