An Ottawa, Kan., company agreed to pay $40,000 in fines and fees for violating state consumer protection laws by selling salvage RVs without disclosing that status to buyers, the state’s attorney general said Tuesday.
This story by Tim Carpenter originally appeared in The Garden City Telegram.
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said the court-ordered penalty against Central RV, of Ottawa, stemmed from an investigation of complaints regarding unfair and deceptive acts tied to Nicholas Ford, a Gardner resident and the owner and president of Central RV.
In a consent judgment signed by Ford, Central RV was required to pay $30,000 in civil penalties and $10,000 in investigation costs. The company agreed not to violate the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and to comply with Kansas statutes related to dealer licensing, sales, sales reporting, titles and registration.
The attorney general’s office launched the inquiry in 2016 following allegations that Central RV was selling salvage RVs without properly disclosing their salvage status as required by law. Central RV was also alleged to be selling recreational vehicles “with all faults” and excluding an implied warranty — practices that are prohibited in Kansas.
The judgment approved Monday by Franklin County District Judge Eric Godderz included $131,000 in additional civil penalties that were suspended on the condition that the company comply with the court order.
