The Troubleshooter 4-23-25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yea ripped.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
News indeed advice who you don't have? Come running as
fast as we can. Shooter's gonna help coming Man.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Dix is the Troubleshooter Show.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
No, Tom Martine, Hey, Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show.
Three O three seven one three talk three oh three
seven one three eight two five five. Welcome. I'm gonna
bring up the mothership. If you're streaming, you'll see the
video in the bottom right of the frame. What is
going on? I see we have ugly Deputy Dot there

(00:45):
and ugly Mark and pretty Hannah. Hannah is with us
from Fixing twenty four to seven, and she's here to
talk about plumbing, heating, cooling, electric and trains. And then
I think that's Deputy Dollar. Is that right? Deputy Dollars
three seven to one three talk seven one three eight
two five to five.

Speaker 4 (01:03):
Hey.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
I thought today would be a good day to bring
this up because I can't believe the number of inquiries
I get about this. Mark. I want you to chime
in because you're the king of doing this, but I
want to talk about that. We we have a big,
big listenership of small businesses and sole proprietors in LL

(01:27):
season people who in addition to their job, they have
a business, or they quit their job to start a business,
or they are thinking about starting a business. And over
the years we talked to so many people. I've often
told people I'm smart because I cataloged and remembered and listened,

(01:47):
not because I'm smart, meaning that if you do this
show as long as I've been doing, and then as
Mark joined me, as long as he's been doing, you
just automatically become smarter on issues because you hear so
many of them and you start categorizing them, cataloging them,
keeping them. And I've done a really good job of cataloging.

(02:11):
I have a whole sheet here. You name a topic
and I'll give you problems. So starting a business, do
you know what the first thing I think comes up?
They get wrong? Mark. I don't expect you to guess
what I'm thinking, But what would you say?

Speaker 5 (02:26):
They don't calculate. Most people don't calculate their own time.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Mark. That is absolutely one of the top absolutely, positively
one of the top five. They don't calculate their time.
So they want to run a business, right and they're thinking, oh,
this is how much profit it makes? But they didn't
calculate that they're going to be doing the work. If
it's a sole proprietorship or even just a small company

(02:52):
with a few people, and you work your ass off
ninety hours a week or whatever, So when you don't
account for your time, that profit's not really profit. You
have to account for your time because otherwise you end
up buying yourself a bad job. You literally buy a
bad job, or invest and make a bad job. You
have to account for your time. And you know, accounting

(03:16):
for your time means a lot, because if you can
work and make that much money, why have a business
unless your goal in business is to grow it, so
eventually you make more than you can make working or
you hope to. And so many small businesses their panacea
is growing the business and then selling it, and that

(03:39):
is successful sometimes it really is, and then you move
on to something else. So not accounting for your time
is definitely one of them. But I want you to
think about this and comment on it. If you're on YouTube,
my morons love commenting. You can call on comment or
just listen. One of the things I have here is

(04:00):
the first thing, and I'm gonna give you a hint,
and then I want you to guess, and you can
text me as well. Let me give you that text
number I love seven four seven nine nine nine fifty
two eighty. That comes right to my cell phone. You
can text twenty four to seven there seven four seven
nine nine nine fifty two eighty. I'm gonna give you
a hint. You got an excellent plumber, one hundred percent

(04:21):
excellent master plumber. He's great at doing everything plumbing. He
wants to go out on his own. We have an electrician.
He's great or she's great. I don't mean to say he,
I'm using he in the generic sense. Or they they're
great at what they do. Everything they do is great.

(04:42):
Right then they want to start a business because after all,
they're an electrician, so they can start an electrical contracted business.
Or you have someone who's great at washing windows. You
get what I'm saying. They're excellent at their trade and
they start a business. What's the problem there. The problem

(05:02):
is most people don't know the difference between a trade
and a business, two completely different things. Hannah Davis is
with us from Fix at twenty four to seven. She's
not in the trade, not at all. Doesn't pretend to

(05:23):
be she's in the business. So in the business she
thinks of things like, what would compel people to call
the company? Then the trade's been takeover, Hannah, what would
compel people to call fix it today?

Speaker 6 (05:40):
What would compel people to call fix it today? And
apologies everyone.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
I have allog Oh my god, your voice.

Speaker 6 (05:47):
Yes, I promise I did not pick up a smoking habit.
It is allergies. But what compels them, Tom is not
spinning thousands and thousands down the line when an absolute
accident that can.

Speaker 7 (05:58):
Be avoided occurs.

Speaker 6 (06:00):
So what we're talking about right now, specifically is flooding
in homes, which we see all the time.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
And that's the sumpump. See, here's the thing. If people
did preventive maintenance, like I learned the other day, and
you guys install the water heater in my home, it
sat there and I never had it flushed. And I
used to think, you know what, you know that flushing
every year or two is a gimmick. It really isn't.
Had I had that flushed, they told me I would

(06:30):
have got another ten years out of it, and it
was ten years old. It was a really good heater.
And then they put the new one in and They said, now, Tom,
you have it serviced every year, and it will not never,
but it will last so long you won't believe it
because we're taking out the harmful minerals. They do the flush.
They changed the anode. I didn't realize you guys did that.

(06:54):
The anode is a sacrificial anode that gives itself up
to keep water from corroding the tank. Orter goes for
the short circuit, so they go for the sacrificial anode first.
It doesn't go to the tank. I'm telling you, man,
they want their Their number one mission is preventive. Yet
their number two mission is to try to fix it.

(07:15):
Their number three is replacement. You have to understand that
that's third on their list. First is to prevent it,
second is to fix it. Third is to replace it.
We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show three
oh three, seven to one, three eight, two, fivey five.
And while we're talking about all kinds of stuff, let's
talk about waterpros dot net the best water systems for
softening and conditioning and purifying, getting rid of plastics, chemicals,

(07:38):
forever chemicals, and drinking water all for thirty nine to
ninety five Waterpros dot net three oh three eight six
two five five five four. Go with a sure thing
Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay
a cent until you're content top of it. I'm for

(08:00):
an insurance checkup free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass
Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance
companies find out now three oh three seven seven to one. Help.
You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank
durand the real estate Man dot com to list your
home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. I'm Tom Argino, You're a troubleshooter three

(08:28):
o three seven to one three talk seven one three
A two five five. What are the mistakes business people
make when they start one? They don't know the difference
between a trade and a business. They may be an
excellent electrician, a plumber, HVAC tech. They might be excellent
at contracting, building, building garages, building homes, finished carpentry, handyman,

(08:56):
but they don't know squad about business. And because they
don't know squad about business, they concentrate on the trade
and when they get money, they don't know that. Some
of them are really They might use credit cards for
all the supplies they need, and then they get paid

(09:17):
and they forget they have a credit card bill, so
the cost of sale cos is totally denied, or they
don't accurately figure their costs. For example, I always pick
on these big companies, but you take like fix At
twenty four to seven or Plumbline or another giant company.
These are good companies, great service companies. They have to

(09:38):
take into account all of their expenses and then leverage
that over all of their people and equipment. So everything
has a cost to it. When that van runs every
hour is costing the company a certain amount of money.
Dead costs, bottom line dead costs. And so many times
people say, well wait a minute, I can buy a

(09:59):
water eat at home depo and then I can have
Johnny across the street and his cousin put it in.
You know, no one can compete with those costs, but
you'll it's it's so foolhardy when it comes to warranties,
burning down your house, getting the accurate if you don't
do it properly, you shorten its life. I don't have

(10:20):
to get into that. What I'm saying is this is
you have to figure your cost and you have to
know how to run a business. And I'm going to
tell you how to do that. If you're if you
we've had so many increase in starting a business, I'm
going to tell you how to do that stuff. Right now,
I want to talk to John. He has a solar
system issue. And as you know, John, we we promote

(10:42):
a solar company. What's going on with you?

Speaker 8 (10:45):
Hey, Tom? Yeah, red Rocks Rooping Solar. Yeah, so I
talked to you and Brandy was on. I think it's
Brandy from Red Rocks.

Speaker 1 (10:59):
Her name is Brooke, Oh, Brooke Brook.

Speaker 8 (11:01):
Yeah. So she was there about a month and a
half ago and I was talking about I think it
was with Mark about the solar system I have not
producing and Brooke mentioned the micro and vergers possibly not functioning.
So did a little investigating and sure enough, those microburgers

(11:21):
are caput and the system.

Speaker 1 (11:25):
Hey John, can you John, can you tell me? Did
you say micro converters micro inverters? Okay? Got it? Okay, Yeah,
So what happened then? So she predicted that without even
seeing the system.

Speaker 8 (11:41):
Right, and she's a you know, it seems to be unusual,
and especially the system hasn't even been running for five years.

Speaker 9 (11:50):
Now.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
By the way, did red Rocks do your system? Are
you complaining about them or is it another company?

Speaker 8 (11:56):
No, it was a company called Blue Sky, and I
I'm almost positive that they're not in business anymore, which
is okay.

Speaker 1 (12:05):
So now you know, red Rocks will service them even
if they didn't put them in correct correct.

Speaker 8 (12:13):
So what what I did was so she recommended, you know,
finding So it's a company called EP Systems and they
she's saying that they should warranty them for like outwards
of twenty five years. So I contacted AP Systems of
North America and emailed them, and they immediately emailed me back,

(12:37):
wanting a serial number basically on the inverters. And I
said that.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
Are they the manufacturer of the inverters?

Speaker 8 (12:45):
I believe so yes, okay, yeah, yeah, So I sent
those number assume them. And this was, like I said,
about six weeks ago, and I had not heard anything back,
and I've emailed them multiple times since then to see
why they're not responding to me. And honestly, I think

(13:06):
it's they think I'm just the homeowner and that's the
least of their priorities. I'm not a technician or a
solder company. So they're like, yeah, whatever, you know, well
if you.

Speaker 1 (13:19):
But really so Brooke over at who's acting as your expert,
Red Rock, Sproof and Solar, she said, the bad micro
inverters are warrantied.

Speaker 8 (13:29):
Yeah, she believes that AP systems like and I'm pretty
confident she's correct that these things should be warrantied. And
but I have not heard anything yet from.

Speaker 1 (13:41):
How old are they They're not. How old are they.

Speaker 8 (13:46):
Less than five?

Speaker 1 (13:49):
And how long did she say the warranty was.

Speaker 8 (13:52):
Well, I've seen that they could be up to twenty
five years.

Speaker 1 (13:58):
Now I'm asking, okay, do you know that.

Speaker 8 (14:02):
I don't know for sure.

Speaker 1 (14:05):
Okay, so they never got back to you.

Speaker 8 (14:09):
Yeah, they're just not They're not communicating with me, So
I don't know why that.

Speaker 1 (14:13):
Hey, Deputy Deputy Dollar, I have an idea. He accused
me of not acknowledging him, which I did in the
very beginning. I said, there's ugly doc. Oh, and who's that.
Oh that's Deputy Dollar. Deputy Dollar. He's good at getting
through these company sorts. This guy says he has some
micro inverters under warranty. It's that simple, and they should

(14:34):
get back to him, and they didn't. Did you see
any warranties? Did you go online or do you have
a printed warranty anywhere?

Speaker 8 (14:42):
I personally don't.

Speaker 1 (14:44):
No. And don't you think.

Speaker 8 (14:48):
That the company that put him in is defunct? Oh
I'm wondering.

Speaker 1 (14:53):
Yeah, but that doesn't matter. You need to go. You
need to find ap System's website or the name of
the inverter website, and you need to go and read
the terms and conditions of a warranty. I'm doing it.
If we call them if yeah, thank you, Mark if
if Deputy Dollar. If he was to call them and
they say, well, we don't have a warranty, how would
you prove it?

Speaker 8 (15:13):
John? Gotcha? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, my only all right, so hold on, hold on
and let's figure it out. Okay, three, let's let's figure
it out. Three h three seven one three talks seven
one three eight two five five all right, I have
a I have a text here, Yeah, go ahead, sir. Okay.

Speaker 4 (15:32):
We got a call from Brent Herrick about he had
rented a car from I think it was Enterprise. I'm sorry,
and when he returned it he said the brakes are
not working, so they told him, don't drive the car.
We'll have a toad. He got a bill for I

(15:54):
remember that, Okay. Then when I further talked to him,
I'm sorry I wasn't. It was James, not Brent, brentsone else.
It was James. So then when I talked to James,
he called me and said when he spoke to the
people at Enterprise, they said the breaks were working, that

(16:14):
they didn't need any repairs, and they still build them.
So he wants to know if that changes the paradigm
in any way. Is it doesn't. I mean, if he
reported the breaks don't work and had it toad, that
was his responsibility because the breaks foll.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
That's right, Oh, that's right. That doesn't was his responsibility
if he if he called a false alarm and they
towed it. What they're saying is that if it wasn't
if it wasn't there, if it was bad breaks, they
said they would have covered it. Right.

Speaker 4 (16:47):
I think that's what they said. But the point is
they're they're claiming that the breaks are working. So I
just wanted to run it past you.

Speaker 1 (16:55):
I mean, listen, if he if he reported a problem,
and there's no problem, then he should have to pay
for the toe in my opinion. But at the same time,
he's going to say, well, there was a problem, they
fixed it, and now they won't you know who knows.
I mean, there's really this is an unfightable a thing.

Speaker 5 (17:14):
Hey, I think, I mean, keep going ahead. Well, I
think I figured out what's going on with this warranty.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
Okay, hold on on that, and then let me just
finish on this one thing real quick. Look, the guy
says it didn't have breaks. They say the breaks are fine.
Did they sneak in and do a break job? And
now they want to get him for the toe?

Speaker 4 (17:37):
I doubt it me too.

Speaker 1 (17:40):
I mean, if that's his accusation, then tell him to
bring us proof. That's what I tell people. You know what,
We're not going on wild goose chases, but we'll help
you if we think we got something there, but we're
not going to send out an investigator to see if
they did a break job. I say, bring us proof,
otherwise we can't help you. It's your responsibility when you
have a rental car, are including having it towed. Now,

(18:03):
if it turned out that there was a real problem,
I think they should have reimbursed him one three seven
one three Go ahead, Jess. Since there wasn't, then they
are then he is responsible. By the way. Frank durand
the real estate Man dot com will give you a
free market valuation of your home for the asking. He'll
tell you what it will sell for based on his
experience of thirty years. The market, the comps, the neighborhood

(18:27):
supplying demand, interest rates, all of it free of charge
three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two, No
obligation either. Frank Duran the real estate Man dot com.
Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing
dot Com. You don't pay a cent until you're content.

(18:50):
Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. Comparison
call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens
of insurance companies find out now three three seven to
seven to one. Help. You'll think you're his only customer
when you choose Frank durand the real Estate Man dot
com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh
three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hey, I'm Tom Artino.

(19:17):
You're a troublemaker. Troubleshooter, helping you solve problems, answer questions,
say complaints, don't forget compass insurance, free insurance checkups. That's
really important. Make sure you're not over insured, underinsured, paying
too much. You're never paying too little. They can tell
you if they can save you money. Though it's free,
no obligation and honest three three nine nine, six nine thousand.

(19:39):
So Mark has done some research online, as I suggested
John do, because without a warranty in hand, you have
to go buy what they publish. And he said, I
have some bad micro inverters. They should be covered under
the solar system warranty. Because I was told they have
a warranty. I said, did you see the warranty? No?
Do you know where to find the warranty?

Speaker 9 (19:59):
No?

Speaker 1 (20:00):
Do you know what the warranty says? No? Mark, what
does the warranty say? Well, the good.

Speaker 5 (20:06):
News is the warranty is twenty five years and it
looks like they can send somebody out and they'll eyeball it.
And if there is a problem with it other than
vandalism or something along that, then it's warranty for twenty
five years. But there are a few exclusions. Number one
hasn't been moved from the original installation location.

Speaker 1 (20:28):
Number two.

Speaker 5 (20:29):
Normal appearance of the product including fading and scratching, but
it doesn't affect the normal function. So basically, it's saying
if it looks so if it's ugly but works, they're not.

Speaker 1 (20:39):
Going to swap it out.

Speaker 5 (20:41):
But the big problem for this guy is probably this one,
which by the way, is actually the number one exclusion
listed if the product is not purchased from AP Systems
or an entity explicitly authorized by it for resale, no
warranty whatsoever. Then I went and looked up the company

(21:04):
he gave us, blue Sky, and there is a Sky.

Speaker 1 (21:07):
No such company listed at the time. Maybe was a company's.

Speaker 10 (21:16):
Somebody called frequent flyer Bill called and said his neighbor
uses blue Sky Solar all the time.

Speaker 7 (21:21):
Says they are in business. So I don't know.

Speaker 5 (21:25):
Blue Sky Solar whether they're in business or not Blue
Sky that's this guy's problem. But what I'm saying is
Blue Sky at this very second is not an authorized
resealer or an installer of this product. So he's sol
if that's the case when he bought.

Speaker 1 (21:43):
It, is that the case? Do you know anything about
Blue Sky did you calling Blue Sky?

Speaker 11 (21:54):
Uh?

Speaker 8 (21:54):
Yeah, I haven't been able to attempt, Like, there's no
contact with this company as far as I can tell,
they're not.

Speaker 1 (22:02):
Hold on is it blue Sky?

Speaker 5 (22:04):
So right here I go blue Skysolar dot com?

Speaker 1 (22:07):
Is that the company?

Speaker 8 (22:09):
No, Mark, I think it was. It's just Blue Sky.

Speaker 1 (22:12):
Yeah. Here's the problem.

Speaker 5 (22:13):
There's Blue Sky, Blue Sky Solar and Roofing, Blue Sky
Solar and Roofing LLC with a different website, and then
there's okay, here's one that says defunct solar firm leaves
Brighton family stuck in the mud, and this is Blue
Sky in good leap and that's a Denver post deal.

(22:34):
So maybe they are at a business. But how would
we find out if they were ever on there?

Speaker 8 (22:40):
True? Yeah, or if they're authorized for well.

Speaker 5 (22:43):
The company the company should know. But here's the other
thing I read. You need to literally go to their website,
meaning AP Systems, and it tells you how to get
an RMA. Forget about calling them or emailing them. You
got to go through the RMA process, which looks pretty straightforward.
Then they're going to either issue an r M A
or not.

Speaker 8 (23:05):
Gotcha.

Speaker 1 (23:07):
It's a good that's a good recommendation.

Speaker 8 (23:11):
I'm just curious, like, yeah, they're just not there's no
communication with them foraly six weeks now, so they're just
like I don't know.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
Yeah, but you mean with Blue Sky or.

Speaker 5 (23:24):
AP Systems directly with AP AP Systems. Listen, you, I
don't care who it is. You've got to go through
an RMA process. Just emailing or talking to someone is
going to mean very little. You've got to literally fill
that out. Then it goes right to their warranty department
and the ball starts rolling. You have to go through that.
Just look for the r M A link on there.

Speaker 1 (23:47):
You do.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
In fact, I'll tell you this. You go to USA
dot AP Systems dot com. This is a big global company.
Whoever you're talking about a customer service, it just doesn't matter.
You need to go through the warranty and basically go through.
You have to first register it, then get the installation done,
which you already did, and then basically you're gonna say

(24:08):
it's broken, you need a return authorization and then they'll
go through and figure out how it was sold. If
they're going to do it, then you got to go
from there.

Speaker 8 (24:18):
Okay, Yeah, Originally the first email they emailed me back
and we're curious about the serial number on the things,
And since then they have not gotten back to me.

Speaker 5 (24:30):
But you know, these clowns that went out of business,
if that's true, at Blue Sky and whoever they were.
And I hate even saying that, because there's other Blue
Sky companies that are different that are still in business.
So the bottom line, though, is they might have bought
this at a garage shale.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
They might.

Speaker 5 (24:46):
They might have not been a professional installer. You might
have zero warranty on that.

Speaker 8 (24:52):
Yeah, and I don't think they Yeah, I don't think
they even registered it, probably in which they I'm guessing
they probably should have.

Speaker 5 (25:00):
Yeah, but if they were, if they were at a time,
you can go through and register it now. In fact,
that's exactly what I would do. You already took a
picture of the serial number, go register it and then
fill out the RMA.

Speaker 8 (25:12):
That makes sense, Okay, Yeah, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
At least try look at it, at least try and
see what happens and then get back to us. Good work, Mark, Eva,
what's going on with you? Eva? Welcome to the show.

Speaker 12 (25:24):
Hi Tom, Hey, I gotta tell you made a mistake
saying you think you made a mistake saying trouble maker.

Speaker 13 (25:30):
No, you are.

Speaker 12 (25:32):
You're a trouble maker for people that mess up. Okay,
that's a good point. Okay, please please change it. Call
yourself a trouble maker. You sure are, especially when you
get a.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
Pure How about if I make I want to make
Mark the troublemaker. I want to be the trouble shooter and.

Speaker 14 (25:51):
Make Mark trouble makers.

Speaker 1 (25:53):
Now, Eva can't stand me.

Speaker 3 (25:57):
What I want?

Speaker 8 (26:00):
Why?

Speaker 4 (26:00):
Okay?

Speaker 1 (26:00):
Well, wrong, Eva. No, it's not the wrong Eva, it's
it's the right Eva. It's the diva Eva, Eva, the diva.

Speaker 12 (26:13):
You're You're good with names. Today I listen to Hey.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
Eva, is your life? Eva? Is your life happy? Or
do you still have leeches?

Speaker 12 (26:23):
Oh my god?

Speaker 5 (26:24):
Oh that's this Eva, I Eva, You're a glutton, a
glutton for punishment.

Speaker 1 (26:29):
I'm just asking if she still has leeches. Of course,
you know the biggest sometimes.

Speaker 12 (26:37):
Pennsylvania today going uh, trying to get into college over there.
So if he's out of the state, that will make
the life easier.

Speaker 1 (26:46):
Wait, wait, are you paying for his college too? Oh?
Hell no, it's not that he knows of how how
are wait a minute, I need to know this. How
is he going to pay for college?

Speaker 12 (27:02):
Well, he's out there hoping to get a scholarship.

Speaker 1 (27:06):
Well that's you know what. You got to give him
credit for trying something like that, right, Yeah, all I do.

Speaker 12 (27:12):
And it's nice to have him out of my hair
for for a week at least.

Speaker 5 (27:17):
Just remember, well even we well hold on, Just remember
when removing a leech, you want to gently do it.
You want to use something like a credit card or
a fingernail and slowly pry it away from you.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
No, no, no, no, you want to use you want to
use a torch.

Speaker 5 (27:32):
Then the problem is it could stick in you don't know,
you touch it with a hot cigarette.

Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah, that's what the that's what the military guys just doing.
Even thank you for calling, Bob. Welcome to the show.
Bob is with Ellie m landscaping Bob. What's going on?

Speaker 11 (27:49):
John? I just have to take a minute. I want
people to understand how important yo afer list is. This
week alone, and all this week alone, seven people call
because of the referral list, all seven of them signed.

Speaker 4 (28:05):
And my point of calling to give.

Speaker 11 (28:07):
Here the kudos this because.

Speaker 14 (28:09):
When they call and they tell me that they got you.

Speaker 15 (28:12):
Me from you.

Speaker 11 (28:13):
I give them a five hundred dollars discount. Was and
I haven't even seen the job yet, And I give
how important is our referral list is to have the
quality come is?

Speaker 13 (28:24):
I always talk Tom knows those.

Speaker 1 (28:25):
Mark knows this.

Speaker 14 (28:26):
They know the quality of work we do.

Speaker 11 (28:28):
We stand mind everything we do. And that's all it takes.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
Is to know that. Like I said, I just signed
one up from brighton the last several jobs.

Speaker 11 (28:35):
But you get it because of you.

Speaker 1 (28:38):
Of course I'll work out. Thank you, Bob, Thank you, Yeah,
thank you, Bob, appreciate it. Thanks for calling. We take
that very seriously. Hey, we need that over here. Mark.

Speaker 5 (28:49):
We need landscapers on the referral list too. I mean,
think of what Bob just said, seven calls landscapers out there. Look,
you gotta go just email us and help at troubleshooter
dot com. You gotta be good though, none of this bs.
You got to be able to pass the background check.
You got to have some reviews out there. We're gonna
look into you. But if you're a good landscaper, we

(29:09):
need you.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
Yeah. And Bob on lam Landscaping, he's done such a
marvelous job. Hey, listen, Mark I sometimes overhear even because
he's he's always well, not always, but he chases down
a problem. So if you have a problem with a
contractor on our list or anyone, Mark looks into them first.
Then we go further if we need to. You know
what anyway told me? What's that? Yeah, I'll be as serious.

(29:34):
Listen to this.

Speaker 5 (29:35):
We were talking about some pumps and I'm saying this
because I had to have mind checked and not where
we live now, but when we lived in Castle Rock
we had one fail.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
And let me tell you. If your some pump.

Speaker 5 (29:48):
Fails and you don't have a French trade system, which
most people don't, if they have a sump, you are
in a world of if you know what I'm saying,
yes you are, they're gonna go, yes, you check this
out if you have not. And I'm going to make
this very clear to people I don't even know if
I have a soum pump. If you have a basement,
you most likely have a samp pump. And if you

(30:10):
haven't checked and made sure it's working, it very well
might not be working. And when the rain comes, the
hail comes and melts quick, you might have a lot
of damage. In your house that may or may not
be covered under insurance because it's a flood. So listen,
how much forty nine bucks? Forty nine bucks? Forty guys

(30:30):
gonna do it?

Speaker 1 (30:30):
Forty nine dollars?

Speaker 6 (30:31):
And can I also say, Mark, thank you so much
for speaking. You know I'm losing my voice right now.
You said it absolutely perfectly. A lot of folks don't
know if they have this.

Speaker 14 (30:39):
One of the key.

Speaker 6 (30:40):
Tenants we have is education coming out and doing that maintenance.
What they're gonna do is they're going to clean it out,
get all that dirt, grime out of there. That's what
causes the breakdown. It's the easiest fix. The way I
explain it to folks, it's like getting your oil changed
in your car. Do this and it will work and
it will save you the as you say.

Speaker 5 (30:59):
It's not I mean it's forty nine bucks. Yes, How
do you guys verify its working? I mean do you
literally like fill it with water.

Speaker 7 (31:06):
They fill it with water.

Speaker 6 (31:07):
They clean it out so it will actually collect.

Speaker 1 (31:09):
So you clean it too, yes, like filter.

Speaker 6 (31:11):
It's a deep cleaning. It's a maintenance. They want to
make sure it is up to speed, up to grade.
They spend up to two hours doing this, and just
like Tom was saying, early.

Speaker 5 (31:20):
Wait a minute, you're telling me they come out for
forty nine bucks and literally spend two hours making sure this.

Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, they do the no break, they are guarantee when
they do. You know why we spent absolutely.

Speaker 7 (31:30):
Do you know why we do that price?

Speaker 1 (31:31):
We don't make money on that one. You don't make
anything on you use money on that they want They
want you to call them in the future.

Speaker 6 (31:38):
Tom, You got it, You got it, Tom right there,
and we want lifelong customers.

Speaker 1 (31:42):
All right, we'll get the info out after this, but
let's we got to take this break, okay, right, go
with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.
You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for
an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call

(32:03):
Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of
insurance companies find out now three all three seven seven
to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when
you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com
to list your home with Remax Alliance three all three
nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hey, I'm Tom Martino,

(32:23):
your troubleshooter three all three seven one three talks seven
one three eight two five five. Don't forget you get
that that forty nine dollars check of the sumpump and
adjustments and cleaning. You know, they get gunked up and
a NOE breakdown guarantee and they take care of the
sumpit and make sure that your home will not be flooded.

(32:43):
If you're not even sure you have a sumpump, if
you have a basement, most likely you do, and but
it's really important. You can call them uh or you
can go to fixmihome dot com book now, fixmihome dot
com book now or seven two zero five two six
thirty nine thirty nine. Pat, you want to know about
Colorado Springs code enforcement. I'm not sure exactly what you're

(33:04):
talking about, but let's talk. Let's toss it around. What's
happened to Pat?

Speaker 15 (33:09):
Good morning, Tom, love your show.

Speaker 1 (33:11):
Hey, thank you man.

Speaker 15 (33:14):
The neighbor.

Speaker 11 (33:16):
It's a duplex.

Speaker 15 (33:19):
Of one of the people have a dog and they
haven't cleaned up after it for.

Speaker 11 (33:26):
A year.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
Hey, Pat, when you say it's a duplex, are you
in half? Of the duplex and this person in the
other half or are they Is there a duplex next
to you?

Speaker 15 (33:36):
There's a duplex next to me, got it?

Speaker 1 (33:39):
And you're saying one of the people there, one of
the people there is a pig?

Speaker 11 (33:45):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (33:47):
And how much excrement is in the yard?

Speaker 8 (33:53):
A year's worth?

Speaker 15 (33:54):
Tom, at least I've never seen him.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
What a crappy problem to have. Yeah, No, seriously, seriously, though,
did you call code enforcement or did you call the
health department?

Speaker 15 (34:10):
I emailed, well, I emailed the health department also, but uh,
code enforcements called me on March eleventh and said they
were going to send a letter to the owner.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
And uh, that's right.

Speaker 5 (34:30):
He might have he might have a third party claim
against the landlord.

Speaker 1 (34:35):
I don't know if he would, though, I don't you
know what though't actually hang on, let's explore this. I'm
Tom Martino. Three oh three seven one three eight two
five five. We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show.
Go with a sure thing Denver's Best Roofer excel Roofing

(34:58):
dot com. You don't pass until you're content. Leave time
for an insurance check up free, no obligation in comparison
call Compass Insurance, pay too much your coverage at dozens
of insurance companies. Find out now three oh three seven
seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer
when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot

(35:19):
com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh
three nine two zero sixteen twenty two yea.

Speaker 2 (35:30):
D News need advice so you don't have to run
anxiousness as we can. Shooter's gonna help.

Speaker 11 (35:43):
Come man, this is.

Speaker 3 (35:46):
The Troubleshooter Show. Now, Tom Martino, Hey.

Speaker 1 (35:51):
Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show. Three three seven
one three talk seven one three eight two five five.
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(36:36):
three nine zero four two thousand. That's renew home Innovations
dot com. Hey, so, uh, Pat says, basically, there's a
duplex next to them, and this duplex has a renter
who hasn't cleaned up after his dog for a year

(36:59):
and it's full of crap that seems to be a
health or safety issue. So what did what happened when
you called about that?

Speaker 16 (37:10):
Uh?

Speaker 15 (37:11):
Like I said, I emailed code enforcement or neighborhood services,
and then I did send an email to the health department,
but I never heard back code enforcement that they would
send a letter to the owner, and that did nothing.
Two weeks later she came out or yeah, the code

(37:34):
enforcement officer and gave them two weeks to to clean up.

Speaker 11 (37:44):
And what he did is.

Speaker 15 (37:49):
He's got maybe a thirty gallon trash can back there,
and it's a third full, and it's right up against
the fence and five feet from the door to an
RV that I owned.

Speaker 1 (38:04):
So wait a minute. So what he did was he
cleaned up and made a big pile.

Speaker 15 (38:11):
He cleaned a little bit up and made and put
it in a trash can.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
So does this as a result of code enforcement? Yeah?

Speaker 15 (38:22):
Yeah, he did it the same day that she left
him the notice and hasn't done anything. So code enforcement
in three weeks now.

Speaker 1 (38:32):
Sorry, they left him in notice and he cleaned up.
So call back code enforcement and say it's still not solved.

Speaker 15 (38:40):
She won't return the text or called.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
Okay, we'll get We'll get on that. Who wants to
take this one? Call code enforcement down there and say, hey,
come on man, let's get this thing done. I mean,
it's it's health and safety issues. Are you taking a
picture of Kate? Deputy? Thank you and h.

Speaker 11 (39:03):
Have you?

Speaker 1 (39:03):
If you've taken any pictures? Would you send him to us?

Speaker 15 (39:11):
How do I send it?

Speaker 1 (39:11):
Okay, we're gonna put you on hold and tell you
that deputy is Susan sus our executive producer is going
to get on there and tell you, hey, let's talk doc.
You said you had to follow a question another question
that came in from a case you're working on.

Speaker 4 (39:29):
Yes, it was a it was the case with Let
me get it for you. I'm just oh with Chris.
So this is interesting. Chris was in an accident, a
multi car accident where the ad fault driver. This insurance
company is trying to subrogate it to Safego and they

(39:53):
won't pay Chris until Safego pays them, And they can't
get he he's getting a total one.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
Or I'm not pat I mean, I'm a doc. I
don't understand the problem. To begin with, there was a
multi car accident. Where was this person who were helping?
Where was she in this multi car accident?

Speaker 4 (40:15):
He or she was the second car, so not the
at fault driver?

Speaker 1 (40:22):
So okay, they were not at fault. They were not
at fault and they were the second driver, correct, And
the at fault insurance company is not paying Is that
he or she is he? The insurance is not paying him?
Why Why is the at fault insurance not paying the

(40:43):
guy that contacted us?

Speaker 4 (40:45):
We can't get a straight answer. I have called his
insurance company multiple times and they say that they're holding
it up because Safego, who is the at fault driver's insurance,
is not communicating with them. And after making several calls
and getting the run around, I told Chris the best
way to get some action is to file a complaint

(41:08):
in small claims against the at fault driver who will
then make exactly that his his inshane exactly. We'll get
on the ball.

Speaker 1 (41:18):
Sow how did the at fault driver? How did the
at fault driver cause the accident? I don't, I don't.

Speaker 4 (41:24):
I didn't ask because it was at fault, that's all, Chris.
Chris said. I didn't think it was important as long
as he admitted to being a fault.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
Okay, So the first car is at fault and insured
by SAFECode. The second car is the victim? Correct? Are
there cars? Are there more cars?

Speaker 8 (41:45):
No?

Speaker 4 (41:45):
That was it?

Speaker 1 (41:47):
Okay? So the second car is the victim. But who
ensures them? Who ensures them?

Speaker 4 (41:54):
I forget who? Who was Tom?

Speaker 1 (41:58):
Well, whoever it is, I want you to tell the victim.
I want you to tell the victim that his insurance
company should be covering him for everything if he's fully insured,
and they it is not contingent upon Safeco getting in
touch with them. They're full of crap. So whoever they are,
they're giving them a line of crap. But you're in
an accident. Yeah, when you're in an accident and the

(42:21):
at fault driver doesn't communicate or the insurance doesn't communicate,
your insurance doesn't get a pass. So that's where we're at.
I would target insurance. Oh well, I said, I told
him two things against acclaim and then call the insurance commissioner. Well,
I say, yet, or call your insurance company and threaten

(42:43):
to call the commissioner. I mean, listen, this thing sucks.
This really sucks. Now, if you can call code enforcement
down there, a DOT wll this guy this. If this
guy makes a pile of dog poop inside his yard
and is affecting neighbors, they need to do something about it.
They really do need to do something about it. I
will call it seven one three talk, thank you, seven

(43:06):
one three eight two five five. I have a text
here for Hannah. Hannah. Yeah, they don't know if they
have a some pump. They don't know if they have
a some pump. They have a pit that gathers water,
but they don't know if there's a pump. Do you
guys install some pumps.

Speaker 6 (43:23):
We do subump installations, and also a pit is generally
part of the sub pump and that's part of the
cleaning that we do. And again to Mark's point, if
you've got a basement, ninety nine percent likelihood you have
a sub pump.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
Okay, So go to fixmihome dot com, find out more
and they will take care of it. So it's pretty cool.
They will take care of it and they'll look at
it and do a service for forty nine bucks. Now
that doesn't fix it. Of course, they won't charge you that.
They'll they'll credit you toward replacing it if you to. Okay,

(44:02):
So we have more coming up on the Troubleshooter show.
Stick around, and I want to hear from small business people.
I'm giving you free information. I'm telling you something. I'm
a paid consultant for a lot of stuff like this
when people are starting businesses or wondering why their businesses
have staled, have stalled and their stale. What I want
you to do is take advantage of this free of

(44:24):
charge information. I have all kinds of data on businesses
and the mistakes they make. So if you're in business
and you're spinning your wheels wondering what the hell's going on,
give us a call. But I will go over some
of the common problems that small business people have, and
I'll recap some of the ones I already went over.
Right after this, I'm Tom Martine go with a sure

(44:48):
thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't
pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance
check up free, no obligation. Compare and call Compass Insurance
paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies
find out now three all three seven to seven to
one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you

(45:09):
choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to
list your home with Remax Alliance three all three nine
two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino three O
three seven one three talk seven one three eight two
five five. Welcome to the show. Here to help you
solve your problems, answer your questions, take your complaints, make

(45:32):
your life a little easier. Man. We we've recovered hundreds
of millions of dollars for people over the years. We're
so proud of that. And I love helping people in business.
And I was talking about what what mistakes do small
business people make? And I want you to give us
a call on that if you need any help. I
am getting some texts. One wants to know if they

(45:55):
want to start a business. What do you mean you
have to know between a trade and a business. The
trade is my business. Okay, let me explain this to you.
The trade is your service. It is not your business.
Everyone is in one business everyone. Here's the business, the

(46:23):
acquisition of leads, the closing of leads, and the development
of long term relationships every business. Now, you can have
big transactions that happen less frequently, or small transactions that

(46:45):
happen more frequently, less frequently for big ones, or you
can have big transactions that happen a lot if you're
servicing big volumes. Whatever it is, your business is acquiring
those customers, whether it be on broadcasting, social media, all
kinds of online digital advertising, and even print media that's

(47:09):
still around. You get a lot of print media. So
the number one business is the acquisition of leads. We're
all in the lead business. Those leads come in, then
you have to develop them. Okay, so you have to
know how to develop leads. Then the other part of

(47:30):
the business that you tradesmen don't know is robbing Peter
to pay Paul. You don't account for your true expenses.
So you go out and do jobs. You take the
money and put it in your bank. You don't account
for the job. You don't pay that job, you don't
put away taxes. What happens sax syn comes around your

(47:52):
own money. Your credit cards are filling off, but you're
living off the money, so you're not paying your cost
of goods, you're not paying your overhead, you're not paying
your taxes. Then you get behind the eight ball. So
what do you do. You go out and take a job,
and you ask for a down payment, and you use
the down payment not for the job, but to bills
and to live on, and then you get into a

(48:14):
hole and become a scumbag. And the topic of my show,
and it's all unintentional because you're not a business person.
So you have to be a business person. In fact,
I think what I'm going to do is give a
seminar free of charge. Now I don't want anything on
how to be a business person. You know the trade,

(48:38):
The trade is the service or the product. It's way
beyond that. Way beyond that. You need to know how
to account for the cost of sale. And you must
put in there everything and your overhead, your true overhead.

(48:58):
So if you're working for forty hours a week, what
would you pay someone to do that job. Let's say
if you're I'm using stupid numbers just for making an example.
If you would pay someone five hundred dollars for that
forty hours, then you don't count that five hundred dollars

(49:19):
as your profit. That's cost of sale, that's cost of goods.
That's overhead. It's actually overhead, not cost of good sold.
So that five hundred, if you had a commission, would
be cost of goods sold. So you have to account
for that because if you're not there, you'd have to
pay that. If you're there, you're not making that in profit.
That's what you're getting paid. Don't buy yourself a bad job. Okay,

(49:42):
So once you figure out the labor involved, now you
have to figure out your rent and everything else, insurance, licensing.
That's all fixed expenses, fixed expenses monthly. So when you
make it one, two, three, or four jobs, you take
that out for the month. That is not part of
your money. You do not spend it. Then you also

(50:04):
do that with advertising. A certain amount should be dedicated
to advertising and then labor. As I said, and if
you're the labor, that's you, it's not profit. Once you
have that, you know your overhead, then what's the cost
of goods sold. Well, if you're selling a widget, you
have to buy the widget, that's a cost. If you
have to polish the widget and it takes a half hour,

(50:24):
that's a cost. If you have to do anything, that's
a cost. That's the widget and then the labor to
install it. Unless you're accounting for the salary of five
hundred as I mentioned. But here's what I'm saying. There
is an overhead that's all of your fixed expenses divided
by the month. Then you have cost of goods sold,

(50:46):
so you have to account for that when you get paid.
It's not your money. Only a part of that dollar
is your money. And even if you're hurting, you can't
cheat yourself. You're going to end up in trouble. And
that's the difference between a business person and a tradesman.
A tradesman gets paid do a good job, but they

(51:08):
don't run the business. Now, if you have a partner
that can take part of the business, and you can
take part of the trade, that could help. Also, everybody
needs to know QuickBooks. If you don't know quick books,
don't start a business because even if someone's doing the
QuickBooks for you, you need to go in and know
how to look at it and what it means. Why
do I say QuickBooks. It's the number one software for

(51:29):
businesses and small to medium businesses. Many large businesses have
custom programs, but I'm talking about most of you. So
you need to know accounting with QuickBooks, even if you
take a class, and you need to know cost of
good sold and overhead and the true cost of good
sold and the true overhead and account for it with
each end, every transaction. Then you don't become a topic

(51:51):
of my show. Some scumbag who doesn't know how to
pay his bills. Then you start taking money and you
can't do the work. Most of these people are good tradesmen.
Even the liar cheaters and ripoffs, they just got behind
the eight ball and they became a liar cheater and
a ripoff. Now some of them start out that way.
They just want to downpayment and they want to scadadle.

(52:12):
Some of them do. Now what else? What else you
don't under You don't understand marketing. You must market the
right way to get leads, and you you sometimes don't
know how to do that. And you can't hire someone
to do that for you unless they really know what

(52:32):
they're doing. And any advertising agency or program or anything
should give you multiples on dollars spent. If you get
one to one, it's paying for itself, not bad for
brand building. If you get two to one better, three
to one better for every dollar spent, how many dollars
come in gross. That's how you evaluate your advertising. Another thing,

(52:54):
your online presence sucks. Ninety nine point nine percent of
the time you're online as a small business person, and
your online presence sucks. You don't have a clue what
other people are thinking of you. Your website's not getting
noticed by Google, it's not being indexed. You're doing it

(53:16):
all wrong. And you can't have your brother's next door
neighbor's cousin who lives with Aunt Martha do it. You
have to hire a professional and listen. Most professionals are liars,
and they don't know what the hell they're doing. They
think if they code a website, that's SEO, or if
the SEO website that's coding, or if they build your brand,

(53:37):
do they build your services in the communities. Most SEO
companies don't build SEO from the zip code out. They
do some flash in the pan to get you interested.
They don't maintain it. Your online presence sucks. How many
times do I have to say this? Your business name
does not have to be in the ur. In fact,

(54:00):
most of the time, if your business name doesn't say
what you do, don't don't have a URL with the
name in it. I love you know? Fix it twenty
four to seven? God their website? Do you get better
than this? Fix my home dot com? Do you get

(54:23):
better than that? You know? Now? Why didn't Why didn't
George go and say, you know what I'm gonna get
fix it twenty four seven? That wouldn't have been bad,
by the way, but then you'd have the problem. Was
it fix it or fix hyphen it? Is it? Fix
it twenty four to seven? Twenty four slash seven? The
word twenty four, the word seven, or the numbers? So

(54:44):
fix myhome dot com? And by the way, if you're
gonna go to fix myhome dot com, you can check
on that book now for forty nine dollars for the
sumpumps and unbelievable special.

Speaker 4 (54:54):
Fix it twenty four to seven. In the URL they
might be talking about car repairs. That's why the you're
right much better.

Speaker 1 (55:01):
You're you're absolutely right. Fix my home So if you
want some advice, give me a call. It's free for
the asking. And I would like to know what you're
doing or if you're going to start a business, I'll
give you some free help three oh three seven one
three talks seven one three eight two five five. And
of course we're taking problems, questions and complaints as usual,

(55:22):
and you can also call three or three Martino three
all three six two seven eight four sixty six. Go
with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.
You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for

(55:43):
an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call
Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of
insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven
to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when
you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com
to list your home with remat Alliance three all three
nine two zero sixteen twenty two college Hi Tom Martino

(56:10):
here three all three seven one three eight two five five.
Solving problems, answering questions, taking complaints. Francisco, what's going on
with you? What's happened in Francisco.

Speaker 9 (56:23):
How how are you doing? I've been going through a
complicated evictim pockets here in Denver, Colorado, in Boulder, Colorado.

Speaker 1 (56:35):
Are you a tenant or a landlord?

Speaker 9 (56:38):
Tennant?

Speaker 1 (56:39):
I would? Okay, So you went through it? Uh? Do
you think it was an illegal eviction?

Speaker 9 (56:48):
There was an illegal eviction. All of my personal property
inside the room of the pared home doing in the
victim pocket.

Speaker 1 (56:56):
Okay, walk walk me through at Francisco, walk me through it.
You were renting a room or were you renting an apartment?
Tell me about it.

Speaker 9 (57:05):
I was renting a room in a house and we
had common areas.

Speaker 1 (57:12):
Now by the way was let me let me ask
you something. Were you renting a room? There's a reason
I'm asking this. Were you renting a room in the
house of the landlord? Or were you renting a room
in a house where there were several rooms being rented
and the landlord was not there?

Speaker 9 (57:30):
No happened. Half the landlord was there, and we were
seven roommates total with the land got it.

Speaker 1 (57:38):
Got it? So you were renting a private room in
a room and board house in a basically in a
room in a rooming house. I got it with roommates. Yeah,
so in the landlord. So with the landlord and six
other tenants. Yeah, okay, So tell me about it. The

(58:03):
whole lord.

Speaker 9 (58:03):
You started in August twenty four after one year and
a half of performing maintenance and services for the.

Speaker 1 (58:13):
Last in August of are you saying August of the
of the.

Speaker 9 (58:17):
Last year, yes, nine two thousand.

Speaker 1 (58:20):
What happened in August? Well, what was the turning point?
What happened to get you evicted?

Speaker 9 (58:26):
Well? I moved through to the home. I worked for
seven eight months, almost a year. The landlord had an
accident when I moved in, and then he took a
travel to Thailand, so he was out of the home
for four months more or less. During that time, I

(58:48):
did all types of maintenance. I took care of the
rent hole. I also I just sit here. And when
he got back, you know, he booked a soldier year
four years old, and so it was trying to help
him out in the whole ordeal.

Speaker 3 (59:06):
And when.

Speaker 9 (59:09):
Around August he send me a letter saying that you
wanted to do all this work in the rental property.
And according to my estimate, they would have been around
twenty thirty thousand dollars at least of labor of the
things you wanted to do. And so I told him

(59:30):
that we, you know, had run already a bill of
nineteen thousand dollars, you know, the repairs.

Speaker 1 (59:37):
So hold on Francisco, Francisco, Francisco. When the landlord was
out of commission and you were helping, were you were
you trading that for rent? Or were you just accruing charges?

Speaker 9 (59:54):
I was starting him fifty dollars an hour for my
repairs in general, whatever you want I mean to do.

Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
And but were you taking were you taking it off
rent or were you accruing it?

Speaker 9 (01:00:08):
What do you mean by recruing it?

Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
Okay, if you did a job when he was out
of commission and it was three hours and you charged
one hundred and fifty bucks, did you subtract one hundred
and fifty bucks from the rent or did you simply
start adding it to a bill?

Speaker 11 (01:00:30):
Both?

Speaker 9 (01:00:30):
Actually, because.

Speaker 1 (01:00:33):
I just worked, because sometimes sometimes you went over the
rent amount, correct, And so you would take fifty dollars
an hour off of the rent, and then you would
accrue a bill if it went beyond the rent.

Speaker 9 (01:00:48):
Yes, but I never provided him with the bill because
I was working. And then I would stop doing things
for fifteen twenty days.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
And so you accrued. So when you told him, Francisco,
when you told him that you had accrued a bill
beyond rent of nineteen hundred dollars, what did he say?

Speaker 9 (01:01:16):
He said that he was going to a victim.

Speaker 1 (01:01:20):
Okay, So he was upset.

Speaker 9 (01:01:23):
Yeah, And it wasn't nineteen hundred the bill. The total
bill was three hundred and ninety four hours that I
had worked for him in the period or.

Speaker 1 (01:01:33):
Wait a minute, but some of that was paid. Some
of that was paid by rent.

Speaker 9 (01:01:37):
Right, Yes, the rent, the rent per year is about
ninety four hundred dollars for one need.

Speaker 1 (01:01:44):
All right, So what was the balance in addition to
the rent credit? What was the balance? He owed you?

Speaker 9 (01:01:52):
About ten thousand.

Speaker 1 (01:01:55):
So in addition to the rent credit, the landlord owed
you ten grand okay, And I go on, And that's
when and so when he when you told him that,
he got upset and evicted you.

Speaker 9 (01:02:10):
He tried to visit me. We went to court, and
we came into an agreement with the court in the
middle that I was going I didn't want to bother
the landlord too much. Again, he's maybe four years old,
and I wasn't really that grief.

Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
So wait a minute, did you come up? Was this
a court ordered settlement or was this before the court hearing?

Speaker 9 (01:02:36):
You know, the bill and the work for rent and
everything worked before. When we went to court, we came
into an agreement that I was not going to charge
him the ten thousand dollars outstanding balance, and that I
was going to start paying rent, but I was going
to stop working for him in any way unless there

(01:02:59):
was a work on crack in the middle.

Speaker 1 (01:03:01):
Okay, so Francisco, you will. So you were willing, You
were willing to give up that ten grand if he
let you continue living there paying rent.

Speaker 9 (01:03:15):
Yes, basically.

Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
What happened after that.

Speaker 9 (01:03:22):
We went back and we lived together with no problems,
and he waited for the three to six months period
that you have to be able to impose a mechanical
lean on a property according to Colorado law, and that's
when all the problems started. So in the middle of

(01:03:45):
that process, one of our roommates is was a lawyer.
But he told me that he was a lawyer and
you were helping me out with the contract that he
had to me after the court hearing, and the contract

(01:04:06):
a total legal contract with crazy speculations like if somebody
broke or damn it, any part of the property and
nobody was responsible, he can target all of that to
us in equivalent if we were responsible or not.

Speaker 1 (01:04:24):
And all right, So Francisco, Francisco, this is a whole
new problem. So all of that work and all of
that credit is in the past. Now the landlord presented
you with a new rental agreement that you didn't like.
Is that right for us? Okay, then you move?

Speaker 9 (01:04:42):
No, Well, what I did is when we went to
the agreement.

Speaker 1 (01:04:48):
The landlord had every right to The landlord has every
right to change your rental agreement. He has every right
to do that.

Speaker 9 (01:04:56):
Yeah, of course, of course he does, and I have
the right.

Speaker 1 (01:05:00):
Then then what are you then? What are you calling?
I guess I should ask what are you calling about today?
Because I've heard a lot of story right now, but
I've heard nothing of a problem. The landlord decided to
change the rental agreement.

Speaker 9 (01:05:13):
That's when you don't like it.

Speaker 1 (01:05:15):
So you moved.

Speaker 9 (01:05:17):
That, That's what I said. That's when the problem started.
So he presented this contact. I told him that there
were things that were illegal, that you would paint it,
and he said that he would, and he never painted them,
never gave me another copy design or anything. And we
kept on our agreement I will pay event uh and

(01:05:41):
I would live there. So uh. Then I started having
palms with his assistant, and his assistant.

Speaker 1 (01:05:50):
Francisco, where's his story, Fresisco, We need to get to
the end of the story right after this. You hang on,
But but we're going through a lot of stuff has
nothing to do with the problem, I'll bet so hang
on cause that whole thing, that whole thing about money
being owed and all that had nothing to do with
what you're calling about right now. Now. I know you
wanted to give me background, but first what I need

(01:06:11):
to do is figure out what the heck the problem
is we can help you with. Right after this, go
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(01:06:34):
Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies.
Find out now three oh three, seven to seven to one. Help.
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durand the real estate man dot com to list your
home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. Hello Tom Martino three three seven one

(01:06:59):
three eight two four five five. So Francisco, we get
it that you had a previous arrangement with the landlord.
He was going to pay you and then that got you,
guys to court. You made a settlement, then you were
living there and he presented all of the tenants with
a new agreement that you didn't agree to. So he
was supposed to make some changes and never did, so

(01:07:20):
you kept paying your rent and then what.

Speaker 9 (01:07:22):
Happened And that's when we went to a victim to
a new kulivit.

Speaker 1 (01:07:32):
So he what what reason was he was evicting you
because you wouldn't sign the new agreement?

Speaker 9 (01:07:38):
No, because he was I had a problem with his
assistant that is another roommate. And okay, I ended up
calling the police because you wanted to a fault me
when that happened. Uh No, a Christian which is the

(01:08:00):
next lawyer one in getting to court and put a
perfection order. So I was removed from the property and
we went ongoing eviction process. So when we went through
the court. The magistrates divided the court into two parts.
First one for the tendency. And when we went to court,

(01:08:25):
I told him that I did not want to go
there because his assistant had broken into my room during
the eviction process and taking all my property somewhere and
throwing it away.

Speaker 1 (01:08:38):
Wait a minute, before they had hold on, Francisco, before
they had an order for eviction, they took your property
out of your room.

Speaker 9 (01:08:48):
Yes, and threw it outside, allegedly on the driveway.

Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
Well, they're allowed to do that. Wait a minute, They're
allowed to do that with a writ of execution on
the with a writ of eviction. Did they actually did
they do it legally with an eviction or did they
do it before the eviction.

Speaker 9 (01:09:06):
Before the eviction and during the eviction process. Because the
first court date that we went I requested for an extension.
They gave us.

Speaker 8 (01:09:16):
We doing both.

Speaker 1 (01:09:18):
Okay, okay, got it.

Speaker 9 (01:09:19):
I got it.

Speaker 1 (01:09:20):
Francisco. What did the judge when you went finally to
the eviction and all of your stuff had already been removed?
What did the judge say when you brought this up
in court? Nothing?

Speaker 9 (01:09:34):
Not a word.

Speaker 1 (01:09:36):
Well, did you tell the judge? Did you tell the judge.

Speaker 9 (01:09:40):
Yes it was, it wasn't a judge.

Speaker 1 (01:09:46):
Well, hold on a second, you know what. That's how
we should have led this call. Here's Francisco's problem, Susan,
I want to get I want to get Brad O'Brien on.
He was being evicted. Okay, let's just get right to it.
We don't have to go through any of that previous
he was being evicted and before the eviction was final

(01:10:06):
he had a problem. Okay, before it was final, he
had a problem. They removed his stuff and got rid
of it before the eviction was legal. We gotta go
with a sure thing, Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.
You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for

(01:10:26):
an insurance check up, free no obligation comparison call Compass
Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance
companies find out now three oh three seven to seven
to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when
you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com
to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three
nine two zero sixteen twenty two rips.

Speaker 2 (01:10:56):
So you don't have cad shoot's gonna help.

Speaker 13 (01:11:04):
Come man, This is.

Speaker 3 (01:11:07):
The Troubleshooter Show.

Speaker 1 (01:11:09):
No Tom Martino, Hi, Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show.
Three OZH three seven one talk seven one three eight
two five five. Here to help you solve problems, answer
your questions, taking complaints. This hour brought to you by
Fix at twenty four to seven Fix myhome dot Com
book Now, what are your book in? Hannah? What are

(01:11:29):
your booking? Is your voice working at all? Hannah's with
us from go ahead from Fix at twenty four to seven.

Speaker 7 (01:11:35):
Yeah, I'm battling the allergies right now, guys.

Speaker 6 (01:11:37):
So voice is working, but let's focus on making sure
your home is working. What we're offering is making sure
you don't get flooded this rainy season with the snow melt.
So what we're doing is a sump pump special forty
nine dollars.

Speaker 1 (01:11:51):
It's a maintenance.

Speaker 6 (01:11:52):
They'll come in, clean it out, make sure it is
ready to work with the rain coming in.

Speaker 1 (01:11:57):
And Tom, you know this.

Speaker 6 (01:11:58):
We've talked to folks when they get flooding, that cost,
that damage, it's not small and it can be avoided
so easily with this annual maintenance.

Speaker 1 (01:12:09):
Now here's the deal. You can have the some pump, pulled, cleaned, checked, lubricated,
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Go to fix my home dot com book now. Fix
my home dot com book now. If you have any questions,
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(01:12:30):
get it done man with a no breakdown guarantee. Francisco.
We're waiting on our attorney, our real estate attorney. We
want to talk to and that's about your eviction, okay,
because I think they did something wrong. Cheryl. I noticed
you've been waiting a while. Thank you for waiting, Cheryl.
How can we help you?

Speaker 13 (01:12:48):
I am a landlord. I had a problem with a house.
Found out that I wasn't covered for water damage on
my Renolds insurance. How do I go about suing co
past agent?

Speaker 3 (01:13:03):
I switched agents for.

Speaker 13 (01:13:07):
Not writing it up right or I don't know the wordings,
But how can I sue?

Speaker 1 (01:13:11):
Okay, Cheryl? It would be it would be called errors
and emissions, errors and omissions, and they carry insurance for that. However,
how we can prove your case? But what I'd like
to do sues. Let's get Brian burns On from Compass
Insurance and see what she's what he says about this.

(01:13:34):
Let's get our insurance expert on, Cheryl. Who is who
is your company? You're underwriter.

Speaker 3 (01:13:41):
Face co.

Speaker 1 (01:13:43):
Okay, now you're not trying to go after them because
they're not responsible. You didn't have the right coverage. Right, Well,
it's not that they don't care. I mean, you didn't
have the coverage you're saying right now, you're saying you
had you had a landlord policy.

Speaker 13 (01:14:00):
Right A renters. You know it's a rental. It was
stated there with the insurance it was a rental.

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
Yeah, and you thought your agent had written up How
do you did you specifically discuss that?

Speaker 13 (01:14:17):
Not that I can recall. I mean, you certainly want
water coverage on anyhouse.

Speaker 11 (01:14:22):
I would think it would.

Speaker 1 (01:14:23):
Be number one. Now that's that's actually that's actually that's
actually not true. See, this is what I'm trying to
get at, Cheryl. I'm not sure you have grounds to sue.
I'm not sure. I'm not sure, but not either it
is a See I'm going to find out though. We're
going to talk to some people for you. Is it
a foregone conclusion that when you have insurance, they should

(01:14:50):
have done that. That's what I want to ask our
professional insurance agent. Or is it something that should have
come up? Does it rise to the level of incompetence
and error? A mission and an omission? So hang on? So,
sus how are we coming? We? I want to try.
There's a number of people I want to try, and
I know I'm overwhelming you. I need Brad O'Brien, I

(01:15:11):
need Brian Burns.

Speaker 7 (01:15:12):
Got a message.

Speaker 1 (01:15:13):
I'd love to get excellent, and I'd love to get
rock on and if you can, good Now, Cheryl, it's
really important that you hang on. And Francisco, it's really
important that you hang on. We are trying to get
some experts on to help us with your problems. Okay, now, Steve,

(01:15:36):
welcome to the show. Steve. What is going on with you? Steve?

Speaker 3 (01:15:42):
Good?

Speaker 1 (01:15:42):
What's happening?

Speaker 11 (01:15:44):
It's a long story, but let me see if I
can sum up real quick. Our home burned down, lost
all our cars properly. September of twenty three. Person, Yeah,
September of twenty three. Okay, you know, safegoes my insurance
and blah blah blah. I hired a contractor and come

(01:16:05):
to find out, well, he was over charged for everything
and I wasn't in charge of the money or anything.
The insurance company just kept paying the contractor. Blah blah
blah was going on.

Speaker 1 (01:16:19):
Steve, Steve, who did you hire? You know?

Speaker 11 (01:16:23):
It's on an O litigation to him. I don't know
if I can tell you that.

Speaker 1 (01:16:27):
Well, the only reason I wanted you to tell me,
hold on, the only reason I wanted you to tell
me is I believe you got them from the referral list.

Speaker 11 (01:16:37):
The first one, No.

Speaker 1 (01:16:38):
I did not.

Speaker 8 (01:16:39):
I got that from SAFEGO.

Speaker 11 (01:16:41):
I got after the other after I hired an attorney.
The other the first contractor walked off the job. So
that's when I hired Rock to come in. And he
assured me he, you know, he knew what I went through.
He knows what's going on because he's he.

Speaker 1 (01:16:59):
Knew the Okay, now, let me get this straight. Let
me get this straight. So you hired a first contractor
who walked off the job and it's now in litigation.

Speaker 8 (01:17:09):
Right, that's correct.

Speaker 1 (01:17:12):
Okay, Then you hired someone from my referral list. I did,
and that is who did you hire?

Speaker 11 (01:17:23):
Rock?

Speaker 1 (01:17:24):
American Restoration. Okay, Then you hired American Restoration, and what
went wrong with you know, I'm really concerned about this.
What went wrong with American Restoration?

Speaker 9 (01:17:38):
You know?

Speaker 11 (01:17:38):
I thought I hired somebody who I could trust and
depend on. I gave him a check on February twentieth.

Speaker 1 (01:17:45):
How much did you pay? I gave him on February twentieth,
on February twentieth of what year?

Speaker 11 (01:17:55):
Twenty five?

Speaker 1 (01:17:59):
Okay, on February okay, and what happened?

Speaker 11 (01:18:08):
Well here we are now coming into May, and Rock
has done absolutely nothing.

Speaker 1 (01:18:14):
I mean, now, wait a minute, wait a minute, Wait
a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
You paid him fifteen thousand dollars yep, March April, two
months ago. Yep, and he's done. He's never been to
your home.

Speaker 11 (01:18:31):
Oh no, he's been to the home. He's been in
the home. He knows what the home looks like. And
I mean it's a wreck.

Speaker 1 (01:18:38):
No. No, What I mean is you said you said
American Hold on, man, I need to get this straight
because this is bothering me. Are you saying American Restoration
did not do one hour of labor in your home?

Speaker 11 (01:18:52):
That's correct?

Speaker 1 (01:18:55):
And then what was he at your home? When he
was at your home, what was it for?

Speaker 11 (01:19:01):
He was just going over an industry. What the estimate
would be to put the home back together and get
it livable again?

Speaker 7 (01:19:08):
But doesn't he doesn't that take a lot of time?

Speaker 1 (01:19:11):
Tom?

Speaker 7 (01:19:11):
I know sometimes rest, yeah, but not Wait a.

Speaker 1 (01:19:13):
Minute, wait, hold on now, hold on. If he got
paid fifteen grand, hold on, man, if he got paid
fifteen grand February twentieth, it would take maybe thirty days
to get some at least some preliminary approvals. That would
be March twentieth, and then April twentieth. We're at right now.
I don't to do nothing. To do absolutely nothing is unacceptable.

(01:19:38):
To do absolutely nothing.

Speaker 11 (01:19:41):
He's done absolutely nothing. And the thing that really accept me,
the thing that really went south, because I gave him
the number to Pipe Speak Reasonability Department, because there's several
permits that are pulled on that home from the other
construction company who and those permits needs to be transferred
so we could continues to rebuild. He hasn't even called

(01:20:02):
Type Speak Regional Building Department. And then he turns around
and gets his plumber in there. This is all new plumbing.
That's in there and he tells me, hey, we need
to do a smoke test on the plumbing. I'm like, okay.
He gives me a bid for five thousand dollars to
do a smoke test, which takes about an hour and
a half two hours, and I'm like, going, wait a

(01:20:25):
minute here. So I went ahead and stopped by Plumbline Services,
and Plumbine Services told me no, they cargo one thousand,
five hundred bucks. Now that Plumbline told me you don't
need to do a smoke test. All you need to
do is a pressure test. It's all new plumbing. I'm like,
that's correct.

Speaker 1 (01:20:42):
And then exactly that's exactly by the way, that is
exactly correct. That is Plumbline Services told you exactly correct.
They need to do a pressure test. What did they say?

Speaker 11 (01:20:54):
That would cost fifteen hundred from plumbline.

Speaker 1 (01:20:57):
Okay, so keep going and then keep going. Now, wait
a minute. This plumber though, this plumber was not American Restoration.

Speaker 11 (01:21:05):
He works for That's that's Rock's plumber. Whoever.

Speaker 1 (01:21:10):
Okay, we need to get a We need to get
a hold of Rock. I mean, this is pretty serious.
He got fifteen grand and did nothing.

Speaker 11 (01:21:18):
And then let me tell you one more thing, and
then they want to do a gas line pressure test
and they want to charge me four thousand dollars to
do a gas line pressure test. And if Rock would
have done his homework, he would have known that al
Paso County and Rota Ruter were already out there and
did a gasline pressure test and it was signed off
by al Paso County. But he has never contacted al

(01:21:41):
Passo County five think Regional Building Department for anything.

Speaker 3 (01:21:45):
Rock, Steve, Steve, stop Steve, Steve.

Speaker 1 (01:21:51):
You have made your case. We need to look into this.
I am outraged by what you're telling me. If it's true,
so Tom and we will help.

Speaker 10 (01:22:03):
Yes, Tom, I texted, I tried to call Rock and
texted him. I tried to leave him a net voicemail,
but his voicemail is full.

Speaker 1 (01:22:12):
Just so you know, is he off the referral list?

Speaker 7 (01:22:17):
Well, it sounds like he's going to be here soon.

Speaker 1 (01:22:21):
Well, Susan, I thought, just wait a second, bro, wait
a second, Okay, immediately take him down right now until
we investigate this immediately.

Speaker 7 (01:22:29):
I'll handle it.

Speaker 1 (01:22:31):
Thank you, Susan. And then Brad O'Brien, I gotta get on.
He's an attorney. He has limited time. I gotta do it.
I gotta go over time right now with Brad hold on, Bro,
We're gonna get right back to you, So don't hang up,
Brad O'Brien. We had a question. Francisco is rending a
room in a private residence and there were six other
roommates and the landlord. The landlord evicted him and during

(01:22:58):
the process, before it was finalized, the landlord removed his stuff.
It was all taken and stolen on the street or
they put it somewhere, whatever it is. He lost everything
and the land. Eventually the eviction was granted, but he
has proof that they moved his stuff before it was

(01:23:19):
final Is there anything he can do?

Speaker 17 (01:23:23):
Yes, that sounds like an unlawful eviction. Landlords cannot physically
remove people or the things from the rental premises.

Speaker 8 (01:23:30):
It has to be the sheriff.

Speaker 17 (01:23:31):
You have the coordinate that through the sheriff after you
get at of restitution. So that was self help and
that's illegal. So they what they can do about it
is file a court complained for an unlawful adviction.

Speaker 1 (01:23:43):
Okay, even though eventually the eviction was granted, he can
do the unlawful eviction that was done before that.

Speaker 17 (01:23:50):
Yes, that was a violation of their due process rights.

Speaker 8 (01:23:53):
They didn't wait to do it the right.

Speaker 16 (01:23:55):
Over the courts.

Speaker 1 (01:23:56):
What could he recover for that?

Speaker 17 (01:23:59):
Just damage it which might be based on alternative housing
or if they lost the loss of their personal property
that was put.

Speaker 1 (01:24:05):
On the street.

Speaker 8 (01:24:06):
And but that's that's probably a really good one.

Speaker 1 (01:24:09):
To recovery, Francisco. Francisco, have you talked to anyone about
doing an unlawful eviction suit against that landlord?

Speaker 9 (01:24:19):
I haven't had the meaning to be able to hire
a lawyer for that.

Speaker 1 (01:24:23):
Okay, Francisco. My next question, do you have proof that
your stuff was removed illegally before the eviction process.

Speaker 18 (01:24:35):
Or witnesses, like did any of the other tenants in
that house? Either, that would be proof, that would be
prior the proof.

Speaker 9 (01:24:41):
So you do have evidence, plenty of I have plenty
of poof. The assistem of the landlord texts me that
you were going to do that. I called the sheriff department.
They went over there. They originally caused them with burglary
and craft and they told him that if he's communicated

(01:25:03):
again with either, we're going to tug him with harassment.
He kept on communicating with me. I called it to
the department. The ex failed to be tuging with harassments.
The case was past.

Speaker 1 (01:25:14):
Tool. You know what I would do, Francisco, I have
a better idea. I have a better idea for you.
I got to take a break, Brad O'Brien. I'm going
to suggest small claims court against the landlord using the statute.
And if you can leave us a statute, that would
be great. We got more coming up. Brad O'Brien. O'Brien
Legal Services ols law dot com. Good people. You can

(01:25:35):
check him out when you need help with anything real estate,
especially if you're a landlord. You don't want this to happen.
Seven to zero three seven zero seventy three eighty eight.
Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing
dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content.

(01:25:59):
Time for insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison,
call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens
of insurance companies find out now three all three seven
seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer
when you choose Frank Durand the real estate man dot
com to list your home with Remax Alliance three all
three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hey Tom Martina

(01:26:23):
here three O three seven one three talk seven one
three eight two five five. I got Brian Burns from
Compass Insurance. Brian. Cheryl's very very upset with her insurance
agent or broker, and she had safe co insurance. Here's
what she says, And Sharon and Cheryl, after I say it,
you can clarify. She went to her insurance agent or

(01:26:46):
broker and she has a rental and she wanted insurance,
and he wrote her an insurance policy. They didn't have
any specific discussions, just that she was a landlord needing coverage.
Is that right, Cheryl? Yeah, Okay, So he gave her coverage,
she paid for the coverage, and we're all fat and happy.

(01:27:07):
But then what happens is a problem. What's the problem,
shayl that happened.

Speaker 13 (01:27:14):
Well, just to make note, I did transfer transfer the
SAFEC policy over to another safego or a broker, another
insurance broker, and after having a horrible claim and water damage,
we discovered that I don't have any water coverage, which
is ridiculous even the contractors and people that came in

(01:27:39):
to look at the job to assess it were shot
that there wasn't water coverage and.

Speaker 1 (01:27:44):
How did the water I need to know this? How
hold on? Hold on? I need to know how was
the water damage? What kind? It really matters what kind
of water damage can type?

Speaker 16 (01:28:01):
And from a upstairs toilet and the Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:28:07):
So she's a landlord safe co landlord's policy. She thought
her assurance agent included loss from water damage, but when
a pipe broke in the toilet upstairs, they say sorry.

Speaker 19 (01:28:21):
Yeah, so I'm guessing and I can look at her policy. Unfortunately,
there are policies that are called there's three different policies
you can get for landlord. It's called DP one, DP two,
DP three, DP three being the most comprehensive coverage. It's
what most people. That's what we mostly write. I mean,
we don't wouldn't write a EP two or one if

(01:28:43):
we unless we had.

Speaker 1 (01:28:44):
Too for some reason.

Speaker 19 (01:28:45):
But DP one would be your real basic policy that
would only cover like a four or five perils, but
water wouldn't be one of them. My guess is that
what happened is she had a policy written that was
a DP one and it sounds like she wasn't happy
with her agent and changed to another agent. That agent
didn't rewrite the policy. All he did was send a

(01:29:08):
fore men to make him the agent or her the
agent of the policy that was already written.

Speaker 1 (01:29:14):
But is now here's what I want to know, Cheryl.
This is important, Cheryl, this is important. Did you change
your agent before this damage or after the damage?

Speaker 16 (01:29:26):
Before?

Speaker 8 (01:29:27):
Way?

Speaker 1 (01:29:27):
Before? Okay? So are you mad at the Are you
mad at the original agent or the second agent because
the original agent is the one that wrote the policy
initial agent. Yeah. Now, However, if the initial agent wrote
you a landlord policy, the question is, Brian, she wants

(01:29:50):
to sue him for not including water damage, but I
think she'd never had She wouldn't have a leg to
stand on because he did give her a landlord policy.

Speaker 19 (01:30:00):
And he's not even the agent anymore. He's not even
paid for this account. When it transferred out, it became
the responsibility of the new agent, the new agent. The
question I would have for the new agent is did
he look at the policy?

Speaker 1 (01:30:12):
You know?

Speaker 19 (01:30:12):
I mean, just because you're you're broker recording an account
in it's important that the new agent look at it
and see you know, what's what kind of coverage? You
can have that discussion. I don't know if that happened
or not, but I don't think the originally is going
to be on the hook for this.

Speaker 1 (01:30:28):
I don't think he even if he was still the
agent of record, he could say she wanted a landlord policy.
I provided a landlord policy, and she was clearly given
the policy and could clearly see the exemptions. I just
think it's not that I don't want to tell you
how to sue. You can't hire an attorney and sue him.
I don't even think he'll get an attorney to sue.

(01:30:49):
I'm Tom Martin. You know Brian Burns Compass Insurance three
h three Home of the Insurance Checkup three oh three
nine ninety six nine thousand. Also get your some pump
service before the flood season. We do have a flood
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Home dot Com book now just forty nine bucks to
assure yourself the home will non flood. Fix my Home
dot Com book now go with a sure thing Denver's

(01:31:17):
Best roofer Excel Roofing dot Com. You don't pay a
cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free,
no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much
your coverage at dozens of insurance companies. Find out now
three oh three seven seven to one help. You'll think
you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the

(01:31:39):
real estate man dot com to list your home with
Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two.
Hey Tom Martina here, Okay, so listen. Steve called and said,
I don't understand what the hell's going on. I called
uh American Restoration on February twentieth. I paid Rock the owner,

(01:32:06):
fifteen thousand dollars, and they have done zero on my
home since then.

Speaker 3 (01:32:13):
Zero.

Speaker 1 (01:32:14):
So obviously we want to talk to American Restoration. So
I'm going to bring up Rock, and Rock I can
say I've never had this problem before with you, never
had this complaint. You do have to admit it's a
little weird that you took fifteen grand two months ago,
and he says not one hour of work, not one

(01:32:37):
minute of work. Can you elaborate on this?

Speaker 16 (01:32:41):
Yes I can.

Speaker 14 (01:32:42):
I'm real happy to and thank you for calling, and
thank you for the opportunity to talk. We love your show,
and we love the people whom we serve, and we
serve quite a number of people who call up American Restoration.
We're very happy to be servicing the people of the
Metro area. Respawn we called us it was a year

(01:33:04):
a year. This has been a year and a half.
There was a fire that he had about a year
and a half ago, and he called us out. We
were the first people to respond and we we came
right out and you know, we did the asbestos testing
and assessed the damage and we gave him an estimate

(01:33:27):
for above about one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars.
You know, we were only going to work on the
part of the house that was that was burned. He
felt our estimate was a little high.

Speaker 11 (01:33:46):
We came back.

Speaker 14 (01:33:47):
He called us a year almost to the date the
next September and said that another restoration company had been
had been had did work and they they gutted the house.
It was it's really unfortunate what happened to mister. I
should say Steve. I don't want to give out his
whole you know, his information to Steve to the client

(01:34:09):
and they gutted the house. There isn't a stick left
in the entire house, which wasn't our scope at all.
We were only going to work on a certain portion
and they had spent three or four times what we
had estimated, and he didn't have anything done. We we
we we assessed his damage and we we assessed his

(01:34:31):
damage and looked at, you know, an approach forward. There
was a it was another six months before we were
able to get to get started. And then so in
a year and a half, a year and six months time,
five six months time, you know, we we had to

(01:34:51):
get started on other jobs and we came back.

Speaker 1 (01:34:54):
Okay, but but but what but wait wait, let's get
let's let's okay, rock I appreciate the history, I really
do it. It is enlightening because you say the entire
scope of the job was what was fired, what was
destroyed by fire, and the other company took out the
whole house and that was beyond your scope. But still
it doesn't explain the fifteen thousand dollars deposit February twentieth,

(01:35:16):
twenty twenty five. Where's that money.

Speaker 14 (01:35:19):
We still have the money, We still have the money.
Where we've been getting our people together. You know, there's
we're rebuilding the whole house. My team, my team is
ready to go.

Speaker 9 (01:35:32):
We we.

Speaker 14 (01:35:34):
Had an issue with we you know, missed the client.
This is our third fire where that we worked on
where there was a caused by a like a battery
charger or something that was supposed to turn off that
was supposed to have some type of fail safe in it.
In our previous work we did, we had we had

(01:35:57):
to help the insurance companies, we had to help the
the manufacturers, and we were the go between between all
three of the owners, the manufacturer okay, and the electrics.

Speaker 1 (01:36:09):
Okay, Rock, I appreciate I appreciate it very much. Now
my next question, did you did I'm going to ask
a very simple question. Did you didn't? I want to
ask a very simple question first the Rock, I love you.
I need to ask this question. Did you communicate to Steve?
Because he sounds like he was left out of the communication.

Speaker 14 (01:36:33):
Regularly we've we've been to been to the monument site.
I brought my team out to assess and the assessment
that we made. The approach, because we've had three of these,
we wanted to take a very cautious approach with a
lot of testing and a lot of a lot of
fail safe in place. So it's that when we locked

(01:36:55):
this thing back up, that wouldn't be any question as
to whether or not the proper procedures were followed.

Speaker 1 (01:37:03):
Just to bring up Steve, Steve, do you have Steve,
do you have any direct questions? Again, Steve, I don't
want to have any arguments for talking over each other.
But you hear Rock. What do you have to say
with what Rock said?

Speaker 11 (01:37:19):
He's just kids going another over and around everything that's
going on. I don't care what's going on with other jobs.
I really don't. I gave him a direct line to
the supervisor for pip Peak regional building departments to see
what permits were outstanding, to see what permits could be transferred,
and to see what we.

Speaker 4 (01:37:36):
Needed to do.

Speaker 11 (01:37:37):
He has never even contacted Pike's peak over at the Okay, Bill.

Speaker 1 (01:37:43):
Hold on one thing at a time, Steve, Steve, one
thing at a time, one thing at a time. Right now,
I'm going to go to Rock, Rock, why haven't you
contacted the Pipe Speed building department? We have, we have.

Speaker 14 (01:37:54):
We wanted to make sure that all of the other
contractors were off the permits. We have contacted them. We
have contacted them. We're following the proper procedures, because if
the proper permits are pulled and everybody is improperly certified
by the city, can rip out all the work that
we've done. We've been taking a very systematic approach.

Speaker 9 (01:38:15):
As to as to doing this.

Speaker 16 (01:38:17):
You know, we've made it a year and a half.

Speaker 14 (01:38:19):
To get started, and his previous the previous people he
had working in really did a terrible job on this.
We wanted to we wanted to make sure, like I said,
this is our third job.

Speaker 1 (01:38:29):
Our third Steed. Steve, he says, Steve, Steve, let me Steve.

Speaker 11 (01:38:34):
He said, yes, wait a minute, Tom, yesterday I met
with pipe Speak Regional Building Department at my home, the
building inspector and the mechanical inspector. I met with him
yesterday at the home to get a couple of permits cleared,
and they cleared him. Rock hasn't even done that. As
far as I'm concerned, I'm taking over the general here.

(01:38:55):
I'm doing all the work, and I want my fifteen
grand back and I want him gone.

Speaker 1 (01:39:02):
Well, okay, that's a separate issue and we need to
address that. So hold on all right if you want to.
If you want to fire him, you talk to him
off the air. I don't want to put him on
the spot right now. Seriously, I want you guys to
have this discussion. But Rock, it's it's clear to me
that Steve feels he wasn't communicated with Now you say
you were, but he doesn't feel that way. It also

(01:39:23):
is clear to me, Steve, I want you to give
me a contact on the building department because Rock said
he has been in touch with them. I just want
to verify that. It's very important to me. Okay, we
got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Three ozho
three seven one three talk seven one three eight two
five five Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer

(01:39:48):
Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until
you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation.
In comparison, call Compass Insure paying too much your coverage
at dozens of insurance companies find out now three all
three seven seven to one help. You'll think you're his
only customer when you choose Frank durand the Real estate

(01:40:09):
Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance
three all three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi
Tom Martino, your troubleshooter three oh three seven one three
talks seven one three eight two five five. Let's keep talking.

(01:40:30):
What's on your mind? Phil? Welcome? What's happening, Phil? I
guess this is a follow up call from yesterday. Let
me find your call here. It was about a real
estate go go ahead, just start your problem again, so
we I don't see the call here for some reason.
Go ahead, Phil.

Speaker 16 (01:40:50):
I called a real estate agent in Florida about a
couple of houses, and the agent was not listed online
as being connected with these two houses. So oh, I
mean I just called them at random because they're in
the same city as the houses.

Speaker 1 (01:41:09):
So and by the way, they don't have to be
hold on They don't have to be listed to sell
the house. If they're a real estate agent, they can
sell any house, right.

Speaker 16 (01:41:20):
But I was told by their agency that this particular
agent is a real tour and I forget what you
told me. The difference is for the real tour real
estate agent.

Speaker 1 (01:41:30):
Well, the real tour means they're the real tour means
they're they're with the local real estate association.

Speaker 8 (01:41:37):
Well, you know.

Speaker 16 (01:41:38):
I called a few minutes ago. I called the Florida
State Board for Realtors and they told me they have
no record of the agent's name or the agency's name.

Speaker 1 (01:41:49):
Wow, that's pretty that's pretty serious. How did you call
this place? You just have to What's well, let me
find it. What's the name of the place.

Speaker 8 (01:41:59):
Hanson S E M.

Speaker 16 (01:42:01):
Real Estate team is how they advertise themselves.

Speaker 1 (01:42:06):
And I just found is it real estate group or team?
Is it Hanson's real estate group or team?

Speaker 16 (01:42:13):
They told me team. And the agent's name is Robin.

Speaker 1 (01:42:17):
Woodhall w And where are where are they? Where are
they in Florida?

Speaker 8 (01:42:24):
Huh? Pensacola?

Speaker 1 (01:42:26):
Okay, God, Pensacola, can you help me out to Okay?
I have found I have found. I found it Eric
Hanson real Estate team at Keller Williams Realty Golf Coast
in Pensacola. Okay. So here's what it is. He's with

(01:42:47):
Keller Williams Realty Golf Coast and the team is like
Frank durand the real estate man like are Frank duran
here has a team and his team is with Rex Alliance.
So if you looked up Frank Durmand, the real estate man.
If you looked up his team, his team is not
listed anywhere. Now Frank is, he's credentialed and he's a broker.

(01:43:12):
You can look up his licensing and his membership into
the Board of Realtors or chise me into the Association
of Realtors. But I wouldn't from what I'm seeing from
their online presence, I would go I would be very,
very doubtful. I swear to you if if this is
not a legit team, I mean, for God's sakes, the

(01:43:34):
state would have shut him down by now he's all
over the internet.

Speaker 16 (01:43:38):
Then why doesn't Robin Woodall have a listed license with
the state board?

Speaker 1 (01:43:45):
Okay? Did you check the specific agent you were taught?
You gave the name.

Speaker 16 (01:43:51):
What's the name Robin Woodall?

Speaker 1 (01:43:55):
Okay, Eric Hansen is the owner. Did you talk to
air A Hanson?

Speaker 7 (01:44:01):
No?

Speaker 1 (01:44:03):
Okay, you talked to some some other person that's not listed.
When you say not listed, they're not licensed with the
State of Florida.

Speaker 16 (01:44:13):
I talked with Robin only the agent there supposed an
agent real tour.

Speaker 1 (01:44:20):
I'm asking you, I'm asking you, is Robin licensed with
the State of Florida. They told me no, They can't.
Who is they state board? I never knew the state?
The state.

Speaker 11 (01:44:36):
No.

Speaker 1 (01:44:37):
See, there's two different things. You don't have to be.
You don't have to be listed with the real tours
to be a legal real estate broker. Did you check?
Here's all I'm asking.

Speaker 16 (01:44:49):
I called licensing for the state.

Speaker 1 (01:44:51):
Okay, if you called licensing. If you called licensing, that's
another issue. Hold on, and well do I mean if
you actually called go with a sure Thing Denver's Best
Roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent
until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free,

(01:45:11):
no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your
coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three
oh three seven seven one help. You'll think you're his
only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate
Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance
three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Yeah,

(01:45:35):
ripped of news so you don't have couss as we can.

Speaker 2 (01:45:46):
Shooter's gonna help.

Speaker 11 (01:45:48):
Come.

Speaker 3 (01:45:50):
This is the Troubleshooter Show.

Speaker 1 (01:45:53):
No Tom Martine, Hi Tom Martino here three oh three
seven one three talk three O three seven one three
eight two five five. Let's solve problems, answer questions, take complaints,
and make your life a little easier as we do,
as I've been doing for forty five years here in Denver.
Fifty years total. Yeah, or maybe even a little more

(01:46:14):
fifty one. Who knows, I was such a young see
when I started seventy one, Doc, I'm right behind you, brother,
or you're quite a bit ahead of me. But who's counting?
Obviously you are? Yeah, yeah, well these days I am counting.

(01:46:35):
Welcome to the show. We got all kinds of things
to talk about. Phil. We're gonna be waiting on Frankrandorealestateman
dot com to come by and give us some updates
on your situation, Phil, Phil, he's concerned. He's looking at
a Florida property and found that the agent isn't listed
as having a license, but the agency, the agency is excellent.

(01:47:02):
Frank durand the real estate man dot com. Frank listen man.
By the way, Frank, you know when we had our
SEO guy in yesterday talking about websites, did you know
we reviewed your website? No?

Speaker 11 (01:47:17):
I didn't know you were reviewed.

Speaker 20 (01:47:18):
To tell me how to come out.

Speaker 1 (01:47:21):
It came out that you get a lot of good traffic.
Now here's what's good about it. On my side, you
get good organic traffic, meaning just because they're looking for
real estate people in general and you come up. But
you also get a lot of directed traffic, which means
people specifically searched for you. So both of those are

(01:47:43):
really good marks for your website and really good marks
for you and you. Yeah, now, Frank, on this issue,
I want your opinion, Frank. Phil is looking at a
home in Florida, and he checked out this home, He

(01:48:03):
checked out a brokerage. He went online and found Eric
Hanson and the what's called the Eric Hanson real estate
team at Keller Williams Realty Golf Coast in Pensacola. All Right,
so here's what happens. He then calls up Hanson and

(01:48:23):
he gets this real estate agent on the line. What's
the name of that real estate agent again, Phil, Robin
Woodall so he gets this Robin Yeah. So he gets
this Robin Woodhall on the phone, and he did some

(01:48:43):
due diligence and he started looking for his license. And
he tells me, this is what Phil's telling me that
the state real Estate Real Estate Board does not have
a record of this guy's license. Now we're not talking
about Hanson. Eric Hanson is all over the internet. He

(01:49:06):
has a giant team down there, and kind of like
you have a team with Remax Alliance, you have you know,
Frank Durant Homes or Frank Duran the team Duran. But
here's the point, where would you find out if you
wanted to find out about a real estate agent in Florida?
Where would you call to find the license?

Speaker 20 (01:49:29):
So, Tom, wonderful question. I would have to do some
digging on that I know out here. We just go
to Dora and it's pretty simple to find in Florida.
I'd have to do some digging, which I'm very happy
to do. By the way, I would just have to
say no.

Speaker 1 (01:49:41):
But what I'm asking, I guess what I'm asking is this.
But here's what I'm asking. Actually, if you take any state,
do they list real estate every agent or just brokers?
Like if I wanted to find out if an agent
is licensed in California, Florida, New York, Colorado, do they

(01:50:03):
maintain a list of every licensed agent that they would
let the public check?

Speaker 20 (01:50:10):
Yes, Tom, I would say the answer is yes. In fact,
I've never seen them not do that. You have out here,
you'll have the managing broker, but also the individual broker
associates or the agents.

Speaker 1 (01:50:19):
Absolutely okay, So therefore he should be listed somewhere.

Speaker 20 (01:50:27):
Yes, and Tom, here's the good news, by the way.

Speaker 1 (01:50:30):
Yes, Oh, I was gonna.

Speaker 20 (01:50:32):
Say, I have some cots all over the nation. I
can track down an agent out there and figure out
how their system works and let you know for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:50:40):
And I just found I just found one hold on Phil.
I need to know for sure how to spell woodall
is it? W is it would? And then all woo
d a L.

Speaker 16 (01:50:52):
Yes, it's a female.

Speaker 1 (01:50:56):
Robin woodhall Wood. Okay. I have found a licensing check online,
right online, where you can put a name in and
do it. And I'm going to do it right this second,
right this second, I'm putting it in. You put the
last name in and the first name in, so that's

(01:51:18):
what I'm doing, and you put in. That's it. So
now you search, let's see what comes up. Yep, No,
actually not. It says there were no records found matching
the search criteria. If you suspect unlicensed activity may be occurring,

(01:51:39):
call this number action in that name, Robin Woodall, and
no license came up. Frank. Could it be an assistant
in an office helping a broker? Do teams ever have
people who are not real estate agents?

Speaker 20 (01:51:55):
You know, I was just gonna mention that Tom out here,
at least in Colorado, we have the option, and in
fact it's on the listing agreement where the seller would
acknowledge that if the agent doesn't show the home, they
may have an unlicensed assistant show the home as well,
but they have to get permission first. So yes, that
is an option.

Speaker 1 (01:52:12):
Now, Phil, did this person literally tell you they are
a licensed real estate agent?

Speaker 11 (01:52:20):
Yes?

Speaker 16 (01:52:21):
And this morning the secretary I asked her if she was,
if Robin was a real tour or a real estate agent,
and the secretary told me she's a real tour.

Speaker 1 (01:52:32):
Now, Frank, to be a real tour that's a step
above a license, right, right, And that's where.

Speaker 20 (01:52:38):
You take an oath and I did that many many
years ago.

Speaker 11 (01:52:40):
But that is right.

Speaker 20 (01:52:41):
Then you have the title real tour.

Speaker 1 (01:52:45):
And then you're you're part of the board of realtors. Now,
at Phil, did you tell the person did you tell
the person at Team Hanson that you checked on Robin
Woodhall and she was not listed with the state.

Speaker 16 (01:53:03):
I talked with them before I called the state, and
I don't want to prejudice her against me if I'm wrong,
because she sounds good.

Speaker 9 (01:53:11):
But you know I don't.

Speaker 16 (01:53:13):
I'm risking one hundred thousand dollars or more.

Speaker 1 (01:53:16):
So I don't want to. But what do you mean
one hundred thousand or more on depend on a house?

Speaker 11 (01:53:24):
No?

Speaker 8 (01:53:24):
I did not tell them.

Speaker 1 (01:53:25):
Okay, Okay, do you mind if we call and ask? No?
I like it if you did. Who Okay, let's do
a Deputy Dollar. You're sitting on your hands over there
is Deputy Dollar in there? Still, sus is Deputy Dollar
in there? Okay, Deputy Dollar, you're there. We have Here's

(01:53:52):
what we have to do. We have to call down
to Team Hanson and simply ask, why isn't this Woodall
coming up in a real estate license search? Who's going
to do it? Speak to me? I can't see you,
so speak to me. Okay, are you gonna do it?
Then time, I'll be happy to make it.

Speaker 18 (01:54:12):
Hear anybody in the studio. I'll be happy to make
the call. But before I do, hold on. But before
I do, I wanted to ask Phil. You know, if
I call them on behalf of Martino's Radio, Phil our caller,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, Phil, if I call the
real estate agency on behalf of the Tom Martino Troubleshooter Show,
they're going to perceive this as kind of an accusatory

(01:54:35):
and a pretty aggressive move on my part that might
that might destroy your own.

Speaker 1 (01:54:42):
Here's what I say. Then, I would put it this way. Listen,
Phil happened to call us because he was checking licensing
on Robin Woodhall. And we're not making any accusations. All
hold on, and Phil is perfectly happy with Team Hanson.
But we're just wondering is Rob an unlicensed assistant or
does she carry a real estate license? That's it. Oh,

(01:55:05):
I understand that.

Speaker 18 (01:55:06):
My perspective is that that call might be better coming
from Phil if he already has a business relationship that
he wants to preserve with age.

Speaker 1 (01:55:17):
But see, I know, I think we should call. Okay,
I think we should think Now I think Phil feels uncomfortable.
I want to call and Frank Duran, the real estate man,
we love you, thank you for being on three oh
three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. That's Frank durand
the Realestateman dot com. And also listen when we come back,
we're going to talk to sus about that follow up

(01:55:39):
with Rock and the restoration job that supposedly he took
money on and did nothing and the consumer accused him
of not even contacting the building department. Once we'll talk
about that coming up and more. And Phil, you hang
on because Deputy Dimitri, Deputy d is going to be

(01:55:59):
making some fun calls on your case. And I want
to remind people that KNH Home Solutions window siding, doors
and more. KINH also has Knage Painting pros Now, so
you have a company that you can depend on for
painting as well. Khwindows dot com. Go with a sure

(01:56:23):
thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't
pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance
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much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out
now three all three seven to seven to one help.
You'll think you're his only customer When you choose Frank

(01:56:45):
durand the Real estate Man dot com to list your
home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. Hi tom Archino here, we got a
lot happening here. Now. First, I want to follow up

(01:57:06):
the call with American Restoration, so this is really important.
Steve called and says his house burned down September of
twenty twenty three through a series of mishaps. He had
some bad contractors and they gutted the entire house. Rock
looked at it in the very beginning, and Steve rejected
Rock's proposal and went with another company, which turned out

(01:57:27):
to bed bad news. Then Rock went back again and
gave him another proposal, and then was still not hired.
And then in February finally Steve says, let's do it.
He gives Rock a fifteen thousand dollars deposit, and he
says Rock has done zero since then. Rock says, well,
I've been coordinating subcontractors and getting things in order. This

(01:57:52):
is a very complicated situation, and I have to gather
evidence as well for the insurance company, and I've been
in touch with the building department to coordinate that as well,
because I have to make sure for the insurance that
all of the contractors are licensed and with Pike Speak Building.
So Steve said, that's a lie. You never contacted Pike's

(01:58:15):
Speak Building department, not once suees bring us up to date.

Speaker 7 (01:58:20):
So Tom, it's in your inbox as well. I sent
it to you. But Rock did send me the correspondence.

Speaker 10 (01:58:26):
Between him himself and the building department talking about permits.

Speaker 7 (01:58:31):
On April eighth of this year. So clearly they have
been in contact about the Callers project.

Speaker 1 (01:58:40):
So and that as that email indicates, it wasn't the
first time they were in contact.

Speaker 7 (01:58:45):
So exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:58:46):
And Rock's gonna call Steve good Steve, I don't know, man,
it sounds like and I know why, and I don't
want to put this on you, but you're under a
lot of emotional stress when your house burns and your
entire house is gutted. Your entire house is gutted, you're
not living there, think about Sue's just the stress you

(01:59:08):
went through living in the motorhome right next door and
most of your yeah, and all you were doing were
the floors. Man, But look at the stress.

Speaker 7 (01:59:17):
Tom. It's got to be, you know, just life changing.

Speaker 1 (01:59:21):
Having the entire house gutted, and so really, uh, we
feel like Rock's been on this case and if you
want to refund, you worked that out with Rock. So
Phil called and said, you know, I'm looking at a
house in Pensacola, Florida. I found Team Henson, our Eric

(01:59:44):
Hanson real estate team at Keller Williams, and I called
them because they're in Pensacola, and I started talking to
Robin Woodall but Robin Woodall. I checked with the state
and she's not LICEE. Now we found her license, Phil,

(02:00:05):
She is licensed. And the error I had when I
searched is r O B I N and her name
is r O B y N. Sus Is that true?
You found her too, didn't you?

Speaker 9 (02:00:21):
Well?

Speaker 7 (02:00:22):
I didn't, but I've had like eight different people call me.
They all found her with the y N in Pensacola,
so did I.

Speaker 1 (02:00:30):
So, Phil, your fear is a laid. You have a
licensed real estate broker or an agent with a really good,
a really good, highly rated real estate firm.

Speaker 16 (02:00:45):
So did deputy call or did he not have to?

Speaker 1 (02:00:49):
We didn't have to. We went online. You can go
online and find it too. If you go online, let
me let me give you the link. It's let me
just give you this link. It's my Florida license dot com. Okay,
Myflorida license dot com. And you search with the person's name,

(02:01:12):
so the last name is Woodhall, and then you search
with you search with Robin spelled the right way. And
you know what's really weird is you think it would
have given you some choices even if you were one
letter off, but it didn't. So now you search like
I just did. Here I'm doing it again, and it's
Robin E. Woodall with a team. So and so they

(02:01:36):
give the address in Gulf Breeze, Florida, currently active till
three thirty one, twenty seven. So that's good news for you.
And this comes from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
I'm right on their government website. Thanks for your help.

(02:01:57):
Thank you. And you know what, I don't think it's
bad to be skeptical, you know, really think about this.
There's a lot there are a lot of scams going
on with real estate brokers and agents and people claiming
they have authority to transact business, taking deposits and stuff.
I mean, what's wrong with that? You know? If Philip

(02:02:17):
called and said I wired fifteen grand to Robin Woodhall
or Joe Smith or Harry and I now I haven't
heard a word from them. And they told me they
were a real estate broker, and I would have said,
did you check them out? Well, they had a website,
but did you check them out? So I give Phil kudos?

(02:02:42):
I do I give I'm going to give him these
Hold on, let me do it? Where is it?

Speaker 9 (02:02:46):
Come on?

Speaker 1 (02:02:49):
That's for Phil? Yes, go ahead there.

Speaker 21 (02:02:54):
And Tom I looked her up too, and she's a
very photogenic lady.

Speaker 1 (02:02:58):
Oh yeah, on the end. Now we digress, Now we diagress.

Speaker 21 (02:03:03):
It makes me want to buy some makes me want
to buy some real estate in Florida.

Speaker 1 (02:03:07):
Now we digress. How terrible is that? Okay, listen, we're
talking about a lot of stuff today, we really are.
And what I like is that we get answers for you.
And we just solved that problem live on the air,
didn't we. So actually give us a call three oh
three seven to one three talk seven one three eight

(02:03:28):
two five five good. A lot to talk about today,
and I want to remind you, want to remind you
fix it twenty four to seven has that special for
forty nine bucks. And it's really important you get your
some pump checked out if you haven't had it done
in years. Many of you probably forgot about it. Get
it checked out. They pull it, they clean it, they
adjust it, they lubricate it, they make sure it's running,

(02:03:50):
they check the electrical connections, and then all of that's
forty nine bucks. Keep your home from being flooded. Fix
myhome dot com book now you go with a sure
thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't
pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance
check up free, no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance Paying

(02:04:14):
too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find
out now three oh three seven seven to one Help.
You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank
durand the real estate Man dot com to list your
home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. Hey, I'm Tom Martine. You're troubleshooter three

(02:04:37):
oh three seven to one three Talks seven one three
eight two five five. So one of the things I
started the show talking about was I was talking about
business and business problems and all of that, and some
of the common problems people run into. First and foremost
they don't differentiate between the business and the trade. The
trade is what you do for consumers. The business is

(02:04:58):
getting those consumers, firing leads and closing those leads, two
separate businesses. If you're in a trade, you may have
to hire someone to run that business the right way
if you don't know how to do it. Don't assume
because you're a good plumber, you're gonna have a great
plumbing business, or a good electrician a good electrician business,
or a good fence installer a good fence business. Nope,
not necessarily. So you're in one business acquisition of leads,

(02:05:23):
closing of those leads, and keeping those leads for future
and making them walking talking billboards to refer you to others. Next, Tom,
don't yes.

Speaker 4 (02:05:34):
Oh, did you mention that the lack of capital. I've
always thought was the biggest impediment having a successful business.
That if you don't have enough capital to carry you over,
it doesn't matter how many people you get, you're going
to run out of money and have to declare bankruptcy.

Speaker 1 (02:05:51):
That's cash flow. You're absolutely right, Keshlo is a very
good one. I want to put that down there. I
didn't have that on my list of the top. But
that is very very important. Cash flow havn't enough capital,
But it's really the cash flow because there's a time
sometimes from the time you get business to the time
you get paid the other one, you don't know your
true basis or your expenses. You have to figure everything

(02:06:16):
it takes to run that business and amortize it over
a monthly period. And then you have to know the
cost of each sale. So you have two kinds of costs.
You have overhead, which are fixed expenses that no matter
how much business you have, they don't go up or down.
You just have a fixed cost of overhead that would
be rent or mortgage, utilities if you have a building,

(02:06:38):
your own utilities, and anything it takes to keep yourself running,
phone bill or and then then you have digital marketing.
Marketing is some people put marketing on cost of sales.
So if you had a ten thousand dollars budget a
year on marketing, your cost of sale would be that
divided by your sales. Another thing, and then that's why

(02:07:01):
you hear people say it took me thirty dollars a lead.
You know, I pay thirty dollars a lead. What they're
doing is they're taking their marketing dollars and dividing by
the number of leads to come up with cost per lead. Obviously,
the less you can pay on cost per lead, the better.

Speaker 8 (02:07:18):
Right.

Speaker 1 (02:07:19):
Then you also want to know multiples per lead, for example,
are multiples per per marketing dollar. So you have two
ways to evaluate marketing. Well, there's more, but two main
ways is you want to know the cost per lead.
So here's an easy way of putting it. If you
spent one hundred bucks on a Facebook ad and you

(02:07:40):
got one hundred leads, it would be one dollar per lead,
which would be an incredible windfall. One dollar per lead.
That's cost per lead. You also want to know your
multiples on advertising. What's a multiple on advertising? If you
spend a dollar, you get three back, you spend five dollars,

(02:08:00):
you get twenty five back, that would be five That
would be wonderful, right, So you have to know both
cost per lead and you have to know your multiple
on your marketing multiple I call it. So these are
things that are just elementary, but so many business people
don't know it. I want to know from you, how

(02:08:21):
many would attend if we had a little session where
we all talked about starting a business. I will do that.
If you want to do it, we can do it
by zoom where you can do it in person. Let
me know and please text me if you have any
questions on your business. The other one is your online presence.
It's not a brochure, it's an interactive site. So many

(02:08:44):
people do not put an emphasis on their website and
their online presence. It's very very important. And then other
things would be your skill itself. Make sure you can
do the job and you're not biting off more than
you can chew. Sometimes it's better to focus on a

(02:09:04):
few services rather than be wide scope with things you're
not really familiar with. Anyway, those are some of the
some of the things I have for starting a business.
If you have any questions, give me a call. And
I want to let me give my text number out
again because I'm feeling lonely. I haven't had but a
few texts today, and this number comes right to my

(02:09:24):
cell phone twenty four to seven. I mean you can
get access to me twenty four to seven seven four
seven nine nine nine fifty two eighty seven four seven
nine nine nine fifty two eighty Okay, now I have
another I do have a text here, Yes, sir.

Speaker 4 (02:09:41):
You know when when you go into large businesses sometimes
they'll have loss leaders. Does it ever pay for a
startup company to have lost leaders just to get their
name out there and to get a few good references.

Speaker 1 (02:09:58):
Well, let's talk about loss leaders. We's talk about it.

Speaker 4 (02:10:01):
We're talking about like twenty four to seven is doing
a you know, a loss leader basically so that when
people gave a problem, they'll call them up because they
can afford to do it.

Speaker 1 (02:10:13):
That's right. Does it ever pay? Now? Loss leader is Brent.
Loss leaders are brand building? Okay, you don't make money
off of that. You make money by two ways. You
brand build when you advertise it, and you also brand
build by word of mouth. When that person comes back
to you or tells friends about you, they say, wait
a minute, you're not going to believe this. For forty
nine bucks, I had a plumber come out and check

(02:10:35):
my some pump. They literally pulled the pump, cleaned out
the screen, cleaned it off, lubricated or or some of
these are not lubricated when they're submersible, but in any
case they're internally lubricated or they're sealed. But no matter what.
They check all of those seals, They check everything to
make sure it's going to bring you good service with
a no breakdown guarantee. That's a lost leader forty nine bucks.

(02:10:57):
It takes way more money for somebody to spend two
hours on that. Some pump for forty nine bucks. It
takes away more than that.

Speaker 4 (02:11:04):
So, if you're studying a new business and you don't
have a lot of clients, you have a lot of time,
does it pay to do what? For a new business?
Does it pay to have a loss leader to just
get Yes, it does references.

Speaker 1 (02:11:18):
The answer is absolutely yes. Loss leaders are a good
idea as long as you know they're a loss leader,
and you account for that that comes out of your
marketing budget. You literally have to put that. You have
to put it as a line item in your marketing budget.
So here's what I mean. If if it's if it

(02:11:38):
takes an hour and an hour of your time is
worth one hundred and fifty bucks with overhead and that,
then you have to and you charge fifty bucks or
forty nine to ninety five, then you have to account
for one hundred of that out of your marketing budget.
It's just an accounting You have to do that so
you have accurate records and you're not thinking, well, I'm

(02:12:00):
making money hand over fist, I'm going to do more
of these, I'm going to do more of these loss leaders. No,
you have to have some kind of a budgeting tool
or accounting tool that'll tell you how far in the
hole you're going with these, because otherwise you get this
false sense of making a profit. I knew a person
in the computer business one time. She thought she was

(02:12:20):
a master. She was making all kinds of money, and
I said to her, I said, Laurie, where is your
cost of sale? And she said, what do you mean?
I said, well, you did a bunch of hard drives,
you did this, you did that. Where's your cost of sale?
She had her credit cards mounting up, and she'd make
minimum payments on her credit card. So to her, when

(02:12:43):
she got paid two hundred dollars on a job, it
looked like she made two hundred because she's only paying
pennies a month on minimum payments. But that balance on
her credit card kept growing and growing and growing, even
though the minimum payment stayed relatively the same, went up
a couple of dollars. She was going to be in
debt for the next twenty years trying to support her business.

(02:13:06):
It was a false indication of success. And that's what
happens when you don't have a good mechanism for accounting
for cost of sales two lines or two categories, overhead,
fixed expenses, cost of sales per item, and each item
has a different cost of sale. You have the labor,

(02:13:29):
you have, the price of the unit. You have all
of that that you have to account for. I'm Tom Martinez.
We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Genesis
Total Exteriors, don't forget they do mold detection and remediation
the honest way. Genesis Tootalexteriors dot com. Go with a

(02:13:49):
sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot Com. You
don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an
insurance checkup free no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying
too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find
out now three all three, seven seven to one help.
You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank

(02:14:11):
durand the Real estate Man dot com to list your
home with Remax Alliance three all three nine two zero
sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino. You know I suddenly
realized I was bragging about how you context me twenty
four to seven, and it comes right to my cell phone.
And I didn't give out the damn number. I mean,

(02:14:33):
excuse me, but I might be slipping about a quarter
of an inch. Anyway. Here it is seven four, seven, nine, nine, nine,
fifty two eighty. Now the reason I did that numbers
I love. I love big airplanes. Seven four seven is
a big airplane. This is a memory age seven four seven.
Then the nine nine nine is as close to ten

(02:14:54):
ten ten as I could get, and then fifty two
eighties the Maya High City. So seven four seven eighty.
You can text me at any time twenty four to
seven to one, here, says Tom. Oh good. Oh I
didn't know if it did or not. See now I'm
even questioning myself. Oh my god. And then I have
what's even worse is Deputy Doc's telling me is keeping

(02:15:16):
me straight? Gosh. Anyway, here it is it's important to
have this is a text, and this is a smart one.
It's important to have written agreements with any partners or
people have an interest in your business. Oh, absolutely, positively.
I'm putting that down on my list written agreements. Absolutely.

Speaker 9 (02:15:37):
Now.

Speaker 1 (02:15:37):
Also, you need to manage cash flow. Deputy Doc mentioned
capital and cash and I said cash flow, capital and
cash flow, but something else and it goes along with
cash flow trust accounts. You can't spend money on that
are that is held in trust and let's just spent

(02:15:59):
on that job. Please don't co mingle funds. You're going
to get into trouble if you commingle funds. You can't
do it. Okay, go ahead, you got a good one.

Speaker 18 (02:16:09):
So one of the major things I see among people
I encounter who operate their own business and suddenly run
into trouble is when they started, they bought very expensive
equipment that's necessary to conduct their business, but they never
made plans nor did they save enough to eventually replace
that equipment as it wears out.

Speaker 1 (02:16:27):
And I've seen more than five oh oh oh, oh
my gosh, how silly.

Speaker 21 (02:16:33):
Of mail because they forgot that they have to replace
this equipment.

Speaker 18 (02:16:37):
So that's called depreciation, yeah, but they think it's an
accounting term depreciation, And real life is you got to
save up enough.

Speaker 1 (02:16:44):
To buy this new machine, but you do have to
put that money away. Literally, Yeah, depreciation, very very good.
I think it's a tax right off. Very good, very
good information, thank you. So if I go over these,
don't confuse the business with the trade. Second, know your
true basis with costs. You don't account for your time,

(02:17:07):
you don't account for under or you underestimate marketing. Your
online presence sucks. You don't know true costs, capital and
cash flow and trust accounts. Do not commingle funds, costs,
per leads, marketing multiples, also written agreements and depreciation. All
of this is incredibly important to incredibly don't.

Speaker 4 (02:17:30):
You also need a pretty detailed written business plan. I
know when I open my practice.

Speaker 1 (02:17:36):
Not really not really a written business plan, go ahead this.

Speaker 4 (02:17:44):
You know, doctors can usually get a loan pretty easily,
but in order to do so, I needed a written
business plan about how I was going to what I
was going to spend the money on, and how I
was going to make the practice work. And then I
got the loan.

Speaker 1 (02:17:57):
I don't recommend I don't recommend people finance when they're
starting a business. It's the worst thing you can do.
You So for that reason, the only time you need
a written plan the only time is to get a
loan or to get an investor. So if you if
you think there's nothing wrong with having a mission statement,
we might be parsing out words here, but what I'm

(02:18:21):
saying is this, it's good to have a mission statement.
It's excellent to have a mission statement. You don't have
to have a written business plan, because I don't recommend
you get financing. But I know what Doc is saying.
He's saying you have to have some kind of a
plan what you're going to do when, and I understand
that that's not entirely it keeps you on track. I

(02:18:45):
like to look at it more as a goal statement.
Written business plans often are fantasy. I like goal setting better.
But I get your point three oh three seven one
three talk seven one three eight two five five, Deputy D.
We are running out of time. We can't get into it.
But I want you to tell us tomorrow how someone

(02:19:07):
tried to defraudrate.

Speaker 18 (02:19:08):
Right after our show ended yesterday. Somebody tried draining my
bank account.

Speaker 1 (02:19:13):
I want to hear about it tomorrow.

Speaker 21 (02:19:14):
The best scam that I have ever seen.

Speaker 1 (02:19:18):
Oh my god, Okay, don't forget three to zero three
Martino for help, information and referrals. Save all your problems
for me.