Just prior to a disaster and during the early recovery period, items like food, ice, generators, lanterns, lumber, etc. may be in short supply. Charging “unconscionable prices” for these and other necessities prior to and after a disaster is not only unethical, it's illegal. An “unconscionable price” is determined by comparing the price asked during an emergency with the price charged for the same commodity during the preceding 30-day period. Merchants are not permitted to charge excessive prices unless the increases in prices are attributable to cost increases incurred by merchants.

If you believe that you may you have witnessed or been a victim of price gouging, it is important for you to report any vendor(s) whose prices unreasonably exceed those ordinarily charged for comparable goods and services in the same market area at the time of a declared emergency. However, it is also important for you to obtain as much information as possible regarding the item(s) in question.

There may be times in our lives when we are faced with a natural disaster, such as a hurricane. After a disaster, it's difficult to focus on the various tasks that need to be handled. We have put together some quick tips to aid consumers in making the right home repair decisions.

Were you one of cable TV customers that lost service during the last hurricane season? Well, you were not alone. Literally hundreds of thousands of cable TV customers in Miami-Dade County lost service due to power outages and fallen trees. Some cable TV customers got their service back within a few days when commercial power was restored while others didn’t get service back for weeks due to downed or uprooted cable lines.