Delaware News

Attorney General Jennings Secures Restitution And Governance Improvements For Residents Of Noble’s Pond

Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2023


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Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced today that the Department of Justice has settled its lawsuit against a developer for allegedly having misled residents at Noble’s Pond, a 55+ community outside Dover, Delaware and will begin making payments to residents.  The Department’s complaint, filed in 2019, included charges that Regal Builders, LLC, its president, and related entities, violated Delaware law by requiring homebuyers to enter into contracts that were confusing and that failed to disclose material facts.  The complaint also alleged that the developer violated Delaware law by forcing residents to buy telecommunications and propane services through companies owned by the developer, often at a substantial markup. Regal Builders denies the allegations. 

“It is important for real estate developers to deliver home buyers what they promised and to follow the law,” said Attorney General Jennings. “We were able to work with Regal Builders and reach a settlement that addressed our concerns and provided homeowners with restitution.”  

 The parties have agreed to a settlement that includes the following: revisions of the developer’s sales and advertising materials;  revisions to the community’s governing documents; limits on the amounts that can be charged for telecommunications services; increased resident participation in the governing boards of the community; and payments to residents.  Representatives from the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice will hold meetings in the coming weeks to answer questions regarding the settlement.  

 A copy of the settlement agreement is available here.  

 This matter was handled for the Delaware Department of Justice by the Fraud and Consumer Protection Division’s Consumer Protection Unit. 

 

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Attorney General Jennings Secures Restitution And Governance Improvements For Residents Of Noble’s Pond

Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2023


Navy blue background featuring the Delaware state seal in the center

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced today that the Department of Justice has settled its lawsuit against a developer for allegedly having misled residents at Noble’s Pond, a 55+ community outside Dover, Delaware and will begin making payments to residents.  The Department’s complaint, filed in 2019, included charges that Regal Builders, LLC, its president, and related entities, violated Delaware law by requiring homebuyers to enter into contracts that were confusing and that failed to disclose material facts.  The complaint also alleged that the developer violated Delaware law by forcing residents to buy telecommunications and propane services through companies owned by the developer, often at a substantial markup. Regal Builders denies the allegations. 

“It is important for real estate developers to deliver home buyers what they promised and to follow the law,” said Attorney General Jennings. “We were able to work with Regal Builders and reach a settlement that addressed our concerns and provided homeowners with restitution.”  

 The parties have agreed to a settlement that includes the following: revisions of the developer’s sales and advertising materials;  revisions to the community’s governing documents; limits on the amounts that can be charged for telecommunications services; increased resident participation in the governing boards of the community; and payments to residents.  Representatives from the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice will hold meetings in the coming weeks to answer questions regarding the settlement.  

 A copy of the settlement agreement is available here.  

 This matter was handled for the Delaware Department of Justice by the Fraud and Consumer Protection Division’s Consumer Protection Unit. 

 

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Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.