TAMPA – Pasco County man alleges that a business harassed him by phone for a purported debt owed for mattress set he claims was returned.
Thomas Minas filed a complaint on April 5 in the Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida against Buddy's Newco LLC, doing business as Buddy's Home Furnishing, alleging violation of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act provisions.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he entered into a retail installment payment plan to purchase a mattress set from the defendant. The suit states the mattress set was infested by bed bugs and was removed by the defendant five days after purchase. The plaintiff holds Buddy's Home Furnishing responsible because the defendant made calls using an automatic telephone dialing system and/or pre-recorded or artificial voice in an attempt to collect the alleged debt. The calls were made without his prior express consent, he alleges.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensation for all damages, attorneys’ fees and costs and for such other relief the court may deem proper. He is represented by Ian R. Leavengood, Aaron M. Swift, Gregory H. Lercher and Sara J. Weiss of Leavenlaw in St. Petersburg.
Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida Case number 8:16-cv-00809