I ordered a "Tempest Pool" through Family Pool Fun, of Browns Valley, MN on May 17, 2007 (order # 658675)for $1186.75. The pool arrived in a few weeks, and I had it installed by a professional pool installer, and I used it during the summer months. In September, I returned from vacation and noticed that the water level of the pool had dropped by about a foot. I called a pool repair company to try to repair the leaks, but they told me they found hundreds of tiny "pinholes" all around the circumference of the pool, where the wall met the pool floor, as well as a 1/4 "quadrant" of the pool floor. I had used the finest quality sand for the base and it was delivered by a truck used only for pool sand to prevent contamination. The pool repair company said it was definitely a defective liner and that they would be willing to write a letter to the company stating this fact. The installer told me he had never seen anything like this in over 20 years of pool installations. He also said that any local pool company would have replaced the liner, including labor, for free.
I first contacted Family Pool Fun and was told it was the responsibility of the manufacturer, 7-11 Pool Products, to correct the problem. I phoned and explained this to the president, Mr. David Shaldoff, who asked me to write a letter with my comments for their records. I did so and phoned him repeatedly, but only talked to him once, and after that, "he had just left," "he would not be in until tomorrow," "he was in a meeting," etc. I gave a detailed explanation of the costs I had incurred, totalling about $900.00 (for a 2nd liner from Family Pool Fun, labor for installing, water for refilling, etc.).
7-11 Pool Products made no effort to rectify this defective liner, make any kind of price adjustment, or offer any assistance whatever. Their "25 year Warranty" for the pool liner is of little value because it only applies to "seam separation," and you have to send them a picture of the liner separation as well.
I contacted the BBB for both companies but had little success. Both companies said they would do nothing about the defective liner or my additional expenses. To demonstrate that I am not a careless pool owner or that improper upkeep was a factor, my previous pool was a "Doughboy," which was five years old when I got it and which I used with no liner leaks or problems for the NEXT 31 years, a total of 36 YEARS!
I would like to warn prospective customers for these two companies that your complaints will avail you nothing but excuses and that the BBB was able to do nothing, even though both companies make big promises. I would strongly recommend that consumers buy a pool product from a local company who will stand by their product. All these companies seem interested in is getting your money and then forgetting you.
