Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/31/2024

  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.

  On Monday 7-01-2024, I contacted Brian's Mechanical to inquire about diagnosing a problem with the HVAC system in my home. I spoke with them via phone call and they told me that they could have a technician at my residence the following afternoon (7-02-2024). Due to the extremely high temperatures and having two children in the home, I informed the person during the phone call that I would have to continue seeking service and if I was able to find someone else to perform the diagnosis within the same day, then I would need to cancel the appointment with them. No issues with this were addressed during this phone call, nor were there any confirmations given via email or text message from Brian's Mechanical to verify the appointment. I was indeed able to find a company to resolve the issue in the same day and no longer needed the services from Brian's Mechanical. Since I had received no verification of my appointment, I assumed that it did not get scheduled.
  
  On Tuesday 07-02-2024, two technicians from Brian's Mechanical arrived unannounced at my home around 9am while I was at work. I received a phone call from the person that I initially spoke to the previous day and informed her of the misunderstanding. She said that I would be charged a $75 cancellation fee that was never discussed or agreed upon. I declined payment over the phone and then began receiving repetitive invoices via email. I called back and spoke with Brian Huntstad (Owner) and tried to explain the situation. He was rude and unprofessional through the entire length of the phone call and claimed that the invoice was now a "trip charge" rather than a cancellation fee as previously stated and that I was required to "pay for my mistake" despite never having any sort of agreement or confirmation from them. Brian ended the call when I refused to pay the invoice which I believe to be a charge fabricated out of spite. It is 7-30-2024 and I am still receiving the same invoice multiple times per week from them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/31/2024

  Here is the call transcript:

  Business
  •
  0:01
  Fran M***.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  0:03
  Hey, good morning. Um I was looking on my neighborhood page uh some place for some ac repair r***mmendations and you guys popped up. So I just wanted to give you a call and see um what I could do about possibly having somebody look at my system.
  B
  Business
  •
  0:23
  Ok. Yes, sir. We charge a 1 20 100 and $20 for a diagnostic and I could look at having someone out there possibly tomorrow to give you a diagnostic and the estimate for repair.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  0:37
  Uh hang on one s***nd. I'm really sorry I just had a guy come uh start a uh weed eater right behind me. So I unfortunately missed just about everything you said o other than the 120 diagnostic fee. Um can you repeat the rest of that?
  B
  Business
  •
  0:53
  Yes, sir. And we can um give you an estimate for repair so you can decide whether you wanna go through or not. Um I could just, and you said you're in Somerville,
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:04
  Yes.
  B
  Business
  •
  1:05
  I could have someone out there tomorrow between 12 and two.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:11
  Uh ok, that's cool. I can um do that and then um if there's anything, if anything comes up in between that I can give you guys a call back to.
  B
  Business
  •
  1:17
  What? Ok. What is your first name?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:23
  It's uh Mitchell Mitchell
  B
  Business
  •
  1:26
  Mm. And what is your last name?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:29
  uh ******** Fa Ulkn. Er
  B
  Business
  •
  1:34
  LKN? Er
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:36
  yes
  B
  Business
  •
  1:38
  ok, and the best mobile number
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:40
  it's uh 843817 4770.
  B
  Business
  •
  1:47
  and the best email address?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  1:50
  It is M as in Mitchell dot ******** Fa Ulkn er 1911 at gmail.com.
  B
  Business
  •
  2:03
  1911
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:06
  Yep,
  B
  Business
  •
  2:07
  at gmail.com.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:10
  yep,
  B
  Business
  •
  2:11
  All right. And your address?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:14
  it is 407 Salter Street that's Salte Rt on
  B
  Business
  •
  2:24
  Got it. Alright. And what did you say your ac unit was doing exactly?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:30
  um it's just not running at all. Um I believe it's a issue with the condenser.
  B
  Business
  •
  2:37
  Ok. I have you on tomorrow afternoon. Um I could do 10 to 12 also. Does that work?
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:49
  Yeah, that's fine.
  B
  Business
  •
  2:51
  Ok. 10 to 12. All right. I have you on the schedule. Ok.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  2:58
  All Right? Awesome. Thank you so much.
  B
  Business
  •
  3:00
  Yes, sir. All right. Bye.
  M
  ******** ********
  •
  3:01
  Alright, bye.

   

  We confirmed the appt, we arrived, he said sorry, forgot to cancel.  No problems really, but we do charge a reduced rate trip charge to cover the van/employee of $75, which we did, and invoiced him.  Then he called in and was harassing my dispatcher.  

  So, he's lying about having any confirmation, he was provided a window of arrival and accepted it and was informed of the $120 charge.  

  He said nothing about trying to find anyone else to work on it.  He told me he simply forgot to call and cancel, and I have no problem with that either, I forget stuff too, I get it.  But as an adult, I know there are consequences/costs, and I accept that.  This guy does  not.

   

  His entire "I would have to continue seeking service and if I was able to find someone else to perform the diagnosis within the same day, then i would need to cancel" thing was not only way different than reality, but he's basically admitting understanding the need to cancel his appointment.

  "Since I had no verification, I assumed this it did not get scheduled" is again, prevarication.  He said he'd call and cancel his appointment.  He admits he did not.

  We use a program called housecall pros that automatically bills him.  He got the bill 7/2 after we left, another 7/9 (one week later, automatically generated by the software) and 7/16.  It was on the 9th that he called in and I overheard his conversation with my dispatcher.  I called him back and explained the ***nomics of it all, told him it was what it was, asked him if he could explain his position in a logical manner on why I should absorb this after he admiteed forgetting to call and cancel.  I don't recall ever saying "pay for your mistake" and would be shocked if I did, I contest that I didn't.  

  He'll be sent to collections after 8/8, 30 days from original invoice.  There  is no spite, nothing personal at all, I don't have time for that.  This is- as I explained to Mr ********, just business.  This gentleman is a neighbor, he could literally walk to my house if he misunderstood any of this.  Instead, he reports this to the BBB, using his own words, "out of spite".  

  The charge was reduced, as is policy, from $120 to perform the diagnostic, to $75 to cover my employees wages and the truck fuel/costs, it's as simple as that, and Mr ******** doesn't want to pay that.  I told him on the phone something to the effect that it was his prerogative and this didn't need any further conversation as he was starting to just go on and on.  But otherwise, I don't understand why this is being entertained by the BBB-- he's not complaining about anything I did to hurt his property to do my job in a manner that caused more damage or costs to him- quite the opposite, he's costing me time and money.  Mr ********* needs to understand, especially with the economy in the state its in, that he can't call several different service companies to his home and only pay the first guy that shows up.  That would place quite the burden on our service companies and I believe you guys will agree.