ComplaintsforK. Hovnanian Homes of Florida I, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a new construction home from K Hovnanian Homes in the ********************** in ********, ** with the closing date of October 27. The K Hovnanian parties to this complaint are: 1) Vice President of Operations, Southeast Florida, 2) Eastern ********************* (owned by K Hovnanian),and 3) Sales Manager, Southeast Florida.Prior to closing, I received a form to complete from Eastern National Title to detail if the property was to be recorded into a Trust.At the closing on October 27, in the K Hovnanian conference room, it was discovered the property was not recorded into the Trust as instructed. In a telephone to Eastern National Title for an explanation, it was We Missed It.Rather than not close, all parties agreed to sign an Addendum to the Purchase and Sales Agreement,dated October 27, for me to be reimbursed for the estimated costs for an attorney to correct the error and record the deed. A telephone call was made to an attorney who provided a $500 cost to redo the deed correctly, which was used in the Addendum to the Purchase and Sales Agreement.On November 30, the attorney informed me that documentation stamps were not included in the $500. I emailed the K Hovnanian Vice President of Operations to inform him of the documentation stamps and request a revision to the Addendum to the Purchase and Sales Agreement for their inclusion. Rather than update the Addendum, he chose to email the K Hovnanian Sales Manager with his approval of the amount and to proceed with the reimbursement.I provided the K Hovnanian Southeast Florida group with the attorney's invoice, copy of the check I made in payment, and the correct deed to support my reimbursement.After numerous emails to determine why I have not been reimbursed, I am told it is due to this being after the closing date and the amount is different. Even though I explained the Addendum is dated at the closing date and your VP was informed of the documentation stamps and approved.

  Customer response

  12/27/2023

  My purpose for filing this on BBB was to get it on the public domain as I do not expect K Hovnanian to satisfy the debt.  I have turned this over to an attorney to pursue legal action.   

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  Acknowledge receipt of complaint and agree that we were given a price of $500 reimbursement from the buyer which we agreed to reimburse. This ***** has elected to pursue the dispute via litigation and no further comment is offered. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Entered into purchase contract 5/14/2023 with a written delivery date of 3/22/2024. Company in its sole discretion and against our direct communication and need to adhere to contractual close date 3/22/2024, **** *********************** of contract to 11/28/2023 and demanded payment in full of $768,466.00; 4 months earlier than agreed upon. We were unable to meet this demand. They offered no financial consideration for this unreasonable and unfair acceleration. Further, they ignored my communications efforts when we attempted to negotiate a fair resolution. When we were unable to close on the dictated timeline, we were declared to be in default on 11/28/23 and our entire deposit $90892.00 was taken. K. Hovanian gave us false information, mis-represented contractual timelines, refused to communicate or negotiate a reasonable settlement and misappropriated our deposit on an unfair and unreasonable basis. We attempted both direct communications, engaged industry professionals and legal representation, and K. Hovanian refused to acknowledge every attempt at communication.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  We apologize for the delay in response. Our contact person and email for BBB complaints was changed without our knowledge and this concern was not received until 1/24/23. When *********** a new home, we give an estimated delivery date. This date is noted in the contract that it is subject to change. At the time that this buyer contracted, we were delivering homes 10 - 12 months from the sale of the home. We have seen better availability of the materials and trade capacity and are seeing pick up in cycle times. this home was ready to close in October 2023, but extended it to November and sent out notice to close to a November date. The purchaser elected not to show up for closing or respond to Construction Manager calls for orientation. 

  Customer response

  01/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 21013659
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It was known by **** that a primary reason for our purchase was the contractually represented close of escrow date 3/22/2024 (see attachment) - otherwise we would have opted for a different lot. When we did attempt to communicate, higher level VPs within **** ignored us. Instead choosing to hide behind their predatory and legally nuanced purchase contract and forced the sacrifice of our deposit. Further, it was never explained nor suggested that we would carry 100% of the liability of an accelerated demand to perform.
  

  **** has no liability in delaying the closing date, but the buyer is not protected nor compensated if the closing date is accelerated.  A reasonable acceleration would have been acceptable, 5 months is not reasonable without at least an attempt to compensate the significant out of pocket expenses associated with this demand to perform.  All of which was communicated to ********************************* who refused to respond or be available. Proof of this loss was requested and provided, yet the stonewalling continued. Instead, construction managers and escrow agents continued to move forward as if they had no information at all.
  
  **** demanded full payment of *** funds on a massively accelerated date and offered no consideration. Multiple legal, and professional consultants believe this to be unfair practice.
  
  Given the way we were treated in the transaction, I can only conclude that we were a victim of targeted bias.
  
  **** has ample language protecting their interest, and nuanced and hidden language that is solely to their benefit. None of this was explained.
  
  Nothing about this contract is fair and reasonable dealing:
  
  "Fair and reasonable" is a general legal principle that is implied in written contracts. It is a common standard used in contract law to assess the behavior and terms of the parties involved in a contract.
  When parties enter into a contract, there is an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, which means that both parties are expected to act fairly and reasonably in their performance and enforcement of the contract.

  In Summary, **** explicitly and with intent, knowingly produced a contract that was deliberately deceptive and manipulative that only protected their own interests. We were pressured to singing this contract under a timeline and were refused outside representation. Instead, our **** agents assured us that we would be fairly represented and openly communicated with. This was a false claim.
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  
  We respectfully and strongly deny any allegation of bad faith, targeted bias, unfair practices, or unfair pressure.  We also deny that the contract is deceptive and manipulative. Please know, the delivery date given is an estimated delivery date, as per contract. It is noted in the contract that it is subject to change. At the time of your contract, our home builds were up to 12 months out. The home was ready to close in October 2023,but extended to November. All required notifications were sent out. Unfortunately,the purchaser neglected to show up for closing or respond to any calls for orientation appointments.  

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We purchased a newly built home 4/2023. On the day of closing, we pointed out that the newly poured driveway already had a crack in it and that it appeared that the concrete was too wet when they poured it. The concrete is less than 3 and a half inches and has hollow spots underneath it. After going back and forth with the warranty division, someone was supposed to come out 11/28/23 and cut out a section and repour that section. No one showed up and the warranty contact is ghosting us. We have a new home and deserve to have a driveway that meets code. The ridiculous thing is that I cannot get anyone from the warranty division to return phone calls or text messages. I have called and ask to speak to a supervisor, but she will not call back. All I know is that her name is *****, I believe.Please help us get our driveway repaired.

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  The concrete contractor is scheduled to inspect prior to 3/15th and will provide us with next steps regarding this matter. We are in touch with homeowner about this matter. 

  Customer response

  03/18/2024

  The issue is resolved.  The concrete was replaced, and it looks great.

• Initial Complaint

  05/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was supposed to close on this new property build at **************************************************************** Oct 2022. In anticipation of this and factoring in there may be some delays, the company representative assured me that the company will want to close before Oct 2022 ends being its financial year end. In anticipation of this I bought all the ********************** but set the delivery to Dec 2022 to account for what I knew would be delays. I arranged to let out my current home from 1 December 2022. Since then there have been multiple delays by the builder and many were not communicated to me. When it was clear that closing would not be my March 2023, I contacted the company to request that closing be pushed out to end July 2023 as I was going to travel internationally. I was told this was not possible. I was told that closing would definitely be in May and I then received a notice closing was 30 May. I then arranged with the furniture company to ensure stock was available and that delivery could take place 31 May 2023. Not 2 weeks later, after accepting a tilting mistake to avoid the closing being pushed out again I was advised that closing would now be 12 June. I have been severely inconvenienced. I asked if the furniture delivery could ne made to the garage and I would sign any waiver for damages. I was told NO. No leniency as so I am at the behest of the furniture company that has arranged delivery of all the new furniture to a place that will not accept it. The company merely stated I must get a storage unit and on showing an invoice, will reimburse me. I have an arm disability. What about moving the furniture 2x and into the house. The company doesn't care and will fine me $500 a day if I don't arrive on 12 June to close. This is totally unfair, and there is little they are prepared to do to assist. I was one of the first to buy in the development, and others who bought after me have moved in a long time ago. Why? And why this treatment?

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  Unfortunately there were delays due to supply chain issues during this timeframe. Although we try to best accommodate homeowners it is very tough to manage and forecast timeframes of construction due to Covid supply chains that the world was experiencing at the time. Our company offers a minimum of a 30 day official notice to close letter that states when closing will occur. We stick to this procedure and expect homeowners to close on the date given. We do accommodate a flexible time schedule if it is within a few weeks but nothing more as it costs to hold the home once it is complete. Unfortunately we do not allow customers to move in any personal belongings before closing due to legal concerns and this is a no exception policy.

• Initial Complaint

  05/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 2, 2020 my wife and I purchased a home from K. Hovnanian that included a Model PDT845SSJ2SS ** Profile dishwasher. In 2022 the dishwasher stopped functioning. Inspection by the ** technicians discovered that the malfunction was due to the dishwasher being improperly installed and completely missing numerous parts. As you can see from photo attached (jpeg: Tamper Seal) the dishwasher had never been tampered with since installation. The Dishwasher Leak pan was completely missing and the sensor was just left hanging from the inside bottom of the unit (see blue sensor left hanging on photo jpeg: Missing Sensor). The only way this error would possibly be discovered would be for a leak to occur, which naturally did happen (see photo jpeg: Leak). My wife and I spent $383.38 to correct K. Hovnanian's shoddy work. K. Hovnanian refuses to take any responsibility and even acknowledged via a phone call on 5/18/2023 that the only way we would have found this mistake earlier would be to have taken apart the unit ourselves and had the technical expertise to understand the inner workings of this specific dishwasher. They blame their sub-contractor, ********, for not installing the unit properly. ********, in turn, blames ** for not including the missing piece(s) and ** refuses to take any responsibility. The end result is that my wife and I are out of $383.38 for the mistake of K. Hovnanian who refuses to take any responsibility. We would like to have the amount we spent (See PDF: Service Invoice) to clean up K. Hovnanian's error refunded to us.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  We apologize for the delay in response. Our contact information for complaints within the BBB platform was changed and we did not receive this concern until yesterday. Unfortunately, this home was out of warranty at the time of this concern, and we were unable to assist the homeowner. 

  Customer response

  01/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 20074366
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The part was missing when you installed it. There was no way to know it was missing until a leak occurred. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  We are looking into this matter further and will be in touch with the homeowner. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Three years now, my lawn and a lot of other homeowners in my community have lawns that are dead or filled with weeds. They have blamed ******************, crickets, worms for the issues. Fact is that they never put topsoil down when sod went down. Even when sod was replaced, they did not put down topsoil. Our community is still having construction. We are 4 Seasons of *******. This is a recent response that we keep getting for years from our HOA still under ****: as noted in the **** communication - all entities are working on a resolve. While we understand the frustrations, steps must be taken accordingly to find a final resolve to the conditions within Four Seasons.

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Sorry for the delay in responding to this claim. This is an ******* Claim which was filed in *********.
  The community has experienced irrigation water supply issues. The Toho issues have forced the replacement of supply pumps and filtration systems. Since inception of the community, K Hovnanian Homes and the *** has replaced sod for large sections of the community twice.
  *** Management has also changed landscaping companies in an effort to improve care and maintenance of sod and landscaping in the community. Mr. **** sod was replaced as I did follow up with him today via a phone call.
  Please consider this matter to be completed.

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  K Hov designed a kitchen cabinet layout with molding beneath it. Unfortunately, the modling sticks out about an inch beneath either side of my microwave. We needed to have the microwave serviced and when GE came out, they could NOT remove the microwave from the wall because the molding prevents anyone from removing it from the wall. You cannot tip the microwave forward enough to unlatch from the wall. ** also told us that K Hov ceased made a design change and stopped doing the molding this way in the homes in the later half of our community build out but did not go back to the front of the community to correct the mistake. Now K Hov is telling me we are out of warranty. This IS NOT a warranty issue. Microwaves do not need servicing after one year - typically. So now they are trying to tell me to remove the molding myself. No, they need to send out the cabinet company, have them remove and correct the length of the molding so this does not continue to be a problem going forward. I am not a cabinet maker. I do not do construction, nor does my husband. We are not going to try to do this ourselves - which is an insane request. I told the warranty representative that we would take this to the level necessary to have this remedied - full disclosure. It's evident they knew this was a problem but neglected to correct it in the earlier homes. Its been a few weeks and we have not heard anything from him. We bought another microwave to use in the interim. This is an inconvenience and should be corrected by *****. We paid for upgrades to our kitchen and now we have to contend with this. I'm including two photos of my kitchen and one photo of a house built in the later half of the community that does not have the molding jutting out from underneath the microwave.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  We apologize for the delay in response. Our contact information for complaints within the BBB platform was changed and we did not receive this concern until yesterday. We were unable to assist this homeowner as there was no defect found. On 2/7/23, we did respond to the homeowner verbally and also via our internal national contact request platform. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My home was closed on in Four Seasons of ******* in February of 2019. Since that date we have had lots of issues with our upstairs being over 90 plus degrees and the A/C constantly running to try to cool. Finally after about one year of complaints they finally tried to resolve the issue. It took them one year having several HVAC companies coming in blowing in insulation in several places in the attic as well as cutting a hole in the ceiling to finally figure out what we had been telling them that the front wall was not insulated and was extremely hot all the time. Upon opening up the wall in the attic and blowing in insulation we were finally able to control the heat on the second floor. Since that time I got mold building up around my furnace on the second floor, I noticed an air leak in the closet it is housed in and seeing that ****** (company they also used to find our above problem) they sealed it for us and we treated and cleaned the surface mold. Now one year later I have mold coming out of the list switch in the room as well as mold on the surface all around the air handler. I keep that door open at all times around 6 inches to circulate air as well as always have a damp rid in their. Still does not help. We go away for the summer months but the A/C is set to 78 at all times. When I contacted **** they sent their maintenance person in and said your house is no longer under warranty (only warranted for 3 years), it is your problem to address and fix. I explained that they for two years had had people in and out of our attic and also around the air handler trying to figure out the cooling issue and their reply was not their problem. We leave in the summer so we caused it. Our home is 3 1/2 years old and I have had homes 12 years old and never had a mold issue (homes owned in Florida leaving for summer months)... I went back to their website where my original work orders were kept and they have all been deleted.

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are requesting the immediate and full refund of a $42,000 deposit from K. Hovnanian Four Seasons to ******************************** and *******************************. The deposit was applied to a contract made on June 29, 2022, modified twice, and requested to be cancelled on July 11, 2022. K. Hovnanian refuses to release the funds, claiming the funds are needed for liquidated damages.Please see uploaded statement.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  We apologize for the delay in response to this complaint. The contact email address for BBB complaints was changed without our knowledge and this complaint was not received until yesterday. We do not have a homeowner with this name or address realized at K. Hovnanian communities.

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My first issue is the sidewalk. ****** ************* ****** ***********, **** ************* my K. Hovnanian representatives have all assured me that the groove marks would be repaired at the end of the year after the community is finished. The concrete company didn't do the repair due to the damage not being under warrantee. This is not a warrantee issue. This is negligent damage from K. Hovnanian due to not putting down plywood to protect the finished sidewalk before dragging work materials across it and damaging it. This damage was reported during the walk though of the house. I have been told repeatedly by the three men listed above that this would be handled. ****** and ****** no longer return my calls or texts. My second issue is the tiled floor. Repairs have been done 3 times replacing tile. In December 2021 I reported that I had multiple "hollow" tiles. The tiles are separating from the floor. Two tile company representatives have been to the house to inspect and admitted that the tiles are separating from the floor.. I have been told that enough tile has been ordered to replace the tile for the entire house. Nothing has been done. Waiting for seven months is long enough to resolve this issue.

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  This complaint is being handled by our warranty administrator, PWC.

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