Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/11/2022

  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.

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Assumed Answered]
  
  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We did not do any service to the furnace as he claims, other than the $160 to fix the shorted-out AC system. We paid a plumbing/HVAC company to inspect the water heater, at which point they told us there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. We then paid $600 for repair an external water spigot that was leaking and would not turn off. See attached receipt for proof. It had absolutely nothing to do with the furnace, so if he would like to talk about people lying, I am more than willing. I would also like to point out he does not deny damaging the furnace. He knows he did it, but still refuses to pay for it. Whether I hired him or not is irrelevant. He damaged my house during his inspections, period.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ******** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 08/12/2022

  First, it should be known that this person is not my customer.  They did not hire me or pay me for my services.  They are the seller of the home my customer is purchasing.
  
  They claim I misdiagnosed issues with the roof and water heater and pinched a wire with the furnace blower door that made their A/C system stop working (photo provides partial proof that no wires were near the lower furnace door).  They provided an invoice that shows it was serviced and working later that same day.
  
  I've since learned that their homeowner's insurance company paid a claim to repair the damages I noted to their roof.  They also made $600 worth of repairs to their 28-year-old furnace and provided a home warranty to my buyer to help cover the remaining mechanical issues uncovered during the inspection, which include the water heater.  Altogether it came to roughly $5,000 worth of repairs for problems they claim I 'misidentified.'
  
  When the homeowner first called to discuss the situation and ask for reimbursement of the service call made to repair a pinched wire, we spoke and I did not refute the accusation and agreed that after confirming the service call with the HVAC company, I would send payment.  
  
  I've been a professional home inspector for nearly 20 years and follow a strict protocol at the end of each inspection for 2 reasons:
  
  1. To leave the home in the same condition I found it
  2. To not create any potential problems after I leave
  
  This checklist includes:
  
  1. Turn off all lights I turned on
  2. Turn off the oven and burners
  3. Resetting the thermostat
  4. Locking all windows
  5. Locking all exterior doors
  6. Turning off the water at all faucets 
  
  I did not admit fault since I verified operation at the end of the inspection, but she was clearly upset and it appeared to happen while I was there and the amount was relatively small ($130), so I agreed.  I'm in the relationship and service business so I understand it's sometimes better to be happy than right and keep moving forward.  That's all she appeared to want and seemed satisfied with the outcome when we got off the phone.
  
  The next day her husband left a misleading and spiteful 1-star review on ****** without warning.  
  
  In subsequent conversations, they've demonstrated a disturbing lack of empathy and understanding that testimonials are a currency to small businesses.  
  
  A business logo does not mean their words do not make an impact on the people working hard behind it who want to create a sustainable livelihood while making their communities a safer and more dependable place to live.  I am a single dad raising two teenage sons and I personally respond to every review and testimonial I receive and use the feedback to improve my service.
  
  So with their false claims and emotionally charged words that are online and visible to the public and since they refuse to remove the review, I simply took their malicious effort to smear by business as more than enough payment to cover their slight inconvenience.