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Kayak Pools

Kayak Pools • Installation • Liners • "One Free Move" • Sales Practices --- • Kayak Responds

We gather that the original manufacturer of Kayak above-ground pools declared bankruptcy, leaving many Kayak owners stuck with useless warranties. The New Kayak Pool Corp. sells parts to repair leaky Kayaks but isn't responsible for the previous firm's warranty obligations, leaving some pool owners high and dry.

Is the situation better today than it was immediately after the bankruptcy? Hard to say. One thing's for sure: above-ground pools are expensive and more prone to damage than in-ground pools. Consumers should carefully weigh the costs of sinking a lot of money into what is essentially a temporary structure.

Oh, and be sure to read the contract thoroughly before signing it. Completely disregard the salesman's verbal promises. They are meaningless.

Here are a few of the more recent complaints ...

Lucy of New York, NY July 20, 2009

On Thursday July 9th at approximately 6:00pm i decided to check weekend flights to attend a wedding reception in my home town Racine, WI. I entered the dates of July 10 to leave and a return date of July 12th. A fair of 193.00 came up on Air Tran and i booked it. I have 2 computers in my office and mine does not have a printer so i just copied the dates and times directly to my agenda. I know it is shocking but yes i still use an agenda instead of a blackberry.

I was so excited to go home and when i arrived at the La Guardia airport at 12:00 for a 1:20 flight , the airtran lady told me that my flight was actually booked for July 31st returning on August 2nd. I was so upset and what upset me even more was that the lady told me that i was the 3rd person to have shown up thinking that i was flying out and the dates were different and all had used a 3rd party to buy the tickets. I first was told that i had to pay a 75.00 fee to change it but then the managere said that i actually had to buy a new ticket for 275.00 each way in order to fly.

Needless to say i was semi-nuts but i just figured that i would be able to take care of this with kayak somehow. While at the airport, i spent almost one full hour trying to call the numbers to speak to anyone. The Air Tran lady gave me the numbers since the person before me had gone through the same thing. No one ever answered and i left messages with the CEO, the CFO, the director of marketing, the director of PR. I also called the CT offices to never have heard back from anyone.

I called my asst at my office and told her to write a complaint via e-mail to Kayak and she did and they wrote back and said that this is an Air Tran problem and not theirs and Air Tran says it is Kayak's problem. All i know is that it is impossible for me to have inserted teh dates of July 31st and August 2nd. If i had typed in by accident the 13th a day after or a day before i might take responsibility but this is impossible.

The morning i left for the airport my asst printed the confirmation for me and put it in my bag. I did not even look at it since i had already written the dates on my agenda with the flight number etc. When i finally looked at it, it did say july 31 and August 2nd. I do not know what to do. I have stopped payments for all the flights and will pay for the 193.00 flight but i have no intention of paying 550.00 for the flights i had to buy at the airport. Before boarding the plane a man overheard me telling my asst that i must be the only person paying so much money when the airlines are offering such discounts and he took my ticket and gave me a 100.00 coupon towards my next flight. I asked him if he could accept the original ticket as it was and he said he said that he could not do anything after the transactions had been completed at check in which also makes me wonder if it was really ne cessary to buy 2 new tickets. I would appreciate any help or information you could give me for this matter.

William of Bunker Hill, IL July 20, 2009

Our lifetime warrenty Kayak pool's frame broke in two paces and blew out three water walls and bent the supports and the 10 foot deck. Because the local dealer went out of bussiness as well as Kayak pools they would not honor the lifetime warrenty. Kayak went back into bussiness but they supposedly did not buy up the warrenty papers so refused to fixz our pool. They also said they had no record of us buying the pool.

Patricia of Corrigan, TX August 31, 2009

I live in Texas and bought a kayak pool 2 months ago from Swim Texas. They service Texas. I can tell everyone I have had a wonderful 2 months in my kayak pool. And the people have been Great. Right from the start, with Bob the salesman, to Paul and his crew who set it up, to Steve the finance/owner, have all been wonderful. And the best part is , I have Not seen any complaints from anyone in Texas. So i would advise anyone in Texas to go ahead and call Swim Texas and ask to speak to Bob or Steve!!

Raymond of Sumerduck, VA July 7, 2009

We originally were looking to buy a pool from Kayak Pools in May '09. After their demonstration we signed an application for financing and gave a 5000.00 deposit. With an overall credit rating of 810 on all three reports I didn't think financing would be a problem or I would of never gave that kind of deposit knowing its non-refundable after 3 days. Well it is July 7th and we still do not have a pool.

This company offered us to refinance our house at 2% less interest and incorporate the pool in it for the tax break. We said okay. that was the first week of June. This is July 7th and the refinance is still not done either. It is days before anyone returns our phone calls when we leave messages and when they do call or surprisingly answer the phone Its someone elses fault or they are trying to find out. Please help me I have lost 5000.00 and am afraid I could be near losing my house to a scam company.

Robert of richmond, VA May 4, 2009

In April of 2008 we purchased a pool from Kayak pools southeast. We order the pool to have a 5 and half foot depth on one end of the pool. On the day that the pool was being installed and water was being put into the pool it was discovered that the liner was not the correct one for the agreed upon depth. We reached an agreement that we would accept the liner the way it was and that Kayak Pools Southeast would in turn provide a cover for the pool, a case of Pool frog bac pac chlorine cartigages and closing the pool in the fall of 2008. To date they have still not provide the case of chlorine cartigages and the President Rick will not return my phone calls. I have tried to contact him on average once a month since july of 2008. The cost of the chemicals on the main Kayak pools site is 189.99 for a case of 12.

Mark of Independence, KY March 13, 2009

My Kayak pool has a problem with one of the waterwalls. It tore loose from where it is attached. Kayak states that it has a lifetime warranty on all waterwalls. The break caused my pool liner to be damaged. The business which was a franchise of Kayak pools went out of business so I contacted the corporate office directly. They reviewed my pictures and stated that it was an installation error. They would not do anything about it. I would think that a company would have to stand behind the warranty even if the franchisees do not install their pool correctly. It would have only cost Kayak a few hundred dollars. They are not a good company to deal with. If I were you I would not spend your hard earned money on one of their pools. Now I plan to buy all my parts from other companies that sell parts for Kayak pools. For the few hundred it would have cost Kayak to fix the pool they lost all my purchases in the future.

Sharon of Alma, WV March 3, 2009

I can't believe what I'm reading about a Kayak Pool. My husband and oldest son put my in. We did have a hopper end 8ft. and after our boys grew up and got married we decided to fill it in and that way our grandchildren could enjoy it and I could still swim. We have had our Pool for 24 years. We have put life time walls in and had I think 3 liners, I love my pool and can't wait to get in it with the grandchildren. We have a blast. Sorry so many of you are disapointed with your pools, maybe it was who put them in. The pool its self is great easy to clean and take care of. I still have people want to know where I got my pool.

Philomena of Hinckley, IL January 25, 2009

I love my Kayak pool. Worth every penny! Very low maintenance and easy to care for. Purchased in 2004. Excellent installers. Even gave us pool school showing us everything we needed to know. We videotaped it and watch it every year to open & close our pool. Liner had a tiny pin hole near top and they immediately came out to patch. Have called several times with questions and they have always been incredibly helpful. One time I used the wrong type of lubricant for a large o ring causing it to stretch. They suggested I freeze it to shrink it before buying a new one and guess what it worked. They even saved me . Consumers need to take responsiblitlity for the contracts they sign and do their research on what they buy. Don't blame the manufacturor for buyers remorse or subcontracted work.

Tricia of Latham, NY September 12, 2008

We bought the pool back in 7/2007. Upon opening the pool in May 2008 we noticed that the pool liner was pulling away from the wall so I called the 1-800 number and I was told that they had no one to come up here and fix it but that we can still use the pool so enjoy the summer. I told them that I thought it should be covered under the installation warranty and they said if it would be if it was installation related.

So I just called again, since we are getting ready to close the pool, and NOW they said that the installation warranty expired at the end of 7/2008 and that it will cost me 300.00 to get it fixed. I really think that he scammed me in that he knew by blowing me off for 2 months they could make some money. I don't think that I should have to pay 300.00 because obviously 2 employees were incompetent in their job. 1) the installer obviously did not install it properly 2) the woman that I spoke to initially did not log my call. I am not sure what good it would have done for me to write it down if she didn't write it down.

I may have to incure 300.00 in monetary damages to fix the pool or else it may very well ruin the liner and cost me about 600.00 in the spring for a brand new liner.

Ken of Madison Heights, VA September 2, 2008

on the 13 of june at 7 pm we signed a contract at 7 pm at night the 14 and 15 was saturday and sunday so we tried to call all day on monday june the 16 and no return calls so that night we signed contract to cancell and sent it certified mail on tursday the 17 of june. kayak pools now say were in breach of contract for not going trow with letting them put their pool in our yard and it seems that a lot of people had not had their calls returned as well according to web sites. they sent us two letters saying we had to th 17 to rescin on one and the 16 on another.

ln one letter they say we was approved for financing on the 17 and in the other they say the 18 . then in one letter they say they called on the 19 to say pool was in and we was ok with financing terms and in other letter they say they caled on the 23 to say pool was in and we was ok with terms... my thing is if we canceled contract on the 16 sent by mail on the 17 why would we say ok to financing on the 19 or 23 we never gave permision but for them to run credit throw one company and that company name was on top of letter head not to run it trow 5 or 6 companies..now they was us to pay 15 % for breach of contract and put a mechanics lien on our home.

the cancelation letter was signed on the 16 and mailed certified well before midnight on the 17 what was our last day to resind. the salesman had us post date check to the following monday the 16 because it was after their normal buss hours and to write on top of credit check page do not run till june 17

for them to drop his mechanics lien drop this 15% what is 2953.95 and to return my deposit and my lawyer fees and letter statting that no futher actions can or will be taked

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