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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
06/24/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
This unit leaked and filled with water. Ground Zero Shelters claims it was my fault. The unit was bone dry and clean until it leaked. The owner also threatened me with legal action if I left a negative review. There was water present in the hole that they installed the unit into. I asked specifically if it would caused problems and they said no it will never leak. They also assured me that the warranty would cover any issues. Years later the warranty has been denied. I feel that I was lied to and preyed upon by wanting to protect my family from tornados.
Business response
06/25/2024
*******, The lifetime warranty to the original home owner, does not cover improper maintenance. Maintenance includes but not limited to, cleaning the shelter, touching up paint, keeping salt off of the shelter, and keeping the shelter dry from moisture such as high humidity etc. The warranty does not cover shelter replacement if that is required. Your shelter was altered without approval, leading to further water damage. This caused the shelter to be unrepairable and now a replacement would be required. ****************** states his shelter has been leaking for 3 years, no other warranty claim is in our system. The homeowner, did not have the shelter repaired by us or have a warranty claim in prior to 05/06/2024 . (attachment Rinaldi1) The three years of having water in the shelter, whether off and on or the entire time: lead to the floor deteriorating beyond repair causing this unit to be a replacement. If any repairs were done in those three years there was not written permission by our team. That is an unapproved alteration voiding the warranty. The owner did let you know via a phone call at ************, and via text to the same number that you do not have a warranty.Customer response
06/25/2024
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:I am the original owner.
I did keep the unit cleaned until it failed and filled with water.
I did call more than once and was told I had to find a welder on my own. I was never told I had to file a claim until this year.
I have not altered the unit except to attempt to plug holes to prevent damage that now Ground Zero Shelters claims voids my warranty
There are many complaints on line that are similar to mine this warranty is not worth the paper it is printed on it is my opinion that they know these will leak and have no intention to honor the warranty in cases such as mine.
I paid 6000 for this unit and was assured it would never leak and if it did it was under warranty.
My unit is now worthless and Ground Zero Shelters is not standing behind their product.
The owner even threatened to *** me for libel if I left negative reviews.
Sincerely,
*************************Business response
06/26/2024
To whom it may concern,
The customer stated in previous attachment, that it held water for 3 years prior to contacting us. Over the phone he told us that he had done some patching, and did not place any warranty claim to us during those 3 years. This voided any warranty there would have been. This shelter must be a replacement.
GZS
Customer response
06/30/2024
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:I believe that Ground Zero shelters install these knowing that theyre going to fail and that the warranty is completely worthless and dishonest. There are multiple complaints identical to mine. These units fail and then they refused to repair them. I was led to believe that this warranty would cover anything that happened to this unit and that is not true as communicated to me by ground zero shelters. They are faulting me and claiming to void their warranty for the damage that occurred because their unit leaked which shouldve been under warranty, a lifetime warranty, no less. I have never encountered such a Catch-22 business arrangement in my entire life. The unit fails, but the damage that occurs after it fails is my fault? Therefore voiding the warranty because it failed to begin with? This is nonsensical and fraudulently business practice in my opinion.
Sincerely,
*************************Initial Complaint
04/01/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
We used GZ in **************************** ********* after the 2013 tornado . Went out this weekend to clean it for the upcoming weather and the door is jammed closed . Contacted them this morning . The girl ***** was very rude and said that the company they used as the " 3rd party" for the concrete shelters is no longer in buisness and the warranty is now not valid . I explained several times that the warranty paperwork we have and the contact we have is through GZ not the 3rd party . After finding out I still had the contract she then changed and said , Well the warranty is only 10 years and yours expired in Feb. 2024. The contact says lifetime Except for 10 Year leakage Warranty for the seal where they are pieced together when installed . They have tried to skate around everything we ask or say . Through research we have found that *********************** , Owner of GZ also was the owner of RN ********************** which is the "3rd party" that according to her, They have nothing to do with at all and are seperate companies . Also both companies used the same exact address on SOS . According to BBB this has been an ongoing issue with several complaints filed with no resolution .Business response
04/01/2024
*********************, Ground Zero Shelters does not hold the warranty on any concrete tornado shelter products. The warranty details are found on the contract, attached to this message chain. The warranty section is broken down by product type.Customer response
04/02/2024
The contact signed for the shelter was through Ground Zero Shelters. We did not sign a contract with RN Concrete Products. I do not see anything on the bottom of your Contract that stated that GZ does not hold the warranty for concrete shelters. It simply outlines the warranty for all of YOUR products. Your response yesterday was that RN Concrete Products is the company that sold me the product and GZ has nothing to do with them. Which is false because both GZ and RN were both owned by the same individual. *********************** is the registered legal representative for both companies. Im assuming RN was closed down due to so many warranty claims as I have found SEVERAL other complaints , the same issue as mine . All Im asking is that my door is fixed. We can not even open the door or get into the shelter at all. After I pointed out the same owner , ** then responded saying well your warranty was only for 10 years and that expired in Feb. 2024. How would you try to use that when GZ doesnt have the warranty that youre claiming ?? ALL paperwork we signed was through GZ and theres ZERO writing on the contract that states WE DO NOT WARRANTY CONCRETE SHELTERS.
Thank You
Business response
04/16/2024
****, The warranty card you attached shows, all warranty claims are made to RN Concrete Products. RN did have a 10 year warranty, which you are past. The lifetime warranty you refer to, are for steel tornado shelters manufactured and installed by Ground Zero Shelters. There is a warranty section on the contract for Underground Steel shelters, Steel Safe rooms, and third party Concrete shelters. Every product is separated by paragraphs, each having its own warranty items. 1. Your tornado shelter is made out of concrete. 2.The warranty has expired. 3. The warranty was held by the manufacturer RN Concrete Products LLC. There is nothing GZS can do per the contract.Initial Complaint
01/03/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
The storm shelter installed by Ground Zero is leaking from a crack in the floor. I left a warranty claim with ground zero on their website and I received a call saying they could not help because the company who made the concrete shelter is now out of business. I paid extra for a waterproof coating on the shelter also. The concrete shelter metal door has a RN *********************. sticker on the door. Please help with repairing the crack or replacing the storm shelter.Business response
01/04/2024
****, the contract attached with your signature shows this (Concrete Tornado Shelter) product was from another company. And the concrete product was warrantied by the other company RN ************. We will not be able to repair, replace, or refund this order. We specialize in Steel Tornado Shelters, that Ground Zero Shelters manufactures, installs, repairs, and warranties. Ground Zero SheltersInitial Complaint
07/02/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Purchased inground storm cellar approx **** years ago from ground zero storm shelters. Last year, patch was done by ground zero for water leak. This year, Ive been trying to get a response from someone from ground zero for several months for water leak, 6 inches of water, the owner finally calling me this past Friday, June 30th, 2023. The owner would not address the lifetime warranty on the website against leaking, floating, and manufacture defect. His comment to me was I protected your family for $350/yr , isnt your family worth that? Also asked me how many cars you bought in 10yrs? He did become very aggressive, cursing and telling me how much I was f***ing pi**ing him off when I questioned him on the warranty. He gave me choices: to *** him, go to arbitration, do nothing, pay him $895 to push the cellar doors in and fill with dirt + 4 inches of concrete, $1700 to remove shelter and fill hole + concrete, $3000+ for a new in ground shelter, or $3000-$5000 for above ground shelter.Business response
07/10/2023
Thanks for your concern *****************
Sorry for the response delay since it did not arrive to our email until 7/8/2023. We do not offer any refunds on permanently installed Tornado Shelters. This Tornado Shelter was installed approx. 9 years ago.
The owner did go out to your Tornado Shelter to do any repairs under the warranty agreement, and we have to do what his / the contract options are. Your Tornado Shelter has now fallen into stage two, after warranty options. These options are available all at discounted rates from our normal charges. 1. Fill the hole with dirt and 4" concrete, 2. Do a replacement which the total cost is not included by the warranty 3., Fill in the Tornado Shelter and install an above ground model, 4. what you decide to do outside of these options. Your Tornado Shelter, is not a candidate for warranty repair due to circumstances outside of our control.
Your request for a full refund, 9 years after purchase is denied.
Sincerely, GZ
Initial Complaint
04/26/2022
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Tornado shelter installed in 2014. We have a receipt that says there is a lifetime warranty for certain issues. Our door is jammed and will not open. I called Ground Zero and they informed me it would not be covered at all because the warranty is no longer in force due to the other entity going out of business (no where on the receipt does it state that the so called lifetime warranty is through a 3rd party co. They offered to "come out" for $300 - no guarantee on getting door open or how much to fix issue. People need to know this business doesn't have any warranty - it's a joke. And I live in *****, have lost one house/been through a major tornado. We're in storm season now and have a shelter we can't break into even. I'm attaching a pdf of the sales agreement - they had me fill in a form to start. I previously erased my info for privacy reasons.
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