Dear Greg: We hired Pure Air and Heat to repair the AC on a rental home we have in Longwood. The owner came on Sept. 9 and took the fan and motor from the unit, promising to return that afternoon or the next day with a new motor. We paid $340 cash on the spot to expedite the service. He did not return that day. We called the next day, Saturday, and he said he could not come until Monday. On Monday he called saying he had an emergency and was calling from the hospital and would repair the unit later that week. I told him we could not wait any longer and would get someone else to do the work, and that we wanted our $340 back. On the 13^th he called to say would be out of the hospital in two days and would come then. We told him the unit was already fixed and demanded our refund again. He said he would take care of it upon leaving the hospital. On Sept. 24 he called to say he had been sick again and would come to our house the next day with the money. Still no refund. Now we are the ones getting sick with these delays. MARIANO RIVERA MAITLAND

Dear Mariano: It seems the repair gods were just not smiling on this job — or the attempted refund. “Please be advised that the Riveras will receive their refund by Nov. 15 or before,” a company rep wrote to me. “As we explained to them, we had purchased — at their request — the motor, capacitor and bracket, and fan blade. After a two-day delay in parts procurement we called to tell them we were on the way. They informed us they had already called someone else, with no notice to us, and now we are stuck with these parts.” Here’s wishing everyone involved a healthy and happy holiday season.

Dear Greg: In May this year, I purchased an Asus Transformer Tablet. From the beginning I had problems with the device and the plug-in was constantly getting really hot. I called Asus on several occasions and they said this was normal. Last week I had another issue with the tablet and the gentleman on the phone asked me to take it out of the case to get the serial number. The tablet has been in the case since the day I got it — had never been dropped or damaged and never even left the house. I am a 62-year-old woman with a brain tumor and I have depended on the tablet for many things, so it was treated with kid gloves. When I removed it from the case I was shocked to see it had melted where the plug-in attaches and was still extremely hot in the lower left area of the tablet. I told the person on the phone and he didn’t seem overly surprised and told me to send it back for repair. Now Asus says it won’t cover it because it is “physical damage.” Of course there’s physical damage — it’s melted! They will fix it for $100, but being on a fixed income that is impossible for me to do. Five months and seven phone calls and they won’t help. I am at my wits end. PATRICIA THOMAS SANFORD

Dear Patricia: I wouldn’t say that. You still have enough wits to write an excellent letter. Like M&Ms, a tablet should not melt in your hands. Your experience seems atypical, judging by the very positive comments I found online from Asus owners. Asus doesn’t want you or your tablet to melt down, and has agreed to repair or replace it at no cost.

Dear Greg: I just wanted to let you know that Sharon Hatcher’s loan closed this morning (Oct. 28) and she is the proud owner of a brand-new Ryland home. We realized her need for a speedy closing — described in your column — and her loan officer Phil Ferguson made sure to get her in before Thanksgiving. FBC will be sending the Hatchers a $50 gift card to Publix for their Thanksgiving turkey. S. JOE NUNZIATA, CHAIRMAN, FBC MORTGAGE

E-mail Greg at gdawson@tribune.com; or call 407-420-5618; or write to Greg Dawson, Orlando Sentinel, 633 N. Orange Ave., MP-218, Orlando FL 32801.