Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Roto-Rooter's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Roto-Rooter

  2125 Montana Ave Cincinnati, OH 45211-2741

• 

  Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  3 Alan B Shepard Jr Pl Ste A Yonkers, NY 10705

  
• 

  Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  1130 140th Ave NE Suite 305 Bellevue, WA 98005

• 

  Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  1750 S Finley Rd Lombard, IL 60148

• 

  Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

  1060 Cambridge Sq STE D Alpharetta, GA 30009

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:05/11/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  June 27, 2022, I contacted ROTO ROOTER to unclog a sink that was overflowing in our finished basement. The plumber was unsuccessful. He contacted other technicians in to troubleshoot the situation. Over the next several days they found the problems and proposed repairs.
  I contacted my insurance company. The adjuster advised me to ensure each task to resolve the issues were itemized showing the cost., such as 4 by 4 hole in concrete----$; remove paneling from walls---$, remove the toilet---$, Etc. so the cost could be assed for me to be reimburse.
  I relayed this information to roto-rooters onsite representative, repairmen excavation& jetting manager, water restoration/plumbing claims coordinator, all in the ******* metro area. Since my request was ignored on completion of the job, I called an e-mailed Roto Rooter National customer service coordinator in Cincinnati, OH. To date no reply or information provided.
  My insurance company, **** contacted the local and national headquarters in January. To date no reply or information provided.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/07/2023

  All requested documents have already been provided. At this time we consider the matter closed. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  **** *****

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/06/2023

  Good evening  ****.
  I followed up by email last week with the office Manager, Darlene Ma***** at  the local Roto-Rooter service company , ******** * **.
  To date, I have not received a response. She is the person I faxed a sample copy of the information needed for my insurance copy.
  She did verify receiving the fax.June 6, 2023.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2023

  We have sent *** ***** all the documents he has requested. We have sent copies of invoices and a more detailed breakdown of parts and labor and such on the job.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/13/2023

  The company has not addressed  the issue. They asked me on June 1 ,2023 for information concerning my insurance company's needs.  I faxed a copy to the Roto-Rooter local office of what I received from the insurance company outlining what is needed. The information received from the insurance company is dated June 5 2023. I followed up by telephone with an individual that requested the information June 6 2023 and she said the fax was received. It would be shared with other interested individuals and I will receive appropriate documentation very soon.
  As communicated to you July 5, 2023, I have received any communication from Roto-Rooter since June 6,2023.
  This company charged me $28,000.00; I would think my insurance company's needs would have been timely and complete. It is beyond my imagination that a large nationally recognized services company would renege on a customer.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  We have sent all supporting documentation to the customer as well as the insurance carrier.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  **** *****
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/20/2023

  I have not received any written information from Roto-Rooter nor have my insurance company since I faxed the information the company asked for on June 6. 
  Since my communication to you July 13, the following occurred: 
  
  Saturday morning July 15, a person from the local office telephoned me , stating he was the general manager. He inquired about the complaint and I explained. He stated someone would be contacting me Monday morning July 17. 
  To date I have not heard from a Roto-Rooter person.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/04/2023

  I have not received any verbal or written communication from the business. 

  Business Response

  Date: 08/11/2023

  We have sent information many times to *** ***** and to ****.

  We have formatted the responses in an attached document and sent to *** *****.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/15/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I hope the insurance company review it favorably.
  
  Thanks to all involved in resolving this issue..
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  **** *****
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/10/2023

  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.

  Date: 10/28/2022
  
  Rotorooter called to house for drain overflow in shower. They advised that a new sewer line was needing to be installed. Quoted $4500 for installation of sewer line. That quote for $4500 was approved.
  While repairing the sewer line the Rotorooter employee somehow broke the main WATER line and they ( Rotorooter) contacted ****** Water ***** ****** to come for repair. Rotorooter employee came into our home and admitted to breaking the ****** WATER line. Rotorooter blamed the vibration from their tool was the cause of the ****** WATER line break.
  It is to be noted that the completion took longer than promised and we went without WATER for several days.
  The Rotorooter employee did present me with a bill to sign when I had home care staff here working with my very sick husband. I did sign a piece of paper trusting that it was only for the $4500 repair. I disputed the charges above $4500 immediately upon finding out it was for a larger dollar amount.
  
  We were then hit with a bill for $10,800. The Change Work Order that was provided indicated the original charge of $4500, the additional work charge of $6300, the new total being $10,800. This work order has no approval signature by myself or my husband. The additional work that was an extra $6300 was done anyway without any approval on our part. We did not break the ****** WATER line, therefore, we are not responsible for payment above the $4500 that we originally agreed upon for the sewer line only.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/11/2023

  Response 

  ** *** *** ****** were completely aware of the change of work needed to resolve this unfortunate situation. This is not normal and it is not practiced by todays standards or codes.  *** ****** was shown the problem which was going to require a significant increase in costs related the repair of her water service line. Heavy equipment was needed to continue the removal of the entire amount of concrete which the water service line was encased in. The original sewer repair was initiated on day one upon discovering the water line while hammering the concrete which encased the sewer line an unintentional leak occured during this process, the job was stopped the field service rep was called and came to the job to observe and speak to *** *** **** ******. A change order was presented and signed. and the job was to continue on the following day to resolve the leak issue, and the remainder of the original sewer repair. Please note that the amount of work needed to complete the process of now two repairs became much more extensive. This unfortunate circumstance is clearly as seen in the photos  not as a result of any negligence on Roto Rooters behalf. It is unfortunate to the way the water line was originally installed which created the leak while removing concrete from around the sewer and water service lines.  We are passionate to the ******* situation, in fact they had no problem with the work that was done and in fact our master plumber repaired an outside spicket for them during the process as a courtesy. The work was inspected and passed by the the towns water management department. *** ******* complaint states that its Veoilas water line when in fact it's her line. ****** is just the management company of the towns system up to but not including Mrs .Morgans water line on her property. Roto Rooter performed all work in a professional manner and  the ******* were happy with our services the entire time. Fast forward to over a month later the Branch received a call from **** ****** and she mentioned that the people from the water department and several other people told her to call and complain about her invoice. We spoke to her explained that we had performed the work in the proper manner. At the time of service she had mentioned absolutely nothing about the cost of the project and understood everything about the job again happy with the services as performed. It is our strong belief that after hearing from other uninvolved individuals she began her process of trying to execute a refund. **** ****** threatened with lawyers and in fact mentioned that she was a lawyer at one point and it became evident that she would continue to attempt a refund. We have provided pictures and documents related to this complaint. As part of the entered documents above please review the rejection of her complaint to the finance company also. Any further requests please feel free to contact us. 

  Roto Rooter Services Inc. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/10/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  I had Roto Rooter come out to my house last week to fix several plumbing issues. When I was shown the original damage there was no break in the plumbing in my crawl space on Wednesday. On Friday when they were fixing the break outside that I was shown, they told me there was an additional break they could not get to without their confined space person. I was told they would be out Monday to fix that repair. On Monday I was called and told they were on the way and then an hour later called back and told they could not fix it per their safety person. I then had to call another company to come out and resolve this issue. The new company fixed the issue that Roto Rooter caused in the crawl space and while doing so they found that the outside plumbing they fixed was done so with the improper downfall and would have caused additional issues. So not only did Roto Rooter cause more problems the did not even fix what they claimed to have fixed and still charged me over $9,000. I do have pictures of all the repairs made by the new plumber as well as the invoice describing the rework that was done if needed.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  Our Project Manager went on site and spoke with the customer.  We agreed to refund $4250 for the additional work she paid for with another company.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  However there is still a pending charge of $1,300 on my statement that should not be there. This was for work that was not completed so I would like for this to be removed as well.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ******** ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/10/2023

  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.

  03/08/2023-Rotor-Rooter-Paid $269.00-Plumber failed to unclog drain, explanation was that he did not have the proper tools. When asked if he was returning with proper tools the following day was told no.
  03/09/2023-Hired-*** Plumbing Company and issue was resolved without any additional problems.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/09/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Several years ago, we had a flood in out basement. I contacted Roto Rooter at that time, who searched the sewer pipe with a camera, located tree roots that had come through a join in the sewer pipe, they bored it out and charged us less than $1000. They told me that I would have to have the same service done every few years until we had the section with the tree roots, replaced. It had been a few years, so I called Roto rooter again, told them the above and asked that they bring the proper equipment to camera and bore out the roots again. A Roto Rooter technician came on 23 Mar 23 with only a camera, no device to remove tree roots. After using the camera, he stated that it would cost 3-4 thousand to bore out the roots, but if they dug into our basement on the inside of the house, they could replace the root infested section for about the same amount and it would be fixed permanently. He used a device to locate the problem area. He said that if for some reason, they couldn’t get a proper seal on the new sewer pipe to the outside, they’d have to dig outside for an additional 7 thousand dollars. A different person from Roto rooter came on Friday, 24 Mar 23. He dug up a section of my basement and then told me that he could not locate the tree roots and that he had stuck his arm as far as possible into the cut sewer line towards the outside of the house and could not touch or see roots. I called the first technician and asked him why his location devise was so inaccurate that it wasn’t even within almost two feet of where he said the tree roots were. He came back that day, with his camera and said the roots were under the foundation and that his equipment wasn’t accurate enough to locate it precisely. He said they would have to dig up our front yard and replace the section outside the house for the additional 7 thousand dollars. Before he left, he said the second guy had replaced the section of sewer inside the house and that they had installed couplings where they had cut the existing and non-damaged section on the inside of my house. He also coved the sewer line back up with rock and concrete inside the house. I told him that we could not afford an additional 7 thousand dollars on top of the $3800 we had just paid Roto rooter to not fix the problem at all. I told him I would get additional quotes from other companies, as I was not at all pleased with Roto Rooter’s service so far. I immediately called another company. The new company brought a camera and located exactly where the root issue was. They said they could bore out the tree roots and fix the compromised section of the sewer from the inside of our house, without having to dig up our front yard. While they were using the camera, they showed me the sections where new gaps were created from the work Roto Rooter had done and the new section of pipe was installed improperly under the basement concrete inside the house, creating additional areas where tree roots could penetrate the line. On 28 Mar 23, the new company came back. When they removed the patched concrete that Roto Rooter had laid, the concrete patch was only about ¼ to ½ inch thick, compared to the existing concrete for the rest of the floor, which is over 3-4 inches thick. In addition, they took pictures and videos of the section of sewer pipe Roto Rooter replaced in the area where there were no tree roots. The coupling bands for both outer sections of the pipe were loose, not the correct type for the couplings and one band, didn’t even go all the way around the coupling (see attached video and picture). They told me that if they had not gone back into the basement floor, those couplings would have created an additional area for roots to penetrate the sewer line. So, I paid Roto Rooter $3800 to dig into my basement, replace a section of sewer line that had absolutely no problem, did not remove the tree roots, did not fix the problem at all and replaced the section that was fine with vulnerable couplings, creating a future tree root problem and covering it with thin concrete. The new company replaced the wrong and broken couplings, removed the tree roots, and fixed the rooted section and the section replaced by Roto Rooter, showed me with the camera their work (no gaps anywhere) and they did it all from within the home, without digging up my front yard. The new company was so upset with Roto Rooter’s work that they took it upon themselves to take and send me the pictures and video. I want a full refund from Roto Rooter for the absolutely horrible condition they left my sewer line without doing anything to fix the problem, but making it worse. Not only did I get nothing for my $3800, if I wouldn’t have contacted another company, I would have had new sections of my sewer line vulnerable to tree roots, and with only a 1-year warranty on Roto Rooter services, I wouldn’t have even been able to get Roto Rooter to fix what they created. Please contact me as soon as you review this information and view the video/picture.
  
  A summary of my complaint with Roto Rooter:
  He used the camera and other equipment to locate tree roots TWICE and still said Roto Rooter would only be able to fix the problem from the outside, which was WRONG and they were fixed from the inside. Roto Rooter had the option of fixing the issue from the inside of my house and did not, choosing instead to attempt to charge me an additional 7 thousand dollars. The Roto Rooter technician cut my sewer line that did not have tree roots, then replaced the section he cut with two improperly connected couplings, causing additional vulnerabilities to my sewer line for future roots to grow into. He replaced the concrete in my basement with 1/4 to 1/2 thick concrete, not 3-4 inches, like the rest of the floor. This would have never been fixed or discovered, had I re-contacted Roto Rooter, since they were going to only dig up my front yard to "complete" the job of fixing my sewer line.
  Again, Roto Rooter left my home in worse shape than before I called and charged my $3800 to not fix my issue and leave my sewer line in worse condition.
  I have attempted to resolve this issue directly with Roto Rooter. I have been passed around to at least 4 different people, explained numerous times my complaint by phone, sent emails and pictures. I have not gotten any resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  We have spoken to *** ******** on numerous occasions specifically 4/25/23 &5/4/23 and informed her that we had completed the scope of work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23. I informed the customer that we completed the entirety of the scope of work and that additional work would be required as was indicated on the attached proposal. Upon completion of our work we needed to conduct additional work and she refused to allow us to perform the work as she thought the price was too high. We notated the price of the additional work on the attached proposal and briefed her on it prior to initiating the beginning of our work.

  We discussed her concern that she thought the work was not completed properly and that she hired another company without contacting us to inform us of any issues. I informed her that the work was completed and she was aware that there could be additional work but she did not contact us and hired another contractor to perform additional services for her. 

   

  We completed all work as required and per the attached proposal. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/12/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  

  Has the company addressed the issues of this dispute? No.  They have not issued me a refund, and have admitted no fault. The company has not offed any resolution.  They have passed me around from person to person.  They have not offered me any refund.  They have been unresponsive to most of my calls and emails and continue to skate any responsibility for their terrible work and business practices.
  
  Response to Roto Rooter’s response:
  Roto Rooter did NOT complete any work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23, other than to dig up my basement, not take any tree roots out of the sewer line and leave my sewer and basement in worse condition than before I called them. Yes, they said they needed to do additional work outside, which was NOT true and was NOT necessary and expensive.  This is why I got a second quote and was how I found out that the “additional work” Roto Rooter said was necessary, was NOT necessary and could have been completed by Roto Rooter on 3/24/23.  I did NOT refuse Roto Rooter to conduct additional work because the price was too high, I didn’t have Roto Rooter come back out to dig up my front yard for an additional $7,000, because it was not necessary and my issue was able to be completed from inside the house, exactly where Roto Rooter initially dug up my basement.  Why would anyone pay any company $7,000 to dig up their front yard for NO REASON and only because Roto Rooter did not know what they were doing, or because they wanted more money from me.  Yes, Roto Rooter notated the price of the additional work on the attached proposal and briefed her on it prior to initiating the beginning of our work, but again, the statement that additional work was needed outside was due to either complete incompetence, or greed. Yes, we discussed that the “work” they completed was not completed.  I called them to remove tree roots from my sewer line.  When they left, all the tree roots were still there and they created additional vulnerabilities in the sewer line for more tree roots and then covered up the whole thing with concrete, so I would have never known, if I hadn’t had gotten a second opinion.  I only hired another contractor, after seeing the horrible condition Roto Rooter left my sewer pipe and that there was no need to dig outside.  The new company did NOT have to dig outside and was able to actually clear out the tree roots and properly fix the sewer pipe, included the sections made vulnerable by Roto Rooter and did it from the same location Roto Rooter said they couldn’t.  Roto Rooter did NOT complete all work as required.  They did not remove any tree roots, or fix the problem I contacted them to fix, but most importantly, they attempted to scam me out of additional money and left my sewer line in WORSE condition. 
  

  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ********
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/17/2023

   

  We have spoken to *** ******** on numerous occasions specifically 4/25/23 &5/4/23 and informed her that we had completed the scope of work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23. I informed the customer that we completed the entirety of the scope of work and that additional work would be required as was indicated on the attached proposal. Upon completion of our work we needed to conduct additional work and she refused to allow us to perform the work as she thought the price was too high. We notated the price of the additional work on the attached proposal and briefed her on it prior to initiating the beginning of our work.
  We discussed her concern that she thought the work was not completed properly and that she hired another company without contacting us to inform us of any issues. I informed her that the work was completed and she was aware that there could be additional work but she did not contact us and hired another contractor to perform additional services for her. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/18/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.  The company did not respond to my last message and only copied and pasted their initial response, which I already addressed and stated why and how they did not resolve my issue.  If the company is just going to continue to not respond to my complaint and only copy and past the same words over and over again, this process is a waste of everyone's time.  I was clear and concise in my initial complaint and response. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ********
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/23/2023

  The business at the subject of this complaint stated they "had completed the scope of work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23" and that they had "informed the customer that they had completed the entirety of the scope of work and that additional work would be required as was indicated on the attached proposal."  They were hired to accomplish what was stated on their VIDEO INSPECTION OF SEWER LINE AND RECOMMENDED SERVICE OR REPAIR (see attachment 1).  The problem was root infiltration. I knew this was the problem when I called them. The entire reason I called them was to remove roots from my sewer line and the attached recommendation from Roto Rooter was, "Spot Repair - Roto-Rooter will repair or replace a section of the sewer line. We will jet clean (when appropriate) and video the remainder of the line (attachment 1).   Roto Rooter did not remove tree roots from my sewer line. They did not complete any work I needed/wanted.  However, they did dig up my basement, remove and replace a section of sewer line that did not need replacing and did not have tree roots in it, and then left that section vulnerable to additional tree roots by using faulty couplings (see attachment 2 and 3), showing faulty couplings, pictures and videos taken the day after roto rooter dug up my basement.  I have also uploaded a screenshot of the new company sending these pictures and video to me.  These pictures and video were taken just a few days after Roto Rooter had been in stat same hole and supposedly completed all their work.  If it wasn't for hiring a new company, I would have never known that what Roto Rooter had done inside my home was subjecting my sewer line to additional tree root infiltration.  See attachment 4, showing the company I called immediately after Roto Rooter said they completed work, showing the new company, "jackhammered and removed concrete to expose sewer piping. From this access point we cut out the roots and installed a structural grade liner/sleeve. Once the liner had cured we then backfilled all soil and patched the concrete."  This shows the new company actually did what Roto Rooter charged me for, but did not do.  In addition, it shows that Roto Rooter did not need to dig up my front yard to complete the work I hired them to do, but wanted to charge me $3800 for replacing good sewer line, not removing tree roots, making replaced sewer more vulnerable and then attempting to convince me that they needed to dig up my front yard for an additional $7650.  Roto Rooter stated I refused to allow them to conduct additional work.  Again, I state that additional work was not needed and therefore, should not have even been proposed. 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2023

  We have spoken to *** ******** on numerous occasions specifically 4/25/23 &5/4/23 and informed her that we had completed the scope of work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23. I informed the customer that we completed the entirety of the scope of work and that additional work would be required as was indicated on the attached proposal. Upon completion of our work we needed to conduct additional work and she refused to allow us to perform the work as she thought the price was too high. We notated the price of the additional work on the attached proposal and briefed her on it prior to initiating the beginning of our work.
  We discussed her concern that she thought the work was not completed properly and that she hired another company without contacting us to inform us of any issues. I informed her that the work was completed and she was aware that there could be additional work but she did not contact us and hired another contractor to perform additional services for her. 
  
  We completed all work as required and per the attached proposal. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/26/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below. 

  The business continues to copy and past their original response, which is the third time doing so and is not accurate and does not address my complaint or evidence supporting it.  I rejected their response the first time, fully explaining why and have sent responses to BBB requests for information.  My issue has yet to be resolved or properly addressed by the business.  The only acceptable resolution to this complaint, which has supporting evidence, is a full refund, which I have yet to receive.   
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ********
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/08/2023

  We have spoken to *** ******** on numerous occasions specifically 4/25/23 &5/4/23 and informed her that we had completed the scope of work that was given on the proposal dated 3/24/23. I informed the customer that we completed the entirety of the scope of work and that additional work would be required as was indicated on the attached proposal. Upon completion of our work we needed to conduct additional work and she refused to allow us to perform the work as she thought the price was too high. We notated the price of the additional work on the attached proposal and briefed her on it prior to initiating the beginning of our work.
  We discussed her concern that she thought the work was not completed properly and that she hired another company without contacting us to inform us of any issues. I informed her that the work was completed and she was aware that there could be additional work but she did not contact us and hired another contractor to perform additional services for her. 
  
  We completed all work as required and per the attached proposal. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/05/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 March 24, 2023 I had flooding in my basement and called Roto Rooter to help resolve. Their salesman (Mark) told me that, "your insurance will cover everything, don't worry about a thing".
  
  Yesterday, I received a phone call from Roto Rooter that I owed over $800 since my insurance company would not pay it. Per the phone call (the lady's name was "******), the amount was "past due" and "due immediately". This was my first phone call from them. Originally, they said that my insurance would cover everything. Also, they didn't tell me why my insurance wouldn't cover the amount or what the amount was for; just that it was "due immediately" and was "past due".
  
  I've searched my email and US mail - there is no written notification from Roto-Rooter that this amount is due (or even past due). This totally feels like a scam; if I truly owe money, I should be getting an invoice with an explanation and why my insurance wouldn't pay. I should also be receiving a period time (i.e. 30 days) before the invoice is "past due". I've received none of this.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2023

  We have worked on the customers behalf with her insurance customer and the remaining balance is the customers deductible for her policy.  The remaining balance due is $829.43 as we do not know the policy and as with all insurance claims the insured has a deductible.  We have contacted ****** to explain this and review it with her.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ** ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  *** ***********
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/03/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  I am writing this to request a refund for services that were supposed to have been rendered from your company on Monday, May 1st. We had called in to report that our toilet was not flushing and was backing up into our tub. The technician who came out to our house snaked the bathroom and said that he had unclogged the main line and documented that it was clear. However, upon further inspection by another plumber, we found out that the catch basin was completely full of brown water and grease.
  
  The technician from Roto Rooter company did not check the catch basin, which is an essential part of the plumbing system. It was only after we called in another plumber on May 2nd that we discovered the real issue. We feel that we were ripped off badly and that the services we received from your technician were not adequate.
  We are also concerned about the fact that the technician did not disclose the water in our crawlspace, which was apparently not noted in the documentation. A field supervisor showed up unannounced to our home on May 2nd around 2pm claiming the technician disclosed this to him, but not to us. This leads us to question the integrity of the documentation and the services that were provided to us.
  
  We have since had another plumber come out and solve the problem within 2 hours, which shows that the issue was not resolved by your technician. We have pictures, videos, and documentation of the issue, which we would be happy to share with you if necessary.
  
  We understand that your documentation shows that the issue was cleared, but we feel that this was not the case and that we were misled by your technician. We are requesting a full refund of the $550.00 we paid for the services provided by your company.
  
  We hope that you will take our concerns seriously and address this matter promptly. We would appreciate a response from you as soon as possible.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2023

  On 5/1/23 at 6:30pm, this customer requested service from
  Roto-Rooter due to a toilet back up. Roto-Rooter technician arrived onsite at
  7:40pm 5/1/23, within 2hrs of scheduling. It’s worth noting here, any time a customer
  advises their property has experienced a sewage back up, as a courtesy for no
  cost to the customer, we schedule a certified Water Mitigation Field Supervisor
  to perform an on-site inspection for contamination resulting from sewage entering
  the property. Unfortunately, depending on scheduling times, this free visit
  from the Field Supervisor may be at a later time/date from the service technician
  which is what occurred here. Our scheduling team advises on the sewage contamination
  from the booking details and sets up the courtesy inspection at the same time services
  are scheduled. In this instance, both were booked 5/1/23.   
  
  Regarding concerns with rodding services, our service
  includes a 6-month guarantee on the workmanship provided for drainage failure
  in the line serviced. If the line experiences another backup due to poor performance
  by our technician, Roto-Rooter will return at no cost to the customer to rod
  again. After review, our records indicate the customer contacted Roto-Rooter at
  6pm on 5/2/23 for a warranty visit. Call logs confirm Roto-Rooter called this
  customer at 6:56pm (within 1hr of booking) to advise a tech was being
  dispatched and is on the way for warranty service. Unfortunately, the customer did
  not answer this call, so a voicemail was left. Roto-Rooter does not dispatch technicians
  if a customer does not answer the dispatch call. Roto-Rooter called again at
  8:04pm to attempt another dispatch for service. Again, the customer did not
  answer so no technician was dispatched for service. The customer did call back
  at 8:07pm and cancelled the warranty visit. Roto-Rooter was unable to return to
  the property by the request of the customer.
  
  Additionally, if the septic tank was full at the time of
  rodding by Roto-Rooter, sanitary flow absolutely would NOT have
  been restored with rodding because the tank would have been full the sewage
  could not empty from the pipe into the basin. This means the sewage would have
  held in the pipe, and toilet, never able to drain into the tank. This further
  means the property would have had no use of the facilities at all regardless
  of rodding. However, in this instance, it is confirmed flow was restored with
  rodding. Sewage effectively drained from the pipe into the basin. This is why
  the technician performing rodding service would have no need to inspect the
  tank – sanitary flow being restored fully evidences the basin was not full at time
  of Roto-Rooter service. After rodding service customer had access to use facilities
  for 24hrs. Use of sinks, toilets, tubs, etc without immediate backup is
  evidence again that rodding was successful in restoring flow and; therefore, the
  tank itself was not full at the time of our service. For further confirmation,
  please note invoice from alternate company reflects pumping the basin was required
  in order to gain entry into the main sewer line for service to clear and
  restore flow because it is impossible to restore sanitary flow with a full
  basin.  It is highly likely the basin
  has not been serviced/pumped by the property owner for some time so after using
  the facilities for 24hrs the tank did reach it’s capacity resulting in an
  overflow requiring the tank to be pumped. Roto-Rooter is not responsible for
  maintaining the property’s septic tank or having it pumped regularly to avoid
  overflow of sewage from a full basin. If the tank fills in 1 day, 1 month, or 1
  year after Roto-Rooter rods, the tank condition remains with the property
  owner.
  
  While our rodding guarantee only guarantee’s Roto-Rooter
  workmanship, not existing property condition (i.e. basin being so full that 24hrs
  after flow was restored the basin filled to capacity from that additional usage
  and overflowed requiring pumping to resolve), Roto-Rooter understands the
  frustration our customer is experiencing. Despite his statement confirming additional
  services were required to resolve the problem and evidence confirms flow was
  restored with rodding, further confirming the basin was not full at the time of
  rodding, Roto-Rooter is happy to refund 50% of the service costs as a courtesy.
  $225 was refunded to the card used for service today. Refund receipt included
  here.
  
  To confirm, evidence verifies sanitary flow was restored
  with rodding which fully justifies charges for service performed. Flow being restored confirms the basin was not full during Roto-Rooter
  service. Basin condition is not the responsibility of a service provider. Despite
  rodding restoring sanitary flow and evidence confirming the basin was not full during
  Roto-Rooter’s visit, as a courtesy we have issued a refund of 50% of the service
  costs for this customer’s concerns. With this response we consider this
  complaint resolved.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/03/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 called because our shower/tub would not drain, they came and snaked the pipes, they cleared the lines and we paid 400. They left we went to take a shower, the shower overflowed. We called right away, they could have someone back to our house in 3 hours but would have to charge us again.
  The length they had to snake was maybe 25 feet ( a short distance) from the shower to the septic tank. When we said our shower would not drain, they should have started with the shower, now we have to pay more for them to come back out.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/11/2023

  Senior technician was sent to customers some the following day.  The original issue was related to the mainline, the newest issue was a branch line located in their bathroom.  We charged the customer $150 to cable the line.  Customer is satisfied with results and service. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complain* ** ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/03/2023

  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.

  I was using my insurance, Kaverious T******* informed me he would communicate/work with my insurance company directly. My insurance waited and waited. Roto Rooter took a long time to send information to my insurance company yet they started the job anyway. Mr. T******* came back with more papers (on a tablet)to sign after they started the job convincing me he had everything under control with my insurance and I had nothing to worry about, it was covered. I never received the email of the 1st docs I signed. I’ve really been taken advantage of and now I’m stuck with over a $10,000 bill. I payed roto rooter $731 to fix the pipe which still leaked so I went ahead and paid another company to change the entire pipe. Also literally everyone that came to my house tired convincing me to let them do the work as a side job. The scariest one of all was Ronald. I called the administrator office about him. He walked in every room in my house telling me what I need done, meaning painting, moving cabinets, how I need to redo my kitchen sink and move it to line up with my stove. He also went as far as telling me how I need to connect my garage to my house. He scooped out my whole house except the plumbing issue. I wouldn’t agree for him to do the job himself without looking he told me he need $1000 to fix it. As a single woman and 1st time home owner this was by far the worst and scariest experience ever. They want all the money up front with one payment option if you qualify.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/10/2023

  Spoke with the customer numerous times. We settled the bill down to $5000 from over $10000. She paid the total today. She did not understand why the bill was $10000. Explained to her in detail how water restoration is billed out and she agreed to paying half of the balance. Customer was obviously pleased with the outcome.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 3/3/23, my basement flooded and I contacted Roto Rooter to come out and fix the issue. The team came out on 3/5 to extract the water and fix the problem. I was told that they could not find the clean out and that they would have to dig a new one for $6,000+. Once the clean up team came on 3/6 and removed the tile on the floor, it was clear that the extraction team sent the camera straight past BOTH clean outs that were in the basement to dig a new one to get a good chunk of money out of me. The cleaning team sent 2 people to throw away the soiled things. While I was in the basement trying to monitor what was being thrown out, their other team member was in my garage not taking proper pictures of my damaged items and just throwing things out. I had no way of knowing the details of what was being thrown out as I could not be in 2 places at the same time. Once Roto Rooter provided pictures a few days later, it was clear to me that the team member that was in the garage threw away (or took) a tote of collectors christmas items. I began contacting them immediately ********* with no response for 2 weeks. I then called the corporate office and got a return call back from *********. He stated that indeed they were wrong for throwing this tote out and they would reimburse me for it. I since have had to continuously reach out to them to see how they would reimburse me to only get "we will call you back once we figure out how we will pay you". Now they are only trying to knock a few hundred off of the service that they did which is financed. I have since contacted the general manager about this issue and have yet to get a response. This is a mistake that their team made. You would think that they would want to do right by THEIR mistake! I am taking a major loss by only accepting the few hundred that they offered and I cant even get that!!

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2023

  I have reached out to **** ***** and we have come to an agreement on the Christmas Items she has listed. We went through her mitigation package and spoke about items in the pictures that were affected so she was able to report them to her insurance company in her loss. I did ask for a dollar amount that she paid for the items and it was so long ago and the stress was a bit much for her at the moment with her home having to be mitigated by the water department. I completely understand and we are taking care of her, and her issue. ******* 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ** ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ****** *****
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2023

  Roto Rooter was called out to clean up a flood in my basement in March 2023. Before clean up they stated that anything in plastic totes with lids, or plastic bags that were sealed will not be thrown away. While throwing away my damaged items, they threw away (or took) an entire tote containing *** collectable christmas items. With speaking with the water manager Charles and us going through the pictures together, he stated that they would compensate me for my belongings after waiting for several weeks. A few more weeks past and I had not heard back from Charles so I called and he got a check for $200.00 cut for me and send to my home. I held the check until the last day that I could deposit it, as I was going to use it for my christmas stuff for this year. When I deposit the check my bank informed me that the check has been stopped by Roto Rooter. After going back and forth about their wrong doing for several weeks and admitting to their employees throwing my items away, you would think that they would want to take accountability for their employees actions. As I the customer, did nothing wrong except trust them to do a job. I just want what is rightfully mine so that I can be DONE with this company! This has been a complete nightmare!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/20/2023

  I have reached out to **** *****, and we have come to an agreement on the Christmas Items she has listed. We went through her mitigation package and spoke about items in the pictures that were affected so she was able to report them to her insurance company in her loss. I did ask for a dollar amount that she paid for the items, and it was so long ago and the stress was a bit much for her at the moment with her home having to be mitigated by the water department. I completely understand and we are taking care of her, and her issue. A check was issued and when tried being cashed it was voided the customer states. After researching the information, the customers check was canceled due to the date on it, and we are going to be sending another check to make things right for the loss of some of her Items. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me at the moment. I will be completely satisfied once check is received and I am able to deposit it successfully. If this issue is not completely resolved, I will be reaching back out to the BBB.   
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** *****