Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/05/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Our problem is regarding post-contract charges on a Vista Credit Corp rent-to-own contract for a water heater.
  
  We signed an Assignment Certificate for the rental of a water heater when we moved into our home "for the remaining Term as defined in the Agreement". The Agreement defines the term clearly as 120 months, which should have ended with September, 2022 being the last month we were billed. We noticed this month we were still being billed and called the company to request a refund for the 8 months where our water heater was paid off in full, but we were still charged. This refund was denied, quoting clause 9 in the agreement which was assigned ("if you do not notify us of your intention prior to the expiry of the Term, [...] we will continue to bill you at the then current monthly Payment").
  
  Apart from that being an absolutely unethical, misleading, and deceptive clause that the previous owner of the house should never have agreed to (she likely accepted this water heater in one of those high-pressure door-to-door selling schemes that came to an end with the introduction of the new consumer protection laws in 2014), we don't believe we are bound by that term. The contract itself is contradictory (making it clear the previous owner was in this rent-to-own scenario with the water heater for 120 months, but also including this clause that the company would continue to charge her until she noticed and told them to stop). But our Assignment Certificate says that we "agree to assume all rights, obligations and interest to contract # ****** for the rental of 1 PV 50 Hot Water Tank .... for the remaining Term as defined in the Agreement". The term of the agreement is very clearly 120 months, and we would like to receive a refund for the overcharged amount (all costs billed from October 2022 - May 2023 inclusive).
  
  We are aware that this is a common complaint with this company.
  
  Thank you for your help.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 26/05/2023

  As per terms &
  condition # 9. Option to Purchase there are 3 options at the end of the
  original 120 month term. As the customer failed to notify us of their
  intentions the contract was renewed on a month to month basis. The water heater remained under parts warranty during this time. The customer
  contacted us on May 5th and again on May 10th and we have
  explained the same to them including that there is no credit applicable. We
  have taken the liberty to cancel the contract with no further payments as of
  May 10th. All other charges remain valid under contract.

  See contract terms and attached terms and conditions.

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:25/04/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  I had a On Demand Water Heater that was financed by Vista Credit Services. I decided to buy out the water heater and paid it off on April 5th 2023. On April 19th, as per my request, I received confirmation from Vista that the heater had been paid in full and that there would no longer be any invoicing added to my ******** bill. FYI, the hot water heater appears as a separate item on my ******** bill. I will have to make this payment for this month even if it has been paid in full. I now wish to be reimbursed for that payment and also for those payments to cease immediately on my ******** bill. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2023

  Good afternoon,

  The April
  rental charge was invoiced by ******** on April 1st.  The
  buyout was received on April 5th.  As a result, the April charge
  was reimbursed on April 26th and you should see the change on your next bill.

  Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2023

  
  
  ****** ******** *******
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19978852, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  ******* ********
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:21/04/2023

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  Vista Credit / ******* **** ******* is providing the ******** water heater rental at my property. I have been trying to contact them by email or by phone requesting to have the buyout amount calculated so I can buy the water heater and opt out of the rental or to have it disconnected and returned. The buyout option is clearly stated on the **************** and ********************* websites and on the contract and more so is a customer right in Canada. The fact that Vista Credit / ******* **** ******* is not returning emails nor answer the phone makes it impossible to be able to exercise the customer right of buyout.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2023

  Good afternoon,

  It is my understanding the buyout quote was provided on May 9th and that you have been in contact by phone with our customer care team.   We apologize for any delay in response that you encountered and our team is here to address any future concerns.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 18/05/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19966768
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Today May 18th I am still not able to close my account as Vista Credit online payment portal is not working and I can not make the final payment. Karen from Vista customer service has acknowledged over the phone that the problem is on their end but has no solution yet. I am waiting since May 16th for a resolution.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ********* ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 26/05/2023

  In discussing the issues with our customer care department, the customer was told the issue was with his credit card issuer and he was provided the option of mailing a check to our offices.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/04/2023

  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.

  As with claim ********, I received notification from Vista Credit that my hot water tank rental charges would no longer be included with my ******** Gas bill. Vista is requesting my banking information to access a pre-authorized withdrawal. The only reason I agreed to a Vista Credit hot water tank was because the charge was going to be on my monthly gas bill. I realize their contract has legalize in it, but who sends a rental contract to their lawyer before signing. I hope Vista comes up with an alternative payment method because I have no intention of submitting my banking info to Vista.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/04/2023

  Dear *******, 
  

  Thank you for your feedback!
  

  As per the terms outlined in the contract, once the ******** payments are no longer available, the customer agrees to switch to PAP payments. While we are currently exploring other payment options, the only form of payment we currently have is Preauthorized Payments. We will keep our customers appraised of any updates to our payment methods as soon as they become available.  

  Thank you

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/04/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19909257
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:it is an identical response to an earlier email. Vista is, obviously not taking these complaints seriously. I would be agreeable to having a monthly charge on my credit card. If we cannot come to a satisfactory agreement, I would like to have Vista supply me with a signed copy of the rental contract along with, what they might feel is a fair buy out price.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2023

  For Mr. ******* **** complaint, Vista now has credit card billing available, please contact our office on how to proceed.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/04/2023

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  Vista services provided me with the hot water tank. I am with this company from past 12 years. Now I would like to end the contract. I am trying to contact their customer care to understand the procedure to end the contract and the procedure to dispose the water tank. As the water tank is nearing its age, the replacement is absolutely required to avoid serious health concerns. I sent them couple of emails and also tried their customer care phone number. They are not reachable and I am not getting any response. Now I am stuck! The email I used to communicate to them was ********************************** *** **********************. I have attached the emails sent to them in the below attachments

• Initial Complaint

  Date:15/03/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Oct 1, 21 bought house xx xxxxx Petawawa, assumed rental of Vista hot water tank. Dec, 21 Tank serviced due to water being warm, was inspected invoice states “cycled the unit, no issues” Dec 22 requested inspection from local company, rusty coloured water. call not returned. Jan 23 Called again.Technician came 20 Jan 23 said anode rod needed replaced, they would contact Vista. 3 Feb 23 called company told water was not dirty enough replacement not authorized, stated I would have to contact Vista personally if unhappy. Vista called stated company said water was “not that dirty”, said contractor made decision whether to replace tank not Vista. My family forced to consume, bathe in dirty, discoloured water because Vista refused to replace rod. Decided to go to another company needed clean water. Feb 23 called company to replace rod. I assumed expense of inspection, rod, service. Am single mother did not budget for this, rent a hot water tank service should be included. Replacement scheduled 8 Mar 23. 4 Mar 23 tank spraying large volumes of water from top shut off valve, called Vista. Vista said service would be that day. No call all weekend. Total 6 days no hot water had to boil water to bathe and clean. I am injured veteran and was selected for a week-long SoldierOn event so brother staying with my son dealing with issue on my behalf. 6 Mar 23 called Vista, gave approval for another company to do another inspection. 7 Mar 23 company inspected tank, stated non-repairable, I would have to pay for service call. Vista wanted tank to go through warranty, but we were informed warranty void because rod was not inspected every 2 years. Owned house for just over 1 year, was not told about regular inspections during contact with Vista or contractor. Tank inspected in Dec 21, as stated above. Brother purchased new hot water tank installed by local company for $4102 because Vista refused to replace. I am requesting Vista relieves me of contract and provides this in writing

  

  Business Response

  Date: 20/03/2023

  The terms and conditions of the Vista rental contract do not include an option for early termination or cancellation. A buyout payment would be required to finalize the account. Enclosed is a copy of the assignment form signed by the client when they purchased the property and a copy of the rental agreement. Maintenance associated with the equipment is the customers responsibility nor did Vista provide authorization to the customer to replace the unit with a water heater that the customer purchased. The current balance owing on the account is $2039.02+HST, Vista however would be willing to accept a payment of $1635+HST to finalize the account in light of the circumstances that have occurred. The customer can contact our CSR group at ************************ to attain an invoice and for any further information required with their account.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/03/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19601260
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We were told that Vista would not replace the tank, my teenage son was without hot water. It is stated in your response that VIsta did not authorize a replacement of the hot water tank. Without authorization for replacement what was I to do? I needed to have hot water for my son so I made the decision to purchase a new tank. It is stated above that it is my responsibility to maintain the tank. When I had an issue in December 2021, I called this contractor. (Please see attached invoice) As per attached invoice and stated previously your contractor inspected the tank in December 2021 because of the water not being hot. I did not realize at that time that the issue of “warm water” was most likely to be a rod problem. 
  At that time the technician cycled the unit and stated that there were no issues. He stated that we needed a mixing valve to have hot water, no rod was mentioned at that time. If I paid for the inspection then should they not have inspected the rod? Should they not have known as your contractors that the rod was to be inspected every 2 years? Being that I bought this house October 2021 and this call was in December 2021, how did I not maintain the hot water tank? Furthermore, I was not provided the information in the PDF attached until now. That being said, the letter to the previous owner states in para 1 “Your rental contract includes a parts and labour warranty which covers the cost to repair broken or defective equipment parts over the term of the contract”. I called in December 2021 and then again in  December 2022, I called again in January 2023 to follow up to sort out my water issues. In the contract you attached in Para 14 it states “it is the customers responsibility to maintain the equipment” Although I did not have a copy of this prior to being received from this communication I believe I did maintain the hot water tank. I am not willing to payout the contract and will continue to pay my monthly amount until this issue is resolved. Again I request that I be relieved of the contract as this hot water tank failure was of no fault of my own. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ********* ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 21/03/2023

  Vista did not authorize the customer to purchase a new tank and has verified the terms and conditions associated with the rental agreement. A cancellation of the account without remittance of final payment will not occur. The customer can however opt to continue payment of the monthly rental fees for the duration of the agreement.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/03/2023

  Type:Order 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.

  The water heater in my house was installed on March 15, 2013. I wanted to know the buy-out amount for the water heater. I called Vista 3 times in November 2022 and no one answered the calls. On March 8 this year, I received an email from Vista asking me to provide pre-authorized payment method for future billings. I responded by requesting a copy of the rental contract **********. The previous owner did not provide me with a copy of the contract so I am requesting a copy from Vista. As of today (March 11), I have not received any response from the company. I called the phone # provided but no one answered. I just want to know when the contract ends and how much is the buy-out amount. It's impossible to get hold of anyone in the company to address my inquiries.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 13/03/2023

  The customer care department has reached out to the customer today by phone and email regarding the request for a buyout and copy of the rental agreement. The customer can email Customercare e: ******************************** regarding any further inquiries associated with the account.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 13/03/2023

  
  
  ****** ******** *******
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19583282, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* *****
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/03/2023

  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.

  My Contract number is ******. My contract ended last month and I have been trying to buy out my hot water rental. I have sent multiple emails to Vista and I have not heard any reply from them. They have been absolutely silent. They even increased the monthly amount from 34 CAD to 64 CAD. I have been trying to inquire about that as well but no answer. I even tried calling them at **************, but no one answered and it goes to voicemail. I have no idea how to contact them at this point. I just simply want to buy out my hot water tank because the contract has ended.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/03/2023

  The customer was notified by our customer service team on January 6th, 2023 regarding confirmation of the contract maturity date. The current monthly rental amount is $32.41+HST. A credit will be issued for the overcharge as verified with the customer by our CSR Meaghan on March 2, 2023. For further information associated with the account the customer can contact the CSR team @ [email protected] p: **************.

   

  ***** ***** ******** ******* ********** 
  ***** ************* ***** **
  *** ****** ******* ***************************
  ******** *** ** ****** ***** **
  
  
  Hello, 
  
  
  I was just informed by my accounting the billing was delayed and the first payment was collected October 2013, therefore the 120 terms commence was October 2013.
  
  There are 8 payments remaining, last rental payment is October 2023. I can have the purchase price invoice with the last payment. 
  
  My apologies for the confusion. 
  
  Regards, 
  
  ******* ******** 
  ******** ******* **************
  *  *** *** **** 
  *  * *** *** ****
  
  ***** ****** ******* *************************** 
  ***** ************* **** **
  *** ***** ******** ******* ********** **************************
  ******** *** ** ****** ***** **
  
  Hello, can you please invoice it to my ******** account please?
  
  ~******
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/03/2023

  
  
  ****** ******** *******
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19523966, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/02/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Our water heating tank broke and leaked all over the basement. It was also leaking gas. I attempted to contact them for support to no avail. ******** had to come disconnect the tank for our safety. It took 24hrs to get anyone on the phone. They refuse to terminate the contract even though the contract is not signed by us. They claim it was put in in 2017 when both the tank and the contract state 2016. They are responsible for more damage to our home as the insurance cannot begin work until they agree the tank can be removed. They have no contract with us and the contract they are saying is tied to our property is not even the same date they are claiming. Horrific and negligent customer service.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 23/02/2023

  Mr. ***** assumed responsibility for the Vista rental unit when he purchased the property per the enclosed assignment and remains under contract. The circumstances surrounding the failure of the unit and subsequent leak are unfortunate. He has been referred to our vendor partner ******** **** ******* to arrange for replacement of the current unit. Their office can be reached at ************. Any additional matters associated with his account can be addressed by Vista's customer service team e: ************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 23/02/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19451271
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The contract you have shown is not binding. The dates you are using to explain the cost you are demanding are not accurate. Beyond that, the Canadian courts and ruled and UPHELD THE RULING that a water heater rental company is LIABLE FOR ALL DAMAGES that are caused by a rental companies tank. So either they can do the decent thing and terminate the contract without penalty and allow me to move forward with my homes repairs or I will gladly hold them liable for the $20,000 of damage to my home. They must take responsibility their behaviour is criminal. 

  Also, I am a woman and am the person on the account. **** ******** ** * ***** You have time to respond promptly to complaints with the *** and not to your actual customers?
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:16/02/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  Dear officer:
  
  I have to complain Vista for 2 things.
  
  Firstly, they setup the auto-pay using my credit card without my permission.
  Secondly, they charged me without official receipt.
  
  I already contacted they for several times to ask the official receipt and remove the auto-pay from their system, but no one reply on me even I warned that I will call my credit card company to refuse the pay.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 21/02/2023

  Monthly statements are not provided for the account. Additional inquiries regarding the account should be directed to the customer care department by email E: ********************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/02/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19421219
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It is not monthly pay. It is half of year one bill. How come you charge me without any detail? I can forward the confirmation which i got. Just seems like a phishing email, is that legally?

  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ***

  

  Business Response

  Date: 23/02/2023

  The payment that was recently processed covered the rental charges for the account from September 2022-January 2023. The email confirmation is a receipt sent to the customer confirming the charge and payment. As outlined in my prior email further information associated with the account can be addressed with the customer care department. Please contact them directly by email if you have any further questions/concerns. E: ********************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 23/02/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19421219
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  I already sent the email to this address for several times but never get the reply. Also I called your center several times but always no one pickup the call and directly disconnected. Please give me one right email or any extension that the people can help me to do that.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ***

  Customer Answer

  Date: 24/02/2023

  
  
  Date Sent: 2/23/2023 11:03:32 AM
   
  Complaint: 19421219
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
   
  
  I already sent the email to this address for several times but never get the reply. Also I called your center several times but always no one pickup the call and directly disconnected. Please give me one right email or any extension that the people can help me to do that.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ***

  

  Business Response

  Date: 17/04/2023

  From: 
  Sent: Monday, April 17, 2023 9:16 AM
  To: 
  Subject: RE: Better Business Bureau Complaint I.D 19421219

   

   

  “Hello,

   

  Thanks for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry your experience didn’t match your expectations. To better assist you, can you email us directly at ************************, so that we may address your concerns directly.

   

  Thank you.”

  Customer Answer

  Date: 17/04/2023

  Hi,
  
  As your suggest, I sent this email to you.
  
  My complaint detail from ***:
  Firstly, they
  setup the auto-pay using my credit card without my permission. Secondly, they
  charged me without official receipt. I already contacted they for several times
  to ask the official receipt and remove the auto-pay from their system, but no
  one reply on me even I warned that I will call my credit card company to refuse
  the pay.
  
  I believe you
  already reviewed my detail. The last response is at 02/23, and until now: 04/17
  I got the second response from ***. It has been almost 2 months you didn’t
  reply, and this reply only give me this email to contact.
  
  I am not sure if
  you will reply on me and give the solve solution quickly, but you hope you can
  do it for me. Appreciate it a lot.
  
  Thx,
  
  *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 18/04/2023

  Hello,

   

  Thanks for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry your experience didn’t match your expectations. To better assist you, can you email us directly at ************************, so that we may address your concerns directly.

   

  Thank you

  Customer Answer

  Date: 18/04/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 19421219
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I sent my detail to this email, but until now no any feedback.

   

  Thx,

   

  *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2023

  For Mr. ***** ***, It is our understanding that you have been in contact with our customer service department and have received your requested statement of account.   Please contact our office if there are further questions.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/05/2023

  
  ****** ******** *******
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19421219, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ***