Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/29/2023

  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.

  On April 10, 2023, I ordered a pool liner through Norrenberns Pool and Spa. I wrote out a check for 75% of the liner, $6,168.10. The owner of Norrenberns Pool and Spa told me it would take 3-5 weeks for my liner to come in. The liner took 3 months to come in; the month of July was half over. The pool liner did not fit our pool. We were given 2 options: 1) we, the customers, order a new liner and wait 3-6 weeks which we did not believe or 2) they construct our pool to make the pool fit. Construction was made to our pool seats to make the liner fit and we were told that we would get a discount. The liner popped out of the pool 3 times in different places the first week and the company used a hammer to put the liner back in place. We fear the liner is too short and that is why we had issues immediately after installation. The liner also has air or water behind it. We can see it moving. There is also a dip in the seat where the company constructed the seat. We never received the warranty information the day of installation. They also installed a pool cover the same week as the liner that we ordered in the summer of 2022 and were not given warranty information on it either. We received the bill and were only given a $500 discount which came from *** **** ********* the pool liner company. We wrote a letter 3 weeks ago and hand delivered it to the owners that explained our frustration and the stress this situation has caused us. The owners have made no attempt in contacting us. We have a liner that was installed a little over a month ago with many issues and we have been treated unfairly by the owners of Norrenberns Pool and Spa. We also paid $586.86 for a pool opening and the week after our pool was opened, we received the form from Norrenberns to close the pool and the money we owed for that. We only were able to use our pool a few weeks before school started and we feel the closing should be on the owners, not the customers. We feel we have been taken advantage of.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2023

  This is in response to **** * **** ******* response
  to the BBB.  First, I want to say that
  **** * **** are good people.  And I
  say that they should be a bit frustrated about the timeline of their new
  liner.  So, let's start from the beginning
  of this project.  First off, their pool is
  8 years old.  In the fall of 2022, we were
  talking with **** * **** about their auto cover and the wear on a couple of
  areas that needed attention.  So
  Norrenberns Pools had a rep from the manufacturer come out and address the
  issue that they were having.  Once again,
  the cover has a 5-year warranty, and this cover was 8 years old.  With that being said the rep gave **** *** **** 30% off the price of a new cover, something that he did not have to do.  At the same time, we also talked about their LINER.  Remember this is the fall of 2022 and their
  liner was getting wrinkles and faded quite a bit and we gave them a price to
  replace their liner.  We also have photos
  of both liner and cover to show the wear. 
  They ordered their cover but waited the whole off season to get their
  liner on order.  They finally ordered
  their liner April 10, 2023.  Our policy
  for any special order is 75% down for the reason that once we place the order
  it cannot be cancelled.  Once again, they
  waited until April 2023.  This is the
  busiest time for our manufacturer to be ordering.  We sent the dig drawing for their pool in to
  be made the same day we received their 75% down payment.  Weeks after this was all done, we received an
  email from our distribution center that since there was so many different
  angles and steps in this pool that the manufacturer wanted to have the whole
  pool remeasured, something we call A/Bing a pool.  This process takes about 4 hours to remeasure
  the entire pool, 1 foot at a time.  Once
  we had this done, we sent all the numbers back into the distributer to do what
  is called an overlay and matched all the numbers with the original
  drawing.  While all of this is said we do
  not go directly to the manufacturer with this, we send it to our distribution
  center who then sends it to the manufacturer basically like a triangle.  Dealer – Distribution – Manufacturer…this is
  a process I do not like because of the problems that we run into.  But due to the time frame being April the
  manufacturer does not want 100’s of dealers calling the liner shop asking questions
  about their liner.  They would not get
  anything done so we have to go through distribution and/or our rep for the
  liners.  Once their engineering
  department redraws the liner with the numbers we resent, they then do a new dig
  drawing.  They sent it back to the
  distributer who forwards this to the dealer, once we receive the new drawing if we approved the
  drawing we would sign off and send it back through the same process.  After we reviewed the new drawing, we did have
  issues with the drawing, we made the changes and sent it back and once it made
  it back to the engineers, they wanted us to remeasure the area that was
  incorrect (once again).  I totally
  understand that they wanted the liner to be correct, but I also felt this was a
  stall tactic on their part because they were so busy.  At this point we got our rep involved to be
  sure that the liner was getting the attention so we could get this liner issue
  resolved.  After all the measuring and
  remeasuring the liner shop still got it wrong. 
  The bench area was 14” too long. 
  Contacted my rep once again we talked about the options.  Except for the bench area the liner fit
  perfect and looks great.  So, I talked
  with the homeowner about their options…1. Remake the new liner – time was the
  issue or 2. Add on to the bench to fill out the liner (14”).  This was the homeowners (****) decision to
  add the 14” to the bench (talked with ****). 
  Once the process was complete, we stretched in the liner, filled pool
  with water and you would not even notice we added onto the benches.  The liner was installed on 7/6/2023. I do
  have pictures with dates showing the liner installed.  Not 2 weeks after July 4th per
  your letter.
  On 7/8/2023 **** came into the store to have her pool
  water tested.  She commented how
  beautiful the liner looked and she was very excited to have the project
  finished.  The following week the homeowner
  (****) called and said that a 16” piece of liner came out of the liner track.  This is not uncommon for this to happen, we
  put the liner back in the track, not a big issue and this is not a reason to
  believe that this will be an issue in the future.
  Approximately 4 weeks after the liner was in we mailed
  the final bill for the remaining liner and cover.  This is when it got ugly.  **** called and said another area of his
  liner pulled out.  I sent my employees
  out to put bead lock into the whole liner track to avoid the liner from pulling
  out again.  To install the bead lock it
  requires a rubber mallet to hammer and squeeze between the liner and liner
  track.  NO we were not beating her liner
  in with a hammer per ****’s remarks.  Had
  she come out of the house and talked with us she would have then understood
  what we were doing. This is the process it takes to install the liner
  bead.  Like I was saying once they received
  their bill, they felt they were due all these discounts.  **** *** **** wanted a FREE pool opening,
  more discounts off liner and wanted to have discussion with the rep (I’m sure
  to give him a hard time).  I do know ****
  tried to contact the manufacturer on her own. 
  I do not know who she talked with but according to my rep she wanted to
  know how much a liner cost and had many other questions but received no
  satisfaction.
  As I was saying before, that once she received her
  final bill is when the Beckers felt they deserved and were entitled to more
  discounts.  We disagree!  They knew the cost of the opening which was
  not $586.86.  Opening cost, them $300 and
  the rest was for preordered (discounted) chemicals.  They knew the cost of the remaining balance
  of the cover. They knew the cost of the remaining balance on the liner.
  So now let's talk about who’s to BLAME!  Personally, I say everyone in the process has
  a share of the blame starting with the Beckers. (1) You knew in the fall of
  2022, and you pushed it off until April of 2023. 
  Had you ordered in fall or even January – March of 2023 we could have avoided
  a lot of this frustration! (2) Some blame could be placed on distribution.  I have no idea what their scheduling when
  they sent this over to manufacturing, but I think I do know according to my rep
  was that it took several weeks for distribution to email drawing to Norrenberns
  Pools for approval (per rep).  (3) I also
  believe the manufacturer could share the blame; I am positive their workloads
  this time of year is crazy.  According to
  once again my rep, the manufacturer makes 30-50 liners per day.  So, I feel that with that type of load they
  had their engineer's slow pace all new orders??? 
  Also, finally Norrenberns Pool & Spa could share the blame for not
  checking on the process often enough.  So,
  with that said we can all share the blame.
  Norrenberns Pool & Spa is a 47-year FAMILY
  business.  We always try to put our
  customers first.  Running to some of our
  customers problems on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays.  We understand that we don’t live in a perfect
  world.  Things happen.  Prices have gone crazy.  If you don’t see it go to the grocery store,
  check out lumber prices, look at automobiles. 
  The world has gone crazy since Covid. 
  We have no control over this. 
  Some people understand and some do not. 
  The Beckers received discounts on both their cover and liner.  Not as much as they wanted but it’s better
  than nothing.
  I also think this letter to the BBB was unnecessary and
  used to slander our company.
  The Beckers know exactly where our store is located if
  they had issue’s they could have come in and we could have discussed any of their
  concerns.  All the statements about them
  trying to contact us is untrue.  We have
  store hours.  Come in and talk what’s on
  your MINDS.  We are easy to talk to.  You don’t need to hand us a letter to read.
  My final thoughts on this.  Your pool (**** & ****) was installed by
  us (Norrenberns Pool & Spa).  No one
  and I mean no one knows your pool better than Norrenberns Pool & Spa.  The liner that was installed with the benches
  extended is a perfect fit.  Any other
  information from outside sources I will disagree with.  I am a pool professional for the past 47
  years! Since 1976.  If issues from your outside
  source was remotely correct, I would NOT have installed this liner
  or given options and just had manufacturer make a new liner.
  We (Norrenberns Pool & Spa) do expect final payment
  on or before 10/1/2023 unless payment arrangements are made.  We will proceed with further collection
  action.  Once payment has been received
  and paid in full, we will also make necessary repair to bench area at no cost to
  the Beckers.
  Life is too short and too much stress.  Hopefully, **** and **** can see their way
  through this.
  
  
  Thanks
  **** **** ******** *****  (Owners)
  Norrenberns Pool & Spa