Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:15/04/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On or about March 10, 2023 we had Rotban Cleaning Services apply a moss removal service to our roof and gutter cleaning. Their website states "Moss shrivels and turns to mud itself in the weather". The moss did not turn to mud and instead, moved in large chunks, clogged an area on our roof, and caused a roof leak. We hired a roofer to repair the leak and contacted Rotban to advise what happened. Gregg ******** said that he would send the warranty inspector over and that "** **** ***** **** **** **** *** * *** ** ***** **** *** ********** **** *** *** **** *** *** ******* ** ***** ****." He apologized. The clumps of moss is what caused the build up of water and therefore leak in our roof. The inspector came out and we heard nothing back as of April 13th. I then emailed Gregg asking for a refund. He called my husband and said that "******** ***** ********* *** ****" and that the issue was our roof and not their problem. If we had been advised that the moss was too heavy BEFORE the treatment, we would have had the option to not proceed. At no time did anyone say that or suggest this may be an issue. In addition, we still have moss on our roof. It didn't "flow down the downspout" as stated on website. I should be asking for them to refund us in addition to the cost it took to repair our roof, but I would be satisfied with a full refund.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 24/04/2024

  I, Gregg ********, owner of ROTban Ultra Cleaning Corp. hold a Certificate from the Roofing Institute of BC. I successfully completed a course in roofing from this, the highest authority on roofing in BC.   I also have proof that I was a member of the ***** ***** and ******* ****** as a Certified Cedar Roof Installer.  I was a member of the ***** ****** for 5 years as owner of ************ ******* *****.  (3 scanned documents).   I have spent many years doing roof maintenance and re-roofing. I’m trying to help you with the roof issue. You mistakenly believe your roof issue was caused by a bunch of dead moss.   But you have need of a method that would ensure that this incorrectly installed and incorrectly repaired valley that leaked from the moss dam will never leak again. 
  
  I attach photos of repairs to this valley end.  They prove to anyone knowledgeable in my trade that your repairs up to the date of our inspection were not done by skilled roofers.  Your oft repeated statement that a dead bunch of moss caused your roof to need repair is incorrect and I vigorously disagree.  Dead moss did gather and did cause water to back up, it is true.  You are correct in that. However, that water went right in through a pre-existing gap in the failed valley flashing and stained the ceiling.  The gap itself is a preexisting roofing deficiency that has had two attempted repairs, and maybe one more since we’ve seen it.  But it is important that this gap is repaired properly. Unless the repair is done properly, other events can also cause water to go in through the same gap.  Windblown rain and Ice are the most likely events that could still do this.  As far as the badly crumbled concrete tiles going down the valley go, this condition was also pre-existing.  We did not walk on your roof to do the treatment, as not walking on roofs is our main point. this is for the sake of not damaging roofs.  We kept our eyes open for roofing issues, but this gap at the end of the valley could not be seen from the gutter area from which height we worked.  As explained before you had us do the job, we work from ladders that contact the roof just above the gutters.  We have never claimed to deliver a free professional roof inspection service to discover problems, simply the courtesy of keeping our eyes open for problems and reporting what we see.
  
  We agree that our roof moss removal service failed on this point - that the heavy moss did not break down well and ended up in your valley. I apologize for this and take responsibility as it normally breaks down.  In addition, we will change our website wording, sales material and words we speak to reflect that fact that it is possible that heavy moss will not break down, as you have unfortunately experienced.
  
  Our gutter cleaning service was done correctly and lived up to its guarantee.  That was done at a cost of $200 plus GST.  We offer no refund for any part of that service as it was done correctly with a 2 month guarantee.
  A photo you attach showing little bits of dead moss on your steep roof area is in fact a good representation that our service does as we promised.  We promised that the moss would be dead at the 6 month point and that we would inspect for that proactively.  The promise is that if there is green and growing moss, we will re-treat those areas.  Normally, right now you would get a re-treatment of the green and growing moss. There has been an interruption because of your complaint.  Since the date of completion was October 23, 2023 the inspection was done at the same time as we were there to understand the water leak.  Your statement here that the moss treatment was done on March 10, 2023 is incorrect, sorry.  I attach the Invoice. We also include photos which show the truth in what I’m saying. 
  
  Please accept our offer of compensation of $682.50 for our errors.  As part of this offer, we will supply good written technical information with pictures about waterproofing valley installations in exactly this kind of vulnerable architecture. It looks to us like about a 3-hour job in this case. It utilizes glued down underlay by a qualified roofer.  
  
  Sadly, since we have had a difficult disagreement, and you claim to have a roofer removing moss in conflict with our service, I don’t feel comfortable having our employees on your property, so part of this agreement is that we void the 4 year moss free Warranty.
  
  Our Refund Offer is $682.50 payable immediately upon acceptance of this response.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 24/04/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Gregg says in his response “dead moss did gather and cause water to back up, it is true. You are correct in that.”   He later admits “We agree that our roof moss removal service failed” and that “the heavy moss did not break down well and ended up in your valley.”  This in essence is the point.  Because the product didn't work as promised, a leak in our roof was caused.  
  
  Gregg said “water went right through a pre-existing gap in the failed valley flashing..”.  Our roof was built to code at the time it was constructed by a certified contractor. The gap you speak of has been there for many years.  We’ve had rain, hail, snow, etc on our roof yet never ONCE was there a back  up of water or a leak.  It's clear to me (and also the roofer who has now FIXED the issue) that the ONLY thing that caused a leak was the clumps of moss blocking the valley causing a back up of of water, then the leak in our roof.   It doesn’t matter what you say potentially "could"  happen or "might" happen in the future to cause a leak because the fact remains that the blockage caused the leak – and nothing else.  A direct result of your product not working as was promised. If there was no blockage there would have been no leak.   Why was there a blockage?  The moss didn't break down as Rotban's product didn't work (Gregg has admitted this). 
  
  Gregg talks about his years of experience, it’s unfortunate he didn’t use this experience to let us know the moss may have been too much for Rotban’s solution to work BEFORE applying the solution.  Instead, he apologized after the fact admitting Rotban’s mistake. I feel that Rotban was remiss in not properly assessing our roof prior to spraying the solution. While Gregg says that it's not part of the Rotban’s process to properly inspect, I believe that is a shortfall they have and could avoid issues such as this in the future (especially since Gregg is so experienced - why would he not do that?).  I notice that only after something went wrong that Rotban put in the effort to inspect our roof. Unfortunately it was not to help us, but to try and deny any fault of theirs.
  
  Last week when our roofer was here, a tool fell off the roof and caused damage to our neighbour's house. No questions asked, they hired someone to repair the damage.   (It took 2 days from the accident). That is customer service. Compare this to Rotban who admits fault with their product not doing what it was supposed to and therefore causing a leak  in our roof and we have to go through the Better Business Bureau only to be offered a partial refund.  I’m still asking for a full refund, which includes the gutters which also got filled up again because the moss didn't break down. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 25/04/2024

  A cheque for a full refund of $1,365.00, for invoice #****** has been put in the mail.