Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Friday approximately 500 consumers will receive nearly $500,000 in restitution after her office agreed to a settlement with several metal building companies over alleged violations of state law.
Bondi said the settlement was reached between the state and U.S. Metal Buildings Corp; U.S. Building Systems Corp., which does business as U.S. Buildings; International Buildings, LLC; and its principals. The companies manufactured and sold custom-made or prefabricated steel and metal buildings, which are then put together by the consumers. The businesses and the state reached an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance.
Bondi said consumers complained that the businesses allegedly used deceptive high-pressure sales, refused to issue refunds, misrepresented some material facts from the sale and unilaterally canceled consumer contracts.
Under the agreement, the building companies agreed to stop: making misrepresentations, providing terms in telephone calls that end up being different in the written agreements; canceling consumer contracts; reporting consumers to or using collection agencies, and violating consumers' three-day right of rescission, Mills said.
Additionally, the companies agreed to adjust ongoing business practices, and part of the $500,000 settlement will go toward paying restitution to the consumers that lodged complaints against U.S. Metal Buildings Corp., and its entities.