Pocono News Section

I-Team: Troubles With Wyoming Homes

I-Team: Troubles With Wyoming Homes - Friday, May 2, 2008 at 6:22PM EST

Reported by: Jeff Chirico
Friday, May 2, 2008 @ 06:22pm EST
PLAINS TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY --It's been a fixture in Northeastern Pennsylvania for 30 years but now Wyoming Homes is under investigation. Some customers say it’s about time.

The company has built modular and mobile homes throughout this region for three decades. It was well known and respected. It’s slogan is “we make owning home so easy.” But the customers we spoke with say there was nothing easy about doing business with Wyoming Homes.

Two years ago Joan Connolly hired Wyoming Homes to put a mobile home on her land near Lake Ariel. You can see what's been done. Very little. Joan Connolly/waiting for home "I think it's terrible. I spent all my savings to buy this land and I'm living in the city for three years now." She says Wyoming Homes kept brushing her off. Now she's suing.

Diane Modell/Waiting for home completion

"I would never recommend anyone to use Wyoming Homes. Not even my worst enemy." Diane Modell's paying on a house she can't live in--because she says Wyoming Homes has been slow to finish it. "Very frustrating and hard. They lie to me. Say different stories. Say they're coming and they don't come."

That's not all. The WBRE I-Team has spoken to 30 customers who claim Wyoming Homes hasn't done work, never delivered a home, or hasn't refunded their money."

Chirico asks “there are 30 people complaining. What is going on here? Dave Valenti says “evidently some work is not getting done. Most here are done or almost done." Dave Valenti has owned Wyoming Homes for thirty years. He lives in this beautiful home in Glenmaura. He says Joan Connolly demanded things that couldn't be done. And Diane Modell's home is almost done. Valenti promises "I'm trying to do the best I can do."

But three major home manufacturers have stopped doing business with Valenti. The state Department of Community and Economic Development is investigating him for violations of housing standards.

Ken Witkowski/settled with Wyoming Homes

"He might have had a good reputation at one time but for some reason this guy went astray." Ken Witkowski had problems with Wyoming Homes but signed an agreement that he wouldn't talk about his case. He believes potential customers should be warned. "From what I see he is swindling people out of money. Conniving anyway he can. Their employees are working for paychecks and not the people."

Dave says he's working to make good on any issues customers have. Nonetheless, those angry customers aren't going away quietly. We're told they plan to picket his Plains Township office on Route 315 Saturday afternoon.

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