Assistant Attorney General wipes window industry sales practices

Settlement with Seattle’s Best Home Improvements is latest in crackdown

SPOKANE – Assistant Attorney General Jack Zurlini does windows. Zurlini, who is spearheading a government push to clear up alleged deceptive sales practices among some window sellers, has negotiated six settlements with Washington businesses in recent months. The latest is Seattle’s Best Home Improvements, actually based in Tacoma.

“We’re making it clear that we expect the window sales industry to be honest and fair,” said Zurlini, who works out of Spokane but takes on consumer protection cases statewide. “If one company tries to deceive customers, its competitors may feel pressured to use the same tactics.”

The latest case, filed today in Pierce County Superior Court, accuses Seattle’s Best of misrepresenting to potential customers that its solicitations aren’t sales calls. The company also allegedly inflated initial prices to suggest customers are receiving discounts, made unsubstantiated claims about the energy savings customers would achieve, failed to inform customers of their cancelation rights, exaggerated the health risks associated with mold that may be found around residential windows and claimed that a series of windows have “titanium metal reinforced frames” when they are actually made of aluminum.

Under the settlement, Seattle’s Best will pay more than $15,400 in attorneys’ fees and legal costs. The Attorney General’s Office agreed to suspend $25,000 in civil penalties provided the company obeys the terms.

Zurlini also negotiated settlements with Energy Exteriors, West Coast Vinyl, Harley Exteriors, Penguin Windows and Evans Glass. The settlements don’t require the companies -- which deny the allegations – to admit wrongdoing. However, the agreements help ensure they abide with the state Consumer Protection Act in the future.

The office’s Consumer Protection Division sent letters to more than 30 window and home siding installation businesses last fall, as part of an effort to educate them about high-pressure pitches, inflated prices and fraudulent endorsements that are illegal and have the potential to damage the industry’s reputation.

DOCUMENTS

Seattle's Best Home Improvements Complaint 

Seattle Best Home Improvements Consent Decree 

Media Contact: Kristin Alexander, Media Relations Manager – Seattle, (206) 464-6432, kalexander@atg.wa.gov