PHOENIX — There's a common myth that you can cancel a contract within three days after signing.
While that can apply to home solicitation sales, in most cases if you sign a contract, you're bound to what's in it. That is unless the business lets you out.
A year into owning her Phoenix home, Lori Sears decided to make some changes using her tax refund money.
"I was going to replace eight windows and two doors," Sears said.
It would be a visual improvement and be more energy efficient — a way to cut her electricity costs.
Sears signed a $22,000 contract with The Window and Door Store. She started making loan payments and scheduled delivery, but then she had to cancel the whole deal.
It's something Sears couldn't avoid and something she says, the business wouldn't allow.
"Sorry, your windows are on the way. We will install them. And I just kind of went, 'where? Because I don't have a house," Sears said.
Sears didn't just change her mind. She had to cancel because her house burned to the ground and there was no longer any place to put the windows and doors.
The fire happened in April. Sears showed me where it started.
"I'm sitting in my living room, which is up front... I hear a pop," she explained.
She says the whole back of her house was on fire.
"I look down my hallway and see my spare bedroom going orange. The curtains, the glass, all that side of the house was already gone," Sears said.
She says she escaped with only the clothes she was wearing.
"I barely had enough time to get out," she said.
There is nothing left but a concrete pad and dirt.
While dealing with this total loss, Sears says she also had to deal with the Arizona Window and Door Store.
She says she told them of the fire and had to cancel, but Sears shows texts that continue to show an upcoming delivery date.
She says she was told nothing could be done.
"They said we can hang onto them, work with the Realtor who does your new house," Sears said.
So, Sears kept making payments, more than $1,200 towards her $11,000 loan for windows she could never use.
She says it all became too much, so she let me know.
"I don't know where to turn," she says.
I contacted Arizona Window and Door Store, explained the situation, and asked them to take a look.
They did and took immediate action.
"I didn't think it would happen right after you talked to them and two weeks later it's been resolved," Sears said.
We revisited Sears after the store let her out of her contract and promised a return of the payments she made to her lender.
She says it's a big burden lifted as she plans to rebuild her home and her life.
"Thank you very much for all you've done," she said, smiling.
In most cases, a written signed contract stands as long as it's all transparent. But this was an obvious exception and I'm glad the business did the right thing.
In a statement to us, Arizona Window and Door Store wrote:
"We deeply empathize with Lori's situation following this unfortunate tragedy. It's indeed a challenging time for her, and we wholeheartedly extend our sympathy. Initially, Lori had entered into a contract with us for windows, which we promptly ordered from our manufacturer. Unfortunately, given the unforeseen circumstances, we absorbed the associated costs as a measure of our support.
In a further effort to ease her burden, we've elected to allow her out of the contract and provide a full refund. It is our sincere hope that these measures aid her as she embarks on the process of rebuilding her home.
We wish Lori strength and resilience in these difficult times and look forward to seeing her home restored in the near future."
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