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:02/21/2023

  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.

  The owner of the house [**** ***** ***** ******] lives out of town. He asked me to get estimates for a plumbing issue July/August 2022. I looked online and found Lippincott advertised Free Estimates, I called them, and they responded. Once the man completed looking and writing down information, he left saying the estimate will come in the mail. When the estimate came to me, [8/2/20 or 8/8/20] I called Lippincott saying I'm not the owner of the house and he will not renovate. Then I asked why they are billing when they advertise Free Estimates. Lippincott sent that bill to Fawcett Collecting Company. I don't own the house and they advertise free estimates.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2023

  Ms ***** *********** called in and asked us to check the vent stack at *** ** *****. But she said we would be billing someone else ( persume the owner). Our scheduler explained that he would have to call us personally. She said that he was unable to and she was told we would have to bill her. She said" never mind" and hung up. 4 or 5 days later she called back, 7-18-23, and said for us to come out. She was told 3 or 4 times she would be charge for us to come out. She said okay. The tech went our 7-25-23 and diagnosed the problem and told her that he would figure up a quote for her. He wrote: Quote: Replacing cast iron vent stack/soil stack with pvc pipe only. No lateral drains to be connected. *Customer will connect Kitchen sink, washer, bath drains. She was sent a bill for 1 hour with no trip charge which is $20.00.  A bill was sent for $90.00. We do do Free Estimates BUT when we have to diagnosis a problem 1st we charge for that and she was told that 3 or 4 times. And she did not give our tech an address to send a quote and to send the quote to her.

  Quote to be sent to ***** ***********.  Materials and labor to replace vent stack only: $1750.00.

  No laterals included. Total: $1750.00  

  Sometimes IF we get the job we waiver the 1st service call. When she call back and said the owner would not renovate is when she was sent the billed for the service call on July 25, 2023, which she agreed to on July 18,2023.

  She has not paid the bill so it was to collection this year. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/24/2023

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  March 22, 2023
  
   
  
  Complaint ID: ********
  
   
  
  I read the response from Lippincott Plumbing, Heating & Cooling and dispute their response.
  
   
  
  Why would I (***** ***********) tell Lippincott to bill me, for work that was supposed to be: 1) free ( an estimate),  2) I don't own the property that they looked at, which was explained to the woman I spoke with, and 3) if Lippincott asked to speak with the homeowner, I would have provided the owner their phone number. I had only one phone conversation with the Lippincott representative. I never had conversations with any Lippincott rep regarding being charged for an estimate.
  
   
  
  Lippincott never said a diagnosis would be chargeable. The owner knew the problem, he wanted an estimate of what it would cost to repair. The company rep said he'd take what he wrote back to the office and would mail an estimate for repairs. As in my original letter to the BBB, I asked that Lippincott remove my name as the responsible party. The City of Lima has records stating who the owner is, and it is not me. I have no legal right regarding that property.  
  
   
  
  Lippincott was never told they had a job. It was a call for an estimate for repairs only.
  
   
  
  Thank you,
  
  ***** ***********