East Idaho dune rental company required to change business practices
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REXBURG — A rental company at the St. Anthony Sand Dunes has reached a settlement agreement with Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden.
The announcement came in a news release from Wasden’s office that says a judge approved the agreement between his office and S & R Leavitt, LLC or PMS Dune Rentals. An AG’s Consumer Protection investigation into PMS Dune Rentals and its owner Reynold Leavitt began in June 2020 after multiple consumer complaints.
The complaints included damaged vehicles, unnecessary repairs made to the damaged vehicles and a lack of itemized billing or work orders for the purported repairs, according to the news release.
In Aug. 2019, the Idaho Department of Insurance revoked Leavitt’s license for violating the state insurance code. The complaint against Leavitt claimed he charged his customers for liability insurance at his dune buggy rental business on 16 separate occasions when there was no insurance in effect on the vehicles, according to the release.
Insurance officials said by offering products that were labeled insurance when no policy was in effect, Leavitt was in violation of Idaho Code.
In December, Leavitt and the AG’s office agreed on the settlement that District Judge Steven Boyce approved on Monday. The settlement addresses issues consumers had and requires PMC Dune Rentals and Leavitt to make changes.
The changes include:
- Providing clear and conspicuous website disclosures related to rental costs;
- Online posting of all documents the company requires customers to sign;
- Promptly providing consumers with all documents showing evidence of damages, repair costs, or charges;
- Promptly refunding any money collected the company can’t document as necessary to cover a repair cost;
- Completing repairs of damaged vehicles with reasonable diligence to limit the company’s economic damages;
- Responding to consumers’ written requests within a reasonable time;
- Responding to complaints from the Office of the Attorney General within 21 days
The Attorney General’s Office says Leavitt must pay Wasden’s office $3,500 for fees and costs related to the investigation.