Potter v. Dangler Mobile Homes

401 N.E.2d 956, 61 Ohio Misc. 14, 28 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1013, 15 Ohio Op. 3d 329, 1977 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 123
CourtPaulding County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedDecember 14, 1977
DocketNo. CI-76-211
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 401 N.E.2d 956 (Potter v. Dangler Mobile Homes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Paulding County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Potter v. Dangler Mobile Homes, 401 N.E.2d 956, 61 Ohio Misc. 14, 28 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1013, 15 Ohio Op. 3d 329, 1977 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 123 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1977).

Opinion

Hitchcock, J.

This cause was tried to the court on May 26, 1977 and June 16, 1977, and the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, the following as—

FACTS

Plaintiff visited mobile home sales agencies in the vicinity of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and discovered one to his liking manufactured by defendant Fairmont Homes, Inc. (Fairmont). He returned to Paulding to Dangler Mobile Homes, the trade name of the proprietorship of Gene N. Dangler (Dangler) the other defendant herein who has operated a mobile home business in Paulding for the last 9 years. Plaintiff did this because of past dealings with Dangler which convinced him that Dangler was an honorable and trustworthy businessman, an opinion he continues to hold.

After discussing various features of the Village Green model, plaintiff, on March 28,1974, confirmed an order for a particular model No. 6024-3B-SW with specified desired features among which were “electric furnace” and “Total Electric” fixtures all to be delivered to Cecil, Ohio, without set-up or foundation for $13,900. Although Dangler had sold some Fairmont mobile home units previously this was the first “double-wide” Fairmont unit sold by him.

Plaintiff understood that said mobile home was to have the special insulation commonly provided for efficient electric heat in this area in the winter time. Pursuant to this confirmed order defendant Fairmont delivered the ordered unit and billed Dangler on itemized invoice No. 009076 dated 5-23-74 for a total price of $11,523.

[16]*16Among the items appears one reading as follows:

“All Electric Package 325.00
“Special Insulation “Electric Range
“30 Gal. Electric Water Heater F210 “307 Electric Furnace F013 “200 AMP Service”

Plaintiff is not in default for payments on the home. After having much difficulty with condensation, internal frost, and high electric bills the winter of 1974-75, plaintiff employed one Curtis W. Shafer, a regular employee of Johns Manville Fiberglass Corporation who had substantial experience in home insulation, to insulate plaintiffs mobile home. Shafer was assisted by plaintiff’s next door neighbor, Lewis A. Mosier. Plaintiff paid Shafer at least $350 and Mosier $407 and paid $208 for wall insulation materials. About 15 percent of the wall area was found to be completely without any insulation and substantial additional areas to have quite thin insulation, about V2 of what plaintiff expected from having examined Fairmont sales literature at the Dangler agency. Although plaintiff is gainfully employed at a substantial salary he is able to read and write practically nothing except his name. Later, in the fall of 1975, plaintiff paid at least $300 for additional insulation in the ceiling of the mobile home.

Peter Wilhelm, a man of long experience in home construction, who also operates a mobile home sales agency and rental park in early 1975 inspected plaintiff’s mobile home and gave an estimate for properly insulating the home at $3,250.

Plaintiff complained to Dangler in the 1974-75 winter period and Dangler relayed the complaints to Fairmont and requested service but same was not forthcoming. Dangler did visit plaintiff and suggest that he might possibly obtain an additional $200 for plaintiff in insulating material but plaintiff never indicated he would be satisfied with such adjustment.

Plaintiff did show Dangler several areas without insulation when they began reinsulation of their mobile home but neither Dangler or any representative of Fairmont was present at the time the siding was pried loose to see what insulation lay beneath.

[17]*17There has been substantial water damage to a number of interior panels and to the carpet. Twenty such panels worth $9 each should be replaced, and $300 is needed to replace the damaged carpet.

Fairmont’s director of service insists that the moisture problems of which plaintiff complains is caused by both under insulation and over insulation but he failed to give any scientific explanation of what the optimum insulation for plaintiff’s mobile home should be. Moreover, he revealed no information as to what insulation definitely was or should have been built into the unit and why the same was adequate for the variety of winter weather typical of the weather history of any 21 year or greater period in Northwestern Ohio. Nor did either the seller or the manufacturer show that the provided “all electric package” was or should have been adequate for at least 95 percent of the varying kinds of weather this community experiences over the years.

The mobile home accepted by and paid for by plaintiff was not suitably fit for the purpose of human habitation in an ordinary manner in this vicinity, which is the purpose it was to serve as known to both the buyer and the seller and the manufacturer. The reason was lack of appropriate insulation, a defect not observable until freezing weather disclosed the fact. Notice of the inadequacy of the unit’s insulation was given to the seller within a reasonable time after its discovery which was in turn relayed to the manufacturer. Defendant Dangler attempted to cause defendant Fairmont to correct the disclosed defect and /or replace the unit. The manufacturer failed to respond by either replacing the unit with a suitable like unit or to refund a portion of the purchase price agreeable to the purchaser by reason of the disclosed deficiency within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

LAW

At the time of this transaction in early 1974, Ohio versions of “The Uniform Commercial Code-Sales” — R. C. 1302.01 to 1302.98 — and “The Uniform Consumer Sales Practices Act” — R. C. 1345.01 to 1345.13 — were in full force and effect, the former since July 1, 1962, and the latter since July 14, 1972. By January 1, 1977, the former of these acts had been adopted by the 48 other states and the District of Columbia; and the latter by two other states, Kansas and Utah. [18]*18Consequently, the Uniform Commercial Code governed all conduct of both defendants and the Uniform Consumer Sales Code governed the Ohio defendant certainly and the nonresident of Ohio defendant has failed to advance any reason why the law of this forum should not bind it in this action and it is, in the circumstances, charged with knowledge of the destination where this unit was to be used.

R. C. 1301.06 (UCC 1-106) provides that its remedies are to be liberally administered.

Both defendants are described in these acts as follows:

In Ohio’s version of the Uniform Consumer Sales Practices Act, effective since July 14, 1972 (adopted by only two other states, Utah and Kansas), R. C. 1345.01 to 1345.13, we find, in pertinent part:

R. C. 1345.01 “(C) ‘Supplier’ means a seller* **or other person engaged in the business of effecting or soliciting consumer transactions, whether or not he deals directly with the consumer.”

R. C. 1345.02 “(B) Without limiting the scope of division (A) of this section. The act or practice of a supplier in representing any of the following is deceptive:

“(1) That the subject of a consumer transaction has * * * performance characteristics, accessories* * *or benefits it does not have;
“(6) That the subject of a consumer transaction will be supplied in greater quantity than the supplier intends.”

R. C.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Keiber v. Spicer Construction Co.
619 N.E.2d 1105 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1993)
Shorter v. Champion Home Builders Co.
776 F. Supp. 333 (N.D. Ohio, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
401 N.E.2d 956, 61 Ohio Misc. 14, 28 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1013, 15 Ohio Op. 3d 329, 1977 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 123, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/potter-v-dangler-mobile-homes-ohctcomplpauldi-1977.