Complaint / Review
Home Depot
Concrete Siding Delivered Months Late to Grenada Home

I purchased and paid for goods from Home Depot Hialeah in November, order number 0202-131688. Among the items were 80 lengths of concrete siding needed to repair the damage caused to my home in Grenada by Hurricane Ivan. The goods formed part of a large container due for onward shipment via Tropical Shipping to Grenada.

At the time of purchase, I was informed that the concrete siding would be ready for shipment to Tropical Shipping, Miami within 2 3 weeks. I was at that time studying in the U.K. I had signed a contract with a builder to carry out the repairs to my home. The job was scheduled to commence in February. The Government of Grenada had waived the duties on goods imported for repairs to properties until the end of February. (Letter to this effect at hand.)

In January I was informed that the shipment had not arrived. I contacted Tropical Shipping from the U.K., seeking an explanation. I was told that they were still waiting on the goods from Home Depot. I called Home Depot and was told that the goods would be sent to Tropical Shipping that very week. A week later, I contacted Tropical Shipping, only to be told that they were still waiting on the goods from Home Depot. Again, I contacted Home Depot and insisted that the goods be sent ASAP. I was assured that the goods would be sent the next day. It was now Jan. 2005!
Several more calls were made to Home Depot by me and by my friend in Canada in an effort to get the goods to Tropical Shipping.

My container arrived in Grenada on 26 February and work commenced. In March I was informed by the contractor that the concrete siding did not arrive with the rest of the shipment. There followed several telephone calls to both Tropical Shipping and Home Depot to determine who was responsible for the missing siding. I then had to make an unnecessary trip to Grenada in an effort to sort out the missing siding, as the contractor was running out of time.
There then commenced a long battle to get the siding, with numerous telephone calls and faxes (copies of these kept). This resulted in loss of money, frustration, and further damage to my house (due to lack of siding and heavy rains, my house was soaked and my newly laid laminated flooring was ruined).

Home Depot always denied that they were responsible for the missing siding until they were asked by Tropical Shipping to produce the signatures for the pallet containing the siding and a shrink-wrap package. After investigations, it was discovered that Home Depot was responsible for the missing siding. Instead of correcting their mistake, they engaged me in a protracted series of telephone calls and rudeness.

One Homberto finally called me on 11 May. He said he would send on the siding but would not meet the costs. I insisted that Home Depot should meet all expenses because the current situation was their fault. He promised to call back after he had spoken to the manager. He ignored me until I sent two more faxes, the second saying that I would consider taking legal action. Only then did I get a call from one who told me, when I asked that Home Depot meet the cost of shipment and the duties, "Do you want to delay your shipment further by not paying the shipment and duties?" and, "We can always send you your money back."

During my numerous telephone calls to various departments within Home Depot, I had to endure rudeness and lack of concern. I was put on hold several times. I could clearly hear the giggling on the other end (my case had now become a joke). This happened about 5 times within half an hour (telephone bills will confirm the number of calls on that very day).

I eventually asked for the head office and spoke to one Kurt or Kirk. After hearing my complaint, he told me that he was the final person to whom I could complain (this was after I asked for someone senior to complain to). To add insult to injury, Kirt or Kurt told me that he could only offer me $100.00 to spend at Home Depot! I pointed out that I was in Grenada, but this did not seem to bother him. He told me to call the manager at the Hialeah store. I pointed out that I had run up a huge bill, had already called several times and was put on hold for ages each time. I stressed again that since the fault was with Home Depot, and the period between payment of the goods and not receiving them was way too long, they should pay for the shipment and the taxes. He said that they could not do this.

I called Home Depot again and spoke to one John, who said Home Depot will meet the shipping cost but they do not pay for frustrations. The shipment arrived 12 June! I was refused delivery of the siding because John blatantly lied when he said Home Depot was paying for the shipment. [Home Depot never paid or ever intended to pay for the shipment of the delayed siding.] I had to borrow money in order to have my siding released from Tropical Shipping. I then had to meet the cost of the taxes, brokerage and transportation. (I finally had the cost of the shipment only reimbursed after more letters and emails in Jan.)

The contractor has moved on to another job. As a result of all the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan to people's homes in Grenada, there is a shortage of builders and contractors. I am now living in an unfinished house while I wait on another builder, incurring extra unplanned costs. All this, because Home Depot failed to deliver, and when they found the error, dragged their feet, were rude, uncaring and chose to ignore me in the hope that the problem would go away.

In November I decided to write to the Chief Financial Officer, Carole, at Home Depot's headquarters seeking compensation. I got an email from their Resolution Specialist, William, on 2 Dec '05 saying, "I received your complaint yesterday and am writing you to let you know I will working with you towards reaching an agreement. I was hoping you could give me a break down of the $7500.00 extra cost you had to pay to your contractor. Also, how much was the labour to install the missing merchandise. I believe the rest of the cost are explained." I complied with his request.

On Dec '05 I got another email from W.T. stating that, "I have to file a claim with our claims management service, Sedgwick CMS. They will investigate the matter with you, the store and the shipper to resolve the issue. A representative from their department should contact you within 72 hours."

No one from Sedgwick CMS contacted me.

Emails went back and forth to T.W. Finally, on February 8 I had an email from him which read, "Home Depot Claims is denying your claim that they have any responsibility in the matter. They are supposed to send you a letter. I assume the only address they have is in Grenada. They are taking the position that Home Depot can not be held responsible for property damage and therefore they will accept no responsibility. The letter is supposed to clarify the position of Home Depot. Perhaps you should address this with an attorney."

This is exactly what I would like to do, but from Grenada it is proving difficult, and this is what, I suspect, Home Depot is counting on: that I will just forget about it.

Companies like Home Depot treat the "little customer" with scant regard and have been getting away with it for years. I would love to teach them a lesson. Is there anyone who can help me do just that?

P.S. I am always courteous when complaining and I never give up!