Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
501 Boylston St #5100
Boston, MA 02116
Dear Consumer Protection Agency Representative:
I am writing as an advocate for my friend and client who is 69.10 years of age and physically disabled regarding an unfair business practice and price-gouging that he was subjected to by the following business: J&S Audio Visual Solutions. (No Address LIsted on Website or Steve's Business Card only Telephone Listed as 508 450-0490.)
I assisted my friend and client in picking our a 55" Flat Screen television and a wall mount at Whitco Sales, Incorporated on 140 Main Street in Spencer, Massachusetts, because my family, friends and I have been loyal and satisfied customers of Whitco for many years.The owner provided my client with a business card for Steve at J & S Audio Video Solutions. When my client informed me that Steve quoted $450.00 for the delivery and installation to his home in Cambridge, I called to find out why the company was charging $150.00 too much for a simply installation. Steve told me that the overcharge was to pay for the gas to Cambridge and that the expertise of J & S Solutions was worth the quoted price.
I informed Steve that my master electrician only charges $125.00 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour after the first hour, and I wanted to know whether he is a licensed electrician. Steve stated that he is not a licensed technician, but his partner is a "general contractor." I then pressed how he and his partner could justify such a high cost and why a customer would need to pay for their gas to deliver a service. I expressed to Steve that I believe that J & S Audio Visual Solutions exploits consumers who are unaware of a reasonable charge for an installation by unlicensed laborers, and that in this case the consumer is a disabled senior citizen which is objectionable on so many more levels.
I informed Steve that I would be filing a complaint with the Attorney General's Office for unethical and unfair business practices, specifically price-gouging and exploiting a disabled senior citizen.
It is my objective to have price-gouging addressed as an unfair and unethical business practice by the Office for Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation to ensure that the practice is addressed and discontinued immediately.
Thank you in advance to investigating J & S Audio Video Solutions for this flagrant violation of consumer trust.
Sincerely,
Mary K. De Courcey read more