Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:26/12/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore 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.

  I had a flood in my condo unit due to a fire that happened in the unit above me in June 2024. I contacted my insurance company and hired my own contractor to do the renovations due to language barrier. I hired a Tamil speaking contractor. His company's name is Smart Restoration. He came to check my unit and for days pressed me to hire him and sign papers in July 2024. He told me everything is legal and made me sign on some forms but when I asked him for copies of it, he refused to give it to me. They began their work in September 2024 and told us it will be only a month of renovation, but then it became 2 months. Then he said his wife should contact our insurance company to avoid complications. His wife identified herself as my niece to my insurance company and property management. I did not know the contractor or his wife prior to hiring him. She is not my niece. So that's a lie. They scammed my insurance company of $36,000 just for flooring, baseboards and painting. They did not do anything aside from that. They also told our property manager not to complete the work as they will do it on their behalf but to get paid. Our property management was going to issue them $9000. That is a total of $45,000. We moved in on October 31, 2024. We realized the contractor did not complete the work in the washroom, kitchen and did not do some painting properly. When asking him, he began to act super disrespectful. Our insurance company called me and came to check my unit to see what work was completed. They realized work was not completed entirely so they stopped payments from going to them. My insurance company was going to send out their own contractors to complete the rest of the work. The contractor's wife called me on November 11, ************************************************************** on the phone. Two days later they show up to my building and I refused entry. They called the police and then there was an investigation. I have attached a letter for further info.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/01/2025

  Hi,

  I called in and informed them that due to Holidays we will provide a response by January 10, 2025.

  They informed that they will leave a note on the file regarding this and that was acceptable.

   

  Thank you

  Arun

  Business Response

  Date: 10/01/2025

  Subject: Response to Complaint Filed by Tharmalingam ************
  To whom this may concern;

  My name is **** ******, and I am the CEO of Smart Restoration. I am writing this letter in response to a complaint made against me and
  my company by ****************************** I would like to clarify the sequence of events and provide an explanation for the
  actions taken by me and my team.
  On June 24, 2024, a fire incident occurred at Unit 702, which triggered the sprinklers and caused water to flood Ms. ************* unit;
  Unit 602. I was contacted by Ms. ************ on July 8, 2024, when I visited the property. During my visit, I spoke with Ms.
  ************, who shared her concerns regarding the ***** board management work issues and the insurance company had denied her
  claim.
  When I provided Ms. ************ with a work authorization form, I explained thoroughly to her in Tamil to ensure her understanding.
  At no point did I pressure her to sign the document immediately. In fact, she retained a copy of the work authorization for two days before she
  signed the work authorization/agreement which bears a date of July 10, 2024. On the day she signed the form her daughter was also present
  at the property. She had mentioned already having legal representation regarding injuries sustained due to the loss and had ample
  opportunity to consult if she had any concerns about the form. Getting the work authorization signed is standard procedure in the
  restoration industry, in order for us to commence work on any property.
  Ms. ************ asked us to assist her with the claim, with talking to the insurance company since her claim was already denied. That's
  when ******* **********, my wife was added to the claim file. Ms. ************ phoned the insurance company and her brokerage as
  well to add ******* ********** to give permission to handle the file. ******* ********** never said that she is blood-related to Ms.
  ************ to insurance company. As we are from the same **************** in our culture, we always give respect to any elder
  person as aunt or sister in a respectful way. ******* ********** respectfully referred to Ms. ************ as aunt in line with Tamil
  cultural norms, there was no suggestion of a blood relationship.
  Throughout the process, ******* ********** maintained consistent communication with Ms. ************, providing updates and
  clarifications about the progress of her claim and all discussion that took place when the claim was finally approved and the adjuster that
  was assigned to the file. We have phone records and text messages to substantiate this.
  Ms. ************ expressed dissatisfaction with the condo managements contractor's work and requested that I undertake repairs,
  including drywall and ceiling work. She signed a separate contract for this additional work which she also took her time to sign. Due to the
  improper work and delays of her claim being approved Ms. ************ had mold growth on the property which we completed testing
  for. There was mold remediation completed on the property as well that has not been paid for. However, delays in receiving responses from
  the insurance company and changes in assigned adjusters (from ***** to *******) caused further complications. Adjuster ******* informed
  us that Ms.************* policy limit had been reached, making her responsible for additional costs, which she was well aware off.
  Packing the contents for relocation proved to be a significant challenge as for the amount of contents that was in the property.
  Ms. ************ and her family did not complete this task. We had a team who worked at the property for several days to pack and
  move contents. During the packing, Ms. ************ insisted that my employees consult her about every single item, asking whether to
  pack it, keep it, or discard it. Some items were even thrown away at her request during the process. This lack of preparation and active
  involvement from her side caused significant delays and consumed a considerable amount of our time. We have everything to
  document this entire process that took place.
  Ms. ************ was relocated to *********************** due to the work being completed on the property, but within one day, she called
  and said she couldn't live there because there were cockroaches. Then she found another location to stay, and I moved her out to the second
  location at *****************. On October 31, 2024, we moved her back into the condo, but I informed her that the condo was not ready
  yet as work was still ongoing, with small touch-up work needing to be done and cabinets needing to be delivered. However, she said she
  wanted to move into the condo and not to inform the insurance company of this, but it was our responsibility to inform her adjuster that she
  had moved back in.

  The insurance company paid $36,158.13 as the first part of the cheque, which we received. This amount had a deductible that what
  reduced which has not been paid yet. However, after months of going back and forth with the adjuster a second payment for the work we
  completed and to be completed at the property was to be sent to us but Ms. ************ called in and re-directed it to her. which she
  did not pay a ***** to us. Additionally, the condo management has not yet paid for the ceiling and drywall work that was completed on
  the property.
  When we moved her back into the property as things were not finalized with the insurance company, Ms. ************ requested her
  old furniture to use until the new items arrived. Ms. ************ had asked us to order the furniture(s), delivery and re-assemble it for
  her but the insurance had not paid for these items to be ordered yet at the time she moved back into the property.
  For the cabinets that required delivery as well, Smart Restoration had already ordered two-bathroom vanity cabinets, two melamine board
  cabinets (each 2 feet, open style), a shoe cabinet, and three high-grade cabinets. Which we paid a deposit on and was waiting for payment
  from insurance company to make final payment in order to pick up the cabinets as the first cheque had already been utilized and work was
  being completed out of pocket. But that is when Ms. ************ informed us that she not going to pay us anymore as we had already
  been paid by the insurance company and the second set of payment that was approved for work, content manipulation, and contents she
  was going to keep.
  I made it clear to Ms. ************ that I was going to return to complete the remaining work, as some tasks were still pending, and the
  ordered cabinets had yet to be installed once we received payment from the insurance company. Additionally, some of her belongings were
  stored in my facility, and unpacking was yet to be done. However, she refused my offer to proceed. With no other option, I had to contact
  the police to report the situation since my tools were still at her property, and I needed to retrieve them. No payment was even made for
  the storage cost incurred from this loss.
  We have all the police reports on record to prove her false allegations about the key situation.
  At every stage, my team and I acted professionally, adhering to standard industry practices while accommodating Ms. *************
  requests. We placed a lien on the property as we completed the work but have not been paid for the services rendered. The matter will be
  filed in court shortly, and I am confident we will receive justice. We have all the necessary evidence and documentation, which will be
  submitted during the legal proceedings.
  According to the signed work authorization, we offered our services, but the client refused further assistance. We can only complete work
  that was approved by the insurance company only, if there was additional work Ms.************ required then that should have been
  something she should have discussed with us and would have costed her additionally.
  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address this complaint. Please feel free to contact me if further clarification or
  documentation is required.

  Sincerely,
  **** ******
  CEO, Smart Restoration

  Business Response

  Date: 10/01/2025

  Subject: Response to Complaint Filed by Tharmalingam ************
  To whom this may concern;

  My name is **** ******, and I am the CEO of Smart Restoration. I am writing this letter in response to a complaint made against me and
  my company by ****************************** I would like to clarify the sequence of events and provide an explanation for the
  actions taken by me and my team.
  On June 24, 2024, a fire incident occurred at Unit 702, which triggered the sprinklers and caused water to flood Ms. ************* unit;
  Unit 602. I was contacted by Ms. ************ on July 8, 2024, when I visited the property. During my visit, I spoke with Ms.
  ************, who shared her concerns regarding the ***** board management work issues and the insurance company had denied her
  claim.
  When I provided Ms. ************ with a work authorization form, I explained thoroughly to her in Tamil to ensure her understanding.
  At no point did I pressure her to sign the document immediately. In fact, she retained a copy of the work authorization for two days before she
  signed the work authorization/agreement which bears a date of July 10, 2024. On the day she signed the form her daughter was also present
  at the property. She had mentioned already having legal representation regarding injuries sustained due to the loss and had ample
  opportunity to consult if she had any concerns about the form. Getting the work authorization signed is standard procedure in the
  restoration industry, in order for us to commence work on any property.
  Ms. ************ asked us to assist her with the claim, with talking to the insurance company since her claim was already denied. That's
  when ******* **********, my wife was added to the claim file. Ms. ************ phoned the insurance company and her brokerage as
  well to add ******* ********** to give permission to handle the file. ******* ********** never said that she is blood-related to Ms.
  ************ to insurance company. As we are from the same **************** in our culture, we always give respect to any elder
  person as aunt or sister in a respectful way. ******* ********** respectfully referred to Ms. ************ as aunt in line with Tamil
  cultural norms, there was no suggestion of a blood relationship.
  Throughout the process, ******* ********** maintained consistent communication with Ms. ************, providing updates and
  clarifications about the progress of her claim and all discussion that took place when the claim was finally approved and the adjuster that
  was assigned to the file. We have phone records and text messages to substantiate this.
  Ms. ************ expressed dissatisfaction with the condo managements contractor's work and requested that I undertake repairs,
  including drywall and ceiling work. She signed a separate contract for this additional work which she also took her time to sign. Due to the
  improper work and delays of her claim being approved Ms. ************ had mold growth on the property which we completed testing
  for. There was mold remediation completed on the property as well that has not been paid for. However, delays in receiving responses from
  the insurance company and changes in assigned adjusters (from ***** to *******) caused further complications. Adjuster ******* informed
  us that Ms.************* policy limit had been reached, making her responsible for additional costs, which she was well aware off.
  Packing the contents for relocation proved to be a significant challenge as for the amount of contents that was in the property.
  Ms. ************ and her family did not complete this task. We had a team who worked at the property for several days to pack and
  move contents. During the packing, Ms. ************ insisted that my employees consult her about every single item, asking whether to
  pack it, keep it, or discard it. Some items were even thrown away at her request during the process. This lack of preparation and active
  involvement from her side caused significant delays and consumed a considerable amount of our time. We have everything to
  document this entire process that took place.
  Ms. ************ was relocated to *********************** due to the work being completed on the property, but within one day, she called
  and said she couldn't live there because there were cockroaches. Then she found another location to stay, and I moved her out to the second
  location at *****************. On October 31, 2024, we moved her back into the condo, but I informed her that the condo was not ready
  yet as work was still ongoing, with small touch-up work needing to be done and cabinets needing to be delivered. However, she said she
  wanted to move into the condo and not to inform the insurance company of this, but it was our responsibility to inform her adjuster that she
  had moved back in.

  The insurance company paid $36,158.13 as the first part of the cheque, which we received. This amount had a deductible that what
  reduced which has not been paid yet. However, after months of going back and forth with the adjuster a second payment for the work we
  completed and to be completed at the property was to be sent to us but Ms. ************ called in and re-directed it to her. which she
  did not pay a ***** to us. Additionally, the condo management has not yet paid for the ceiling and drywall work that was completed on
  the property.
  When we moved her back into the property as things were not finalized with the insurance company, Ms. ************ requested her
  old furniture to use until the new items arrived. Ms. ************ had asked us to order the furniture(s), delivery and re-assemble it for
  her but the insurance had not paid for these items to be ordered yet at the time she moved back into the property.
  For the cabinets that required delivery as well, Smart Restoration had already ordered two-bathroom vanity cabinets, two melamine board
  cabinets (each 2 feet, open style), a shoe cabinet, and three high-grade cabinets. Which we paid a deposit on and was waiting for payment
  from insurance company to make final payment in order to pick up the cabinets as the first cheque had already been utilized and work was
  being completed out of pocket. But that is when Ms. ************ informed us that she not going to pay us anymore as we had already
  been paid by the insurance company and the second set of payment that was approved for work, content manipulation, and contents she
  was going to keep.
  I made it clear to Ms. ************ that I was going to return to complete the remaining work, as some tasks were still pending, and the
  ordered cabinets had yet to be installed once we received payment from the insurance company. Additionally, some of her belongings were
  stored in my facility, and unpacking was yet to be done. However, she refused my offer to proceed. With no other option, I had to contact
  the police to report the situation since my tools were still at her property, and I needed to retrieve them. No payment was even made for
  the storage cost incurred from this loss.
  We have all the police reports on record to prove her false allegations about the key situation.
  At every stage, my team and I acted professionally, adhering to standard industry practices while accommodating Ms. *************
  requests. We placed a lien on the property as we completed the work but have not been paid for the services rendered. The matter will be
  filed in court shortly, and I am confident we will receive justice. We have all the necessary evidence and documentation, which will be
  submitted during the legal proceedings.
  According to the signed work authorization, we offered our services, but the client refused further assistance. We can only complete work
  that was approved by the insurance company only, if there was additional work Ms.************ required then that should have been
  something she should have discussed with us and would have costed her additionally.
  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address this complaint. Please feel free to contact me if further clarification or
  documentation is required.

  Sincerely,
  **** ******
  CEO, Smart Restoration