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:05/15/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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 18th, 2024. I contacted Connecting the ********************************************** about a deep clean of my house. I asked if he could recommend a **** cleaning company to which he informed me his company provides **** cleaning services. We scheduled April 18th appt quoted at $450.00.***** stated inspection of the **** unit revealed presence of mold, requiring remediation. He informed me the **** coil, blower and main furnace were covered in mold and need extensive cleaning by using a costly mold removal solution to eliminate this problem. Quoting a price of $1300.00. I authorized the mold removal and he told everyone they need to exit the property during the remediation. I received a call from Mr. ***** adjusting the cost to $ *******. I told him my son would pay $600.00 cash and I would ***** the remainder the next day. He agreed to the payment. At 12:00 am April 19th he began repeatedly texting demanding payment then calling at 6:00am on April 19th demanding immediate payment. I zelle the balance that morning.On April 20th I hired a licensed **** to service the system. I was shocked when the Tech requested that I get the unit cleaned. I explained to him that i just had the unit cleaned and mold remediation done. Tech told me that he did not see any mold present within the unit that it was just extremely dirty from years of neglect. On April 20th I texted Mr. ***** asking details of what was done and sent photos. He responded he would return to clean it again. I demanded details which he replied he was unsure as to how to remedy the situation.On April 22nd I hired True Duck **** Duct Cleaning Company to clean the **** duct system. True Duck provided photos showing the ducts had not been cleaned and that there was no evidence of ******* complaint is twofold. The company not only provided fraudulent **** cleaning and mold remediation services, but also engaged in predatory behavior that was aggressive and intended to exploit and manipulate homeowners to purchase services that the company never intend to render and may in fact legally be unable to do due a lack of licensure from the Maryland Board of **** and Refrigeration Contractors.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  On 4/16/24 I was contacted by Ms ****** for Hvac cleaning services. I was made aware by Ms ****** that there would be heavy dust in the home as the home had been empty for quite awhile and that she had general contractors that were performing work in her home that was causing the home to become dustier.  At the time I advised her that the starting cost for the vent cleaning would be $400, there was no set pricing due to not being able to see the vents at that moment. We scheduled a time for my company to arrive to perform the services 4/18/24.  I advised her that my technicians would be there at a set time, between 4pm-6pm. She texted around 4:52 PM inquiring about the status of the technician,I replied that he would be there within 30mins, and I would be there shortly after.
  The company that I use and contract to service  my hvac customers is licensed in ** thru the Maryland Board of HVAC and Refrigeration Contractors.  The technician arrived on site and started to do their assessment of the system. I arrived on site within the next ***** mins. Upon my arrival, my tech informed me and showed me pictures of the mold that was found in the system. I immediately called ********** I informed her what the tech found, I explained what he described needed to happen, and then I told her the price for the service.  The original price was going to be $1330 but I actual felt the need to adjust it, as it was higher than anticipated, and as a business owner, I like to build relationships with my customers in which they come back to me for service and refer their friends and family. I reduced the amount owed to $1033.00. The price covered the removal of the mold, 3 Registers, and the coil/blower. I advised Ms. ****** of the price adjustment,and she gave us permission to move forward. I asked that her son and his friend sit outside while the cleaning and sanitization was completed.
  Ms. ****** did advise me that she left $600 in cash with her son, and on the phone told me that she would be sending the remaining balance of $433 that evening by ***** (it was about 7:30p on 4/18/24) I do require payment in full the day that service is completed. That is a standard business practice especially because I am a small business owner, I pay my contractors right then and there and I also dont know my customers well enough to extend credit to them. Later that evening, I processed my daily invoices and payments. I realized at that time I had not received my payment from Ms ******* I sent a reminder text message. When I sent the message, my thoughts was that she would she the message in the AM. The next morning on 4/19/24, I called Ms. ****** at 8:50AM to follow-up about the payment. She did not answer so I left a voicemail.  At 9:00 she sent me a text message advising me that my call and text were ************** 10:10, I sent a message apologizing for the late text and the call that morning, also I re-iterated my business policy. I let her know at that time I had received the payment.
  On April 20, 2024. I received pictures from Ms. ****** stating that the ducts were still dirty. I was out of town on business, so I didnt get a chance to respond. I sent an apology text on 4/21/24 at 10:57AM. I apologized for the issue and advised her that I had already spoken with the tech and we both would be calling her that afternoon to speak with her and to let her know that he was willing to come back that afternoon to make sure everything was cleaned.  We called Ms ****** at 2 times at 3:59PM. She didnt answer so we left a voicemail advising that we wanted to speak with her and that we were still willing to come back and service her home that evening or schedule a time that was suitable for her. I received a text from Ms. ****** the next day at 10:51AM asking for details as to what was done by the tech during the service. I advised her that we had called her so that he could outline what he had done the day before and answer any questions. She advised me that she was busy and wanted details then. Between 4/22/24-4/23/24, I received a few more texts from Ms. ****** asking questions about the service she received. The tech stated that he also tried to contact her twice during that period to no avail. She sent her last few messages around 12:30PM, asking for more details and I advised her that her invoice detailed what she paid for and that the tech could answer the other questions. I asked her for a time that we could set up a conference call, as I was in the middle of completing a cleaning job in which texting wasnt convenient for me, but I in no shape or form was trying to get over on her or do bad business as she was implying thru text. She never gave me a time to set up a meeting and just asked about the sanitizer that was used to disinfect to which I replied that we used Oxine AD. After that last message, I never received another text or call. My tech didnt either.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  First set of pictures 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Second set of photos

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Second set of photos

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Second set of photos

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Set of call logs

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Pictures of calls

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 21713445
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The Connecting the ********************* did not clean the **** system as it claimed in its response to my complaint lodged with the Better Business Bureau.  There is valid evidence which proves that the **** system/ducts were not cleaned and in fact did not have mold.
  My reasoning for discontinuing communication with The Connecting the ********************* owner ****** ***** was two-fold.
  Firstly, I no longer trusted the company to re-enter my property to provide any type of resolution, after two subsequent, companies hired after Connecting the Dots claimed the system was cleaned and mold was removed, proved that absolutely no work was conducted.
  Secondly, when I challenged Mr. ***** by requesting more details about the subcontractor used for the actual work, he was unwilling to provide it. The contractors name, details about how the system was cleaned and how the mold remediation was conducted were not given in its entirety. Mr ***** has refused to provide the subcontractors information even in his response to the BBB.  I would very much like Mr. ***** to provide the details of the licensed contractor that supposedly performed the cleaning.
  Mr. ***** also only offered to re-send the technician to clean again and additionally, attempted to persuade me by insisting he wanted me to discuss directly with technician the issues that I had. The only information sent after multiple requests via texts was the name of product that was claimed to have been used to remove the mold (Oxine).and an invoice detailing allegedly what was done was left at the property on the day of the cleaning.
  The fact remains that I have in my possession photos and videos from both companies hired on   separate days to conduct a duct cleaning and the other a service and repair, that can attest to the fact that Connecting the ******************** did NO work. Additionally, I would like to add that according to Maryland law if mold is found within a **** system a licensed **** company is required to send a sample for testing. This protocol was never followed. I have attached the videos and photographs of what the **** unit and ducts looked after the alleged cleaning performed by Connecting the Dots.
  I demand a refund of my hard earned money that Mr. ***** fraudulently obtained from me. 
  I demand pictures of the mold that they found within my **** unit. 
  I demand the details of the licensed **** company that was hired to do the work.
  
  ****** *******