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:01/18/2024

  Type:Billing 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 11/29/23 I paid for a technician to come to house to determine the feasibility of exchanging my older thermostat with a new programmable one. After a very cursory and in retrospect clearly inadequate inspection, he said my HVAC system is in fact compatible with the thermostat I wanted to buy. I paid $169 for this service and told him I'd buy the thermostat and call them to come an install it. A few days later after I had bought the thermostat, I called them and scheduled an installation. When he came back on 12/18/23 to install the thermostat, he discovered that he was wrong and that it is in fact incompatible with my HVAC system and left. Based on his initial assessment, I bought and subsequently had to return the thermostat, resulting in considerable inconvenience and frustration. I called their office the next day to get a refund of $169 I paid for what turned out to be an inaccurate and erroneous inspection. The manager, Kevin, agreed that they were wrong in their diagnosis, but said he had to speak to someone else to issue a credit for what I paid and would get back to me. He never did. I called again a few days ago, left Kevin a message, and neither he nor anyone else has called back. This is very disappointing from what I had thought was an established and reputable HVAC company, which by the way, originally installed my HVAC unit and has serviced it. I unfortunately also recommended them in the past to some friends who ended up purchasing entire HVAC units from them, based on my recommendations.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/19/2024

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will be in contact with the customer directly to apologize for the inconvenience and miscommunication on our part.  A refund is in order.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  
  
  
  

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint and have determined that this does not resolve my  issue.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  
  

  **In order for the bureau to continue to assist you, you MUST provide your view on the matter or your complaint will be closed as answered.
  
  
  
  

  Hello,

  
  

  This issue has not been resolved at all. The business sent me a check for $169, but it was unsigned, so the bank refused to deposit it. When I contacted the business, they acknowledged that they sent an unsigned check but said that they actually credited my credit card. To date, the claimed credit has not appeared and until it does, the matter remains open.

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  Regards,

  
  

  Complaint ID: 21166264

  
   
  

  
  
  

   

  
  

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2024

  The consumer was notified that the check was sent via mail.  Unfortunately, it was sent without a signature.  On the same day, we were notified by our former credit card processing vendor that the charge was disputed, and charges were reversed back to the credit card.  The customer did not inform us this had been done.  The consumer contacted us the next day explaining the check arrived without a signature.  We informed the customer their credit card was being refunded due to his dispute against the charges.  The consumer would need to refer to the credit card company for the timeline of his credit.

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  From the first understanding of Mr. ******'s case filed with the BBB we understood that both the inspection for the thermostat, and the field supervisor forgetting to report the promise of a refund to management deserved both the apology and refund the customer was requesting.

  I, **** ********* immediately called Mr. ****** and apologized and explained we would send him a check to expedite the refund. He harshly explained his position and dissatisfaction to me and was not understanding but nevertheless he was deserving of his request. He did not disclose to me at any point that he had already contacted his credit card company and requested the refund.

  The refund check was cut and sent to him the next day. Most unfortunately, in hast of sending out the check, it did not get signed before being mailed. I take full responsibility for that oversight. Two days later the owner, ***** ********* received the email regarding the charges being reversed from our credit card processing company. We responded explaining that a check for the refund was already sent to the customer. The bank suggested we stop the check. We did not.

  That same afternoon Mr. ****** contacted me explaining the check was not signed. I explained that we learned several hours prior that $169.00 was charged back to him from our credit card processor account. This is documented in one of the attached PDF's. I explained that the check was no longer necessary for the refund. He asked when he would receive his money. I explained that he would need to inquire with his credit card bank on that timing. He still did not disclose that a refund or dispute was filed through his bank. We followed up with BBB in prior Case # 21166264 

  Mr. ****** has continued to inquire about the refund. He never disclosed anything regarding his request for the chargeback. We are not going to send him a second refund without any verification. All related emails are attached.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/14/2022

  Type:Billing 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.

  Over the summer (Aug) our air conditioner stopped working so we called Jos Frederick & Sons emergency svc line to have a technician come out to fix it. This cost us more because it was over the weekend and not during normal business hours which was fine with us. The tech found a bad fuse which wasn’t covered under our warranty which was fine n it only took 5 min to replace. However, there was another issue, a part was bad but was covered under warranty but he didn’t have the part needed on his truck so he’d have to return the following day to replace it, which he did. The entire job took him maybe a half an hour tops. He’s stating that it took him an hour! This is not true! We are liable for labor cost only, however when I spoke with the manager **** he explained to me something about the part and him having to charge the part to his customers to offset something and our bill was originally higher until he found the part we needed for much cheaper which made the bill go down. I was still confused by all this and reluctantly gave this man my credit card # and told him to just pay the bill, however something happened on their end and the bill never got paid which I’m glad it didn’t! We are only liable for the fuse and labor charges and when I spoke to **** the billing mgr she has a completely different invoice then what we have! Her invoice shows a breakdown of all the time and labor, which she admitted we were overcharged for but that it was an internal thing they had to deal with. Well that makes no sense. She also went on to tell me it’s a lot more involved in paying just labor it’s paying their benefits and overtime, etc.. and I said excuse me but we’re only liable for the fuse and his labor and that’s it according to our contract! Now I’m being told two different things and there’s two different invoices and mine differs from ****’s! Plus ****’s fuse says $17 and mine says $35 so which is it? And if my part cost less than $81 than I want to kno that as well too!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/14/2022

  Our new accountant sent the customer our internal costs for the service call in error. 

  The paper from ****, is the internal cost for the services rendered. Yes, there is mark up on labor and material, no business operates at cost. 

  We use an industry flat rate system and that is the labor that she was charged for, nothing to hide!