Residents cry foul over defective generators sold them

A Guam-based company is being accused of selling rusted, moldy, and mildewed generators to Typhoon Souledor-battered Saipan residents who said they were duped into buying the defective machines.

Rep. Ed Propst (Ind-Saipan) said he has received some calls from constituents who purchased brand new generators from a company in Guam called “Tanks-A-Lot.”

“Apparently the generators they got have mechanical problems and cannot start and now they are being told by the company that they cannot get any refunds,” Propst said.

“I’m deeply concerned about this and ask all of our people to be careful when purchasing anything and make sure you are fully aware of the company’s return policy and that you have a copy of it,” he added.

Propst said he will be formally requesting the CNMI’s Office of the Attorney General to look into the company’s business practices, particularly the sale of alleged defective generators to Saipan, whose residents have been struggling without power since Soudelor struck last Aug. 2 and 3.

Saipan Tribune contacted Tanks-A-Lot in Guam but the company declined to comment.

According to their Facebook page, the company said the generators they sold were in the warehouse for a few years and some may have developed surface rust. Tanks-A-Lot, however, insists that the generators are brand new.

One Saipan resident posted a complaint on the company’s Facebook page, but the company said the complaint was incorrect.

“Sorry, it needs to be wiped down. Please sell it and sell to a neighbor, if you like. Air freight company would not accept damaged boxes so we changed our final shipments to WB and Home Sound System new boxes, just to have BBB accept the shipment. That’s the honest to God truth. Resell if you’re not happy. Sorry for any post misunderstanding,” a response posted on the company’s Facebook page stated.

One resident who reached out to Propst also said that one of their daughters bought a geneator from the company, only to call back three days later to ask for replacement parts because it wouldn’t start anymore.

Another resident said that when she got the generator from the company, it arrived rusted and some parts looked used. That was in the first week of August and has since had it repaired multiple times.

“It came with no user’s manual and the description on the receipt didn’t match what they verbally said the wattage was. We are taking it up with them…” she said.