Action 9 helps inspire new bill to protect NC homeowners

State Rep. Carolyn Logan of Mecklenburg County came to Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke back in February with an idea to help homeowners when it comes to home warranties.

Stoogenke has helped numerous homeowners navigate warranty issues, so Logan asked what he would put in a bill about that, and he gave her bullet points that could help limit common problems.

SEE MORE >> ‘I felt ripped off’: Family frustrated with home warranty company after A/C broke

Logan took those five ideas, asked the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office for input, and drafted the new bill, which was filed on Wednesday.

It’s an act “to place consumer protections around home service agreements,” and if signed into law, it would require home warranty companies to follow new standards. That would include:

• Provide a detailed description of what’s ‘not’ included in your policy -- and do so in bold AND in a prominent location in the paperwork.
• Make sure you don’t have to wait more than five business days for a HVAC or major bathroom issue -- if that’s your only bathroom.
• If the company can’t take care of the claim in those five days, let you hire your own vendor and the home warranty company will pay for it.
• Keep a list of vendors and update it often, dropping vendors that are unresponsive or turn down work on a routine basis.

Three other Mecklenburg County representatives are sponsoring the North Carolina House bill, including Mary Belk, Terry Brown, and Laura Budd. The bill will have its first reading either Thursday or Monday, and a North Carolina Senate bill is expected to come out Thursday.

We’ll keep an eye on the bill’s progress in the legislature and bring updates if it’s signed into law.

(WATCH: Action 9 helps homeowner get $3,700 from home warranty company)