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Homeowners Consider Class Action Lawsuit Against Home Builder

Friday, October 1, 2004

JEANNE PHOTOS: Jeanne Tears Across Florida
IVAN PHOTOS: Gulf Coast | Islands
FRANCES PHOTOS: Central Florida | Statewide
CHARLEY PHOTOS: Central Florida Hit Hard

LONGWOOD, Fla. -- Dozens of new homeowners in Central Florida are considering suing Ryland Homes because of damage their new houses sustained during the hurricanes. After Action 9 first exposed the complaints, many other homeowners came forward with the same complaints.

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"I've had two years of hell in this place. It's been nothing else," says Dorothy Rowland, describing life in her Ryland home.

Hurricane Charley put water in her front entryway and Hurricane Jeanne had it running down her windows and walls.

Hurricanes
HURRICANES

"It was just gushing down," Rowland says.

We found dozens of other Ryland homeowners in Longwood with the same complaints.

Although, from the outside, you'd think they escaped the hurricanes. But, "there's water just seeping out of the walls," says homeowner Charlie Holt.

Holt shares the same rain-soaked saga as others. He says his home is certainly not watertight.

"No, it's not, on four walls, exterior walls, we've got water coming in," he says.

In a written statement, Ryland Homes says it stands behind its warranty and will gladly fix any warranty issues. They also say their homes meet or exceed building codes and have employees going door to door to inspect homes. They plan to make necessary repairs as quickly as possible.

Rowland laughs at that statement, saying that the statement she and her husband got from Ryland was, "[It's] not our responsibility."

The homeowners at Heather Glen would not let us inside their meeting Thursday night. They want to establish a game plan before releasing that information to the media. But one homeowner said that a class action lawsuit is being considered.

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