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:04/03/2025

  Type:Product 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.

  April 2 2025, solicitor did not gain concern that he was recording audio of our conversation on our private property

  Business Response

  Date: 04/17/2025

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to this complaint. Since receiving the notice, we have made multiple attempts to contact the individual to better understand and address their concerns. Weve left several messages and also sent a letter to the address listed in the complaint, but unfortunately, we have not received any response.
  After reviewing our records thoroughly, we have not been able to locate any account or interaction that would indicate this person is or has been a customer of ours. That said, we are still very much open to speaking with them directly to clarify any confusion and assist in any way we can.
  We welcome the opportunity to resolve this matter and encourage the individual to reach out to us at their earliest convenience.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/24/2025

  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.

  On 11/26/2024, someone named **** ******* came to my home and told me there were dangerous contaminants in my drinking water and that I needed to get a water filtration system installed. He told me I would get a rebate for the system and that I would actually save money by using it because I would get $267 per month in rebates and savings. He told me that I would be able to save $77 per month. The whole thing is a SCAM! The water filtration system does not do anything. Shap lied to me about everything--there are no rebates, I am not saving any money, and the water filtration system is not making my water any safer. I have told them repeatedly that I know they lied to me, that it is a scam, and that I do not want the so-called "system" on my house. Take it away! Now I am getting letters in the mail from *********************** saying I owe $20,000! $20,000! The letters say ***** ********************** was the dealer. This is such a scam. I never agreed to any of this. I have not gotten any rebate or money back. This is illegal what these people have done. I was told I would not have to pay anything and that the cost of the water filtration system would be paid by rebates. But now I am getting letters in the mail saying I have to pay $20,000. This is not right. This is a scam. I have been lied to and deceived and now I am being told I owe money that I never agreed to. This has to stop. DESIRED SETTLEMENT: I am a victim of a scam. Take away the water filtration system and stop sending me letters saying I owe money for it.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2025

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
  
  We would like to clarify that we have already been in contact with the customer, ****** ******* and have resolved this issue to their satisfaction.
  As per their request, the water filtration system was removed from their home, and we have confirmed that they will no longer be charged for the system. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/21/2025

  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.

  I receieved a call from California Efficiency Group and they stated that this service is through a CA Homeowner ****** The *** made it appear that they are a entity with the state not a for-profit private business. A salesperson arrived at our home and firstly asked to test our water and stated that the City of ******* will be installing filteration devices on our street and need to test our water. After he gained entry and tested the water (he did not inform us the method of his testing and what materials he was using). I observed him perfom his testing and he had not cleaned his device to prevent cross contamination. The salesperson did a quote and kept saying "if we qualify for the program" and wanted more personal information from us. When we told him, no we are not interested, he kept insisting and would not leave our home. Their business practices are misleading the consumer.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2025

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have reached out to Mrs. ***** and carefully heard her account of the situation. We sincerely apologized to her for any inconvenience this may have caused her. Although Mrs. ***** is not an active customer, we take these matters seriously, and as part of our commitment to ensuring that our services align with the highest standards, we will be conducting an internal investigation into this incident.
  We also asked Mrs. ***** if there was anything further we could do to assist her, but she declined. We assured her that we would promptly look into this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/11/2025

  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.

  A representative from this company claimed that he needed to test the tap water, when my partner (female) declined he indicated he would be back again as he needed to test the water. This is very wrong as the representative is attempting to access entry to the home under false pretenses.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2025

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We take customer feedback seriously and want to clarify our approach to offering water treatment solutions.

  
  Our company provides clean water solutions in areas where water contaminants have been identified, using data from ******* (Environmental Working Group) and other reputable sources. As part of our services, we offer free water testing to verify these findings and provide potential solutions for those interested in improving their water quality.

  
  We want to assure you that our representatives do not use false pretenses to enter homes. Our approach is clear and transparent, focusing on educating homeowners about their water quality and providing solutions for those who choose to move forward. We respect the decisions of all homeowners and never pressure or mislead anyone into accepting our services.

  
  If there was any misunderstanding regarding our representative's visit, we sincerely apologize. Our intention is always to inform and assist, never to create discomfort. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further concerns or if we can provide any additional clarification.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2025

   
  Complaint: 23052168
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The representative made absolute statements about the requirement of needing to test the tap water inside the house, providing his employee ID as if it were an official badge from the city. Even after being denied entry and told that we were not interested he returned an additional 2 times, in one day he attempted to "test the tap water inside", he was extremely pushy to the point where police had to be called. 

   

  I also called the company number, i asked the receptionist if they were were the city, water department, or the state and she said that she did not know. When I asked to speak to someone who could answer my question she referred me to a phone number, the number that I had already currently dialed. I assume calls are recorded, I called on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at around 2:20 PST. I ask that you review the call/evidence. 

   

  There was no miscommunication, and the company needs to accept responsibility and do better. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2025

   

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have reached out to ***** ******** and carefully heard his account of the situation. We sincerely apologized for any inconvenience this may have caused. Although Mr. ******** is not an active customer, we take these matters seriously, and as part of our commitment to ensuring that our services align with the highest standards, we will be conducting an internal investigation into this incident.
  We also asked Mr. ******** if there was anything further we could do to assist him, but he declined. We assured him that we would promptly remove his address from our records, in line with his preferences.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/20/2025

  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.

  California Efficiency Group claims you are donating to charity but in reality is taking out a loan in your name.This is their approach and what happened on February 13th:Step 1: Knock on door and instill fear and urgency "Your water is contaminated! We are here to test your water quality!"Step 2: Estimate your spending on sanitary products you use monthly, if you are qualified by the program, they will 'give the sanitary products free of charge monthly' BUT you will be allocating the estimated monthly spending you already spend on those products to a 'charity'Step 3: They also 'include' an in home water filtration system, tankless water heater, and water osmosis system 'free of charge' by the 'program'Step 4: Run a credit score, and have you fill out some paperwork, and talk with an automated system on their phone to 'see if you qualify'Step 5: The plumbers are right around the corner and will install the osmosis system now! And they can schedule you right now to have them come by tomorrow and put in the heater/filtration system.After they left the house I immediately researched everything we got ourselves into, found out none of this was actually free and we are really just signing up for a loan at an EXTREMELY overpriced rate. I explicitly told the guy I did not want to sign anything, and that we wanted to think about it until the next day. The moment I turned away to attend to something, he sneakily got my fiance into signing some paper work and swiftly made their way out of our *******'s also worth noting, the way to cancel this loan is not 100% clear in the paperwork, and we had to take every precaution to ensure it was canceled by emailing every email, calling all the numbers, and physically mailing the cancellation notice.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  We sincerely regret the frustration and confusion caused during your recent experience with California Efficiency Group, and we want to assure you that we take your complaint very seriously.
  After reviewing the matter, we have spoken directly with ****** to address the situation. During that conversation, we confirmed that all services associated with your account have been fully canceled. Additionally, we advised him that they may keep the reverse osmosis system at no cost as a gesture of goodwill.
  To further address his concerns, we have initiated an internal investigation into the conduct of the representative mentioned the complaint. We are committed to holding our team to high ethical and professional standards, and any deviation from those standards is thoroughly reviewed.
  We recognize the inconvenience this has caused him and his family. As an apology, we are sending him a complimentary box of Pure & Gentle products as a token of our commitment to resolving this matter and restoring his trust.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/14/2025

  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.

  On February 10, 2025, ******* *****, a door to door sales person, discussed with me the benefits of a Reverse Osmosis System, while ******* and I were talking a plumbing person came through the back door of my property and installed the Reverse Osmosis System Water System. After seeing how the system worked I informed ******* I wanted the system removed and cancelled any services related to the installation of the system as I did not want it installed in my house. He told me I could have it for free and he didn't have to remove it. Ever since, I've been contacting him requesting the system to be removed, but he has refused to do so because it was free. I just want it removed from my property.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/17/2025

  Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns. 
  
  When we initially offered ***** the Reverse Osmosis System, we did so as a complimentary gift ($300-$400). Upon ******* request to have the system removed, we acknowledged his preference and agreed to uninstall the system at a later date. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/13/2025

  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.

  On March 8th 2024, Serjy and Zyan came to our house offering free water testing and to see if we qualify for the state funded program. We were told we would receive a tankless water heater and a soft water tank and a filtered water system through the efficiency group. Later they checked our credit and asked how much we spend on shampoo and soaps. They than told us we would receive free shampoo and soaps through the program. We also were told we are able to get a 1500 rebate for getting a tank less water heater. They also told us how much we would save on our gas and water bill from having this equipment. We signed the ***** contract believing we would recieve a 1500 rebate for getting the tank less water heater. As of today nothing on our gas and water bill has changed except from going down its going up. The water heater stopped working in September and we only had cold water. It took them over 2 weeks to get us a new one when we have 3 kids and one that's disabled. And of lately this new water heater isn't working either. The showers are only warm on the hottest settings and sometimes it just goes cold. We called efficiency group a few times and they finally got back to me. I told them that I'm very disappointed in this equipment and that we're paying ***** for something that's supposed to work and help lower our bills. I told them to come pick their equipment cause I don't want it anymore. They informed me that I signed a contracted so there is nothing they can do. I informed them that isn't it a breach of contract when I'm paying for something that's supposed to help us lower our bills and it isn't doing anything. Plus we were promised a ********************************************************** a different area. I told him he should have told us before we signed contract. He informed us we need to contact our gas company to see if we can get a rebate through them. I was never told this when we signed up. I was told we would get a the 1500 rebate

  Business Response

  Date: 02/18/2025

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing the customer's concerns with us. We are pleased to inform you that we have successfully contacted **** and come to a mutual agreement. As part of this resolution, we will be sending her $1,000 directly from us to help cover the rebate that was originally communicated to her. This rebate will come from us and not from the gas company. 
  
  Additionally, we have scheduled an appointment to visit her home on the 25th of February to fix the ongoing issues with her water heater. Our team will thoroughly assess the situation and make any necessary repairs to ensure that her water heater operates as intended.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2024

  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.

  I see MANY complaints about the harassing and dishonest sales practices of this company and insist they have their license reviewed for violations. I had a salesperson come to our house on 12/5/24 and he said they were installing water filtration systems in the neighborhood because of a report indicating contaminants in the water. He wanted to come in and test our tap water. I never heard of the company or the report so I didn't let him in. I called ***** and they said they are not affiliated with this company. This person insisted on entering my and my neighbors homes, he had odd requirements for who should be home and implied there was a report out that everyone should know about. He did not have a business card and could not produce any proof except his badge which he quickly flashed. He frightened and upset all of our neighbors. Make them stop!!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/28/2024

  Dear Mr. ************************* you for bringing this matter to our attention. We sincerely apologize for any discomfort or distress caused by the interaction you and your neighbors experienced with one of our representatives. Your concerns are important to us, and we take them very seriously.

  
  We strive to maintain professional and ethical standards in all our sales practices, and we deeply regret if any actions by our team member gave a different impression. Please allow us to address the specific points raised in your complaint:

  
  Sales Approach: We understand that any uninvited solicitation can feel intrusive. Our representatives are trained to provide helpful information about our products and services respectfully and professionally. However, it is not our policy to create any sense of urgency or to misrepresent our affiliations.

  
  Identification and Materials: All our representatives are required to carry proper identification, business cards, and materials that clearly explain our company and the services we offer. It appears this standard may not have been met in your case, and we will investigate this incident further to ensure compliance.

  
  Communication Style: We regret that our representative's approach caused you and your neighbors to feel uncomfortable or harassed. We will use this feedback to retrain our team on appropriate conduct, emphasizing the importance of respectful and non-invasive interactions.

  
  Affiliations with Local Water Authorities: We confirm that our company operates independently and is not affiliated with local water authorities such as *****. Our goal is to educate homeowners about potential water quality issues, but we recognize the need for clear and honest communication.

  
  As part of our commitment to resolving this matter, we will:

  
  Review the conduct of the representative involved.
  Reinforce training for all team members to ensure compliance with our ethical standards.
  
  Again, we sincerely apologize for this experience and any inconvenience it caused. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/02/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory. However, this business should be placed on warning in the event any more of these types of complaints are filed. This harassing practice can escalate to dangerous interactions.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  On 10/16/2024, a representative from California Efficiency Group came to my home and lead me to believe that their company was part of a state program that would provide a free water filter system and tankless water heater. He stated that everything would be free and that we would also be getting free soap and shampoo. We would be able to get the water filter system installed the same evening since conveniently, there was already a plumber down the street installing the water system at another customers house. We would have someone come out the next day October 17 to install the tankless water heater. All he needed to do was run a credit check to ensure that we qualified for the program (because apparently, theyve had customers with bad credit in the past remove the systems to sell), and that it would not impact my credit score. He never said that *************************** would be requesting the credit check (this resulted in drop of my credit score).An application was completed on his phone, which turned out to be a contract with ********, Plumbing, and Heating. After further review of the contract, I realized that it had listed a contract price of $20,000, that was supposedly for me to use as proof that I had made $20,000 worth of improvements/upgrades to my home. After doing some research online and reading some of the complaints on the Better Business Bureau I realized that this company had used the same misleading sales pitch on me and they are not affiliated with any state program, so I contacted him immediately to let him know that I didnt want to move forward with getting any work done and for him to cancel my contract. I also emailed Lees Air, Plumbing, and Heating to cancel my contract the same day it was signed (10/16/2024). On 10/17/2024, I was told I would get a cancellation email by noon on 10/18/2024 but to date no cancellation email has been received despite many attempts to contact this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2024

  Hello,
  We attempted to contact Ms. ******** to follow up and assure her that her contract had been cancelled and reverse osmosis system is free of charge for her to keep or dispose at her discretion. However, we were unsuccessful but sent email providing cancellation notice as requested. We apologize for the delay in response, but requests have been fulfilled. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/21/2024

  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.

  Date of 10/15/2024 It was in the evening around 7 pm. The two gentlemen stood outside my front door didnt state their intended business. They said the water in my area is contaminated and that they were here to test the water in my house. They will provide a drinking water filter free of charge. My immediate thought was that the water must not be safe to use, thats why they were here to alert everyone in the area. They tested the water from my drinking filter and everything seemed fine, but when tested from the tab they said that the contamination level is very high and also they can have their plumber come in to install the drinking water filter in ten minutes. The plumber was just installing one filter for another family close by. The plumber came to remove my water drinking filter under the kitchen sink and installed a new one. They also said that they will replace my tank water heater with a tankless water heater and also install a filter at where the city water comes into the house. In the mix of all these, they asked for my ID and information to check to see if I will qualify for these appliances. I was asked to list my monthly spending on the household items. They said that I will be provided with those of every day household products, such as shampoo, dish soap, detergent, etc. With all the savings that I will be getting, they wanted me the sign a contract and also waive the right to cancel. They sent the contract to my email and told me open it, then pointed to the boxes to check and where to sign. Also, they wanted to record while reading a series of questions to me to answer to waive my right to cancel. I was TRICKED to take out a $20,000 loan plus over $10,000 finance charge. The monthly payment will be just under $200 for 15 yrs. I replayed the whole process again in 15 minutes after they had left and realised that Id been tricked to take out a loan for which I have no intention to do what so ever. Now, the men said there is nothing they can do.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us.
  
  We would like to confirm that we have spoken with the customer on November 11, 2024, at 10:11 AM, during which we addressed his concerns. As per the customer's request, we have officially canceled his contract.
  
  For the customer's peace of mind, we also sent him an email outlining the cancellation details. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this process.
  
  Best regards

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/12/2024

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