Refinancing your house can be stressful and expensive as it is, but Wayne Kuhlman’s experience was an even bigger headache thanks to cable company Comcast. Back in 2007, Kuhlman signed up with Comcast but says he never managed to get a signal to his house, despite multiple visits by technicians. He canceled his subscription and that was that — or so he thought when he tried to refinance two years later. Then, he discovered that Comcast had placed his account in collections because Kuhlman hadn’t paid for the “service” he never received. Kuhlman was forced to pay upfront points to get the interest rate he had been expecting. (This is also a good lesson as to why it’s a good idea to check your credit three to six months before you plan to refinance, so you don’t get any unpleasant surprises like this.)
When Amy Davis, investigative reporter at news channel KPRC Local 2 in Houston, contacted Comcast on Kuhlman’s behalf, she was rebuffed. But it couldn’t ignore a court order. Kuhlman sued in small claims court and was awarded $5,087 in damages. Davis reported that Comcast sent Kuhlman the check in December of 2009.