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:12/12/2024

  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.

  We contacted Buckingham Heating and Air on 10/14/24 based on the high review of a friend after the devastation of Hurricane ****** and complete loss of our system. They had **** come next day to survey for an estimate, for which they charged us. Upon repeated requests from me, I finally received the estimate on 10/31/24, over 2 weeks later. After this point it was largely complete silence from their end with over 20 text messages and nearly as many phone calls made to them from me, to no avail. They completely ignored any further communications after countless pleas from us to help and follow through, especially as the weather was taking a turn for the worse and my 80 year old mother was coming to live with us, with no heat, until ****** (the owner) finally took my call on 11/12/24 (one month later). He was highly apologetic and said he would call me the next day to tell us when we could get on their schedule. That was the last I heard from him. Many more calls and texts were ignored until 12/9/24 (nearly another month later) when I finally told him my frustrations, that we have been incredibly patient, and could wait no longer, and requested a refund. No communications from them beyond this point, except for his service guy, ***** saying he'd pass along the message and that he regretted this not working out. They were the ONLY reason this did not work out. We were prepared to pay them nearly $20K to fix our system, and they ghosted us incessantly and exacerbated our already high PTSD from this horrible event. I hope no one ever has to receive the horrendous treatment from Buckingham that we have endured with great composure as, from our point of view, they seem to prey on those in need and leave them lost with no options. We had options, although let them go when early on they assured us this would be taken care of. As a health care practitioner, if I did this to a patient, my license would be revoked on the ground of abandonment! This is abandonment and fraud!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/20/2024

  Thanks for your feedback. We received a call from Mr. ******** and setup up a service call on 10/16/2024.  When the initial request came in, he stated he wanted his HVAC system to be looked at since his power had been restored. Upon arrival on 10/16, the technician tested the operations of the heat pump and  the electric back up heat and AC. Attached is a complete write up of the findings. Mr. ******** was provided a copy.

  The sales manager made a visit to Mr. ********* home to review  and see what would be needed for a new system (to be able to provide an accurate estimate) .  An estimate was emailed on 10/31/24. Upon receiving the  estimate, Mr. ******** called to review.  He also stated that he was gathering multiple estimates and once a decision was made, he would accept online.  The estimate had expired on 11/15 before he accepted and called and ask for it to be resubmitted.  At this time, numerous calls were coming in from the community and our contract customers who had been devastated by the hurricane as well. Mr. ******** had expressed when he first contacted us that he had a contract with another **** company for his personal home and business but they could not get out to him till mid November. The estimate was set to expire mid November because he had stated that's when his service company could get out to him.

  The $125 fee was a diagnostic fee. The technician provided test on his system for any issues/problems/recommendations.  There was no fee when the sales manager came out to review the system to provide an estimate for new equipment. Sorry that Mr. ******** feels that he was abandoned.  With the devastation and multiple calls from our contract customers, we were providing the best customer service with limited access of resources available in *********************** 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/23/2024

  What a poor attempt by ****** Buckingham to accept zero responsibility for his actions and leaving us in despair for over one month after taking our "diagnostic" money, as he calls it. If I neglected/abandoned a patient as he has done with us, I would be brought in front of my board and license suspended! From the time of estimate on 10/31/24 through my demand of refund on 12/7/24 I logged in well over 20 attempts to contact both he and **** with the vast majority being ignored. I have over 20 screens of ignored texts, as well as a log of unanswered calls, that I am unable to download here due to file limits. ****** claims I told him I had a contract with another company and that they might be doing the work. I explicitly told ****** on several occasions we were going with Buckingham and that other options were no longer available. He knew we were going with him, and told me as per one of the only calls he made to me on 11/22/24 that he would find a way to "juggle" his schedule and gets us in in December, and that he would call me the following day to confirm. This was a clear indication, even after full agreement from my end, that they were in fact going to work for us, without question. This was the last time I heard from ******. After many more attempts to contact them no avail, we were forced to find a group that could come in and serve us now that some of the area needs are diminishing. This doesn't take away from the fact that ******, under high praise from a friend, neglected his duty to us in one of our greatest times of need causing immense stress/anxiety. In an effort to make it seem as if he has no responsibility in this matter, he tells a story about our intentions that simply IS NOT true!. A simple call or text as requested countless times would have saved us all of this headache. Do the right thing, ******, and make an effort to acknowledge your extreme negligence in this matter!
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/01/2025

  I am sorry that Mr ******** does not value our technician coming out to diagnosis his system and expects there to be no diagnostic fee for his time and professional expertise.

  When the sales manager came out to look at what was needed for the job, there was no cost.

  No deposit was taken or anything signed for an agreement because the estimate had expired.

  I am sorry that Mr ******** feels the way he does but I am glad that he was available to find someone to assist with his installation of a new HVAC system.