Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/31/2023

  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.

  [BBB transcription, See attached]

   

  *** *** **** *** ********** **** ****6                          ExhibitC
  To: WRP Accounting
  **** ********* **** ********** **** *****
  re: Undisclosed charges 1922 Tax prep
  Dear ****,
  By copy of this letter WRP is hereby dismissed as my accountant of
  record for failure to disclose unpublished and/unannounced fees for
  routine questions regarding client's IRA RMD amounts for 1922 tax prep.
  WRP had for 3 previous years not billed for routine tax prep questions
  and when contacted in this regard owner **** Wilging was vague and ambiguous
  in explaining what he called previous "freebies" and of the immorality
  in questioning his unannounced and unspecified fees.
  Previously, the undersigned client brought this matter to the attention of one of WRP's employees and was rudely treated and ridiculed for not reading the signs posted in the office which had no bearing on the question at hand.
  The client was then contacted by **** Wilging owner of the business who stated the $30 fee in question meant "nothing" to him and that the client should find another accountant. The client In question had ran his own successful business for 37 years and was poorly impressed with ****s immature and unprofessional attitude and that reflected by his staff.
  Presumably, **** has a video of my meeting with his employee which started out in a professional manner and ended with said employee stating her job required her to know nothing about anything.
  
  cc: file
  BBB with cover letter
  
  Before the
  ****** ******** ****** ** ******* **** **** ****** **** ********* **** **********
  30 May 2023
  Complainant:
  ***** ****** *** *** **** *** *** ********** **** ***** *** ************
  v. File No.
  
  
  Respondent:
  WRP Accountants
  **** ********* **** ********** **** ***** *** ************
  Background to the Complaint
  Since 2019 Respondent had been Complainant's accountant of record for preparing federal, state and local tax returns. During the course of preparation calls occurred between the parties involving minor tax related questions that arose. These calls were inherent in the quotes provided to the Complainant and were never billed beyond the original quote.
  When the invoice for Complainant's 2022 taxes was presented, two phone calls were added ($30) to the quoted fee of $225 (Exhibit A). Complainant appeared in person at Respondent's office and requested phone billing be deleted. Complainant paid the quoted fee of $225 (Exhibit B). The invoice was stamped PAID 21 Feb 2023 by Respondent and Complainant considered the matter closed.
  On 24 May 2023 Complainant received a copy of Exhibit A demanding payment of the $30 fee. The PAID and date stamp were missing on the duplicate invoice. On that same date Complainant appeared at Respondent's office to resolve the issue and the events described in Exhibit C ensued.
  On 26 May 2023 Complainant then received a different Invoice dated 30 May 2023 -?- listing just the $30 fee.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  As you can see from ** ******** letter, he is quite confused on several items, especially the fact that I completed his “1922 taxes”.  I did complete his 2022 taxes, for which we post the minimum tax preparation fee in our lobby of $225.00.  This fee is for 2022 tax preparation only, and does not take into account any other services performed.  He called me on 2 prior occasions in late 2022 and had me on the phone for 15 minutes over those 2 phone calls.  My hourly billing rate is $150.00, so the billing for those 2 phone calls was $37.50, for which I billed him $30 along with his 2022 tax preparation in March 2023.  As with all other professional businesses, if the client calls for advice, the time is billable. 
  
  Like I told ** ****** when I called him after his outburst in my lobby, you would not expect to call your attorney and keep him on the phone for 15 minutes and not expect to be billed for his time, and why would he expect me to not bill him for my time.  His response was that I should have told him that I was billing him for my time, which is quite ridiculous.  The whole point of this is not the $30 fee, but the principle of him refusing to pay for my time and the calls.  And his treatment of my office manager, who is copied on this email. 
  
  ** ****** was rude and the refusal to pay for the billed time prompted me to call him, walk him thru the process, which he did not understand or agree with, and then tell him I felt he needed to find a new CPA, which he did not like.
  
  ** ****** has always been somewhat demanding and at times combative on items, but we chose to continue the CPA/Client relationship.  After the most recent incident, where he refused to pay for my time and was rude and disrespectful to my office manager and did not want to wait to speak to me, I chose to terminate our relationship, for which I believe he was not happy.

  I hope this helps clarify the incident and circumstances surrounding it, and will clear up the negative rating against our business.

  Thank you in advance for your assistance.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/05/2023

  [BBB transcription via mail, see attachments]

   

  As the Complainant in the above titled Complaint, I am now in receipt of your letter of 26 Jun 2023 and what is evidently **** ******** tardy response. I find it very curious that my letter of Jun 26th corresponds to your letter and ****** response also dated Jun 26th. I am of the opinion that **** was responding to my letter to you of Jun 26th on which he was copied than to your previous two attempts to elicit a response. Whatever the case, I will respond in some detail to ****** erroneous and irrelevant excuses for his behavior and that of his "office manager".

  Firstly and not surprisingly, **** starts off with a snide and ludicrous comment about a typo citing "1922 taxes" and not 2022 taxes. ****, my word processor doesn't recognize incorrect dates just spelling. As you know, I am a 75 year old disabled veteran and this is a perfect example of the disparagement that I encountered from your gen X "office manager" and from you. Like you, my time is valuable and I don't proof routine correspondence.

  **** goes on to finally state his billing policy for phone calls. This is the first time ever that he has stated an hourly rate to me. Had he done so beforehand I would have dismissed him immediately. Moreover, as I stated in the complaint, for three previous years he handled phone calls at no charge and in addition his former office manager during the Covid crisis helped my wife extensively to set up a PUA account at no charge.

  In a further display of his outsize ego **** goes on the equate his Public Accountant certificate to a Doctorate in Law in terms of "professionsl billing". No ****, you are not providing legal counsel you are filling out a tax return. That's quite a stretch and borders on delusions of grandeur as well as hidden and unfair billing.

  Finally, I do not continue relationships for four years that I find are demanding and combative. In a letter to **** (Exhibit C) in the original Complaint I dismissed WRP for the reasons stated.

  Therefore, I find WRP's response unprofessional and unacceptable, and any further harassment from WRP regarding billing for their hidden and unwarranted charges will result in further action on our part in the appropriate forums. My terms of settlement were stated in the last paragraph of my letter of Jun 26th. It is my sincere hope that these proceedings are now closed.