Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/26/2024

  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.

  Service Agreement and Termination:I entered into a service agreement with The Reef Doctor LLC, represented by ***************************, for monthly aquarium maintenance services, with the term set to expire in December 2024. Initially, *********************** provided excellent biweekly maintenance, including a 20% water change and detailed reports on water element levels. After ****** and ***** dissolved their partnership in April 2024, ***** took over the service, and the quality drastically declined.Termination and Charges:Dissatisfied with the substandard service, I terminated the agreement on June 25, 2024. The Reef Doctor LLC immediately charged my credit card $1350 as an early termination fee. This fee was not clearly outlined in the contract. The contract lacked an explanation for the early termination fee or any alternative options for customers, violating consumer protection laws in ********* that guard against unfair contract terms.Attempt to Reverse Termination:On June 26, 2024, I contacted *************************** to reverse my decision and continue the service to avoid the fee. However, my request was refused without reasonable justification.Unprofessional Conduct:***** claimed I breached the contract by adding livestock against his advice, a term not explicitly stated in the contract. He threatened to charge an additional $2000 and recover attorney fees if I disputed the charge or reported him to the state government, which is unethical and coercive.Additional Unauthorized Invoice:Recently, I received an invoice for $3,486.50, including charges for services and goods not clearly communicated or agreed upon. Although this invoice has not yet been charged to my credit card, it demonstrates ongoing unfair practices and attempts to unjustly penalize me.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/26/2024

  ************************;

  Mr. ***** continued attempts to disparage my business now constitute harassment and his behavior is disturbing and disappointing. 
  
  Never did you ever state you were unhappy with the service provided. Out of the 7 months of biweekly service performed, ****** performed service for 8 visits. Initial aquarium setup and all maintenance visits from Dec Feb were performed by the Reef Doctor. Our records from the full time period show that only one 20% water change was ever performed, all others were 10%, as noted on your invoices from ******* visits. There does appear to be a typo on ******* work orders stating 20%, but the fees are only for 10% water changes. I have confirmed with ****** that this is accurate. 
  
  I have numerous emails from you expressing your happiness with the tank and service. I also have numerous service visit notes and emails sent to you advising you explicitly on things not to do to your new aquarium - including adding livestock before tank maturation, excessive water changes when not needed, adding medicated pet store water, and running lights excessively all of which you ignored and continued to do against advice. As explained repeatedly in writing and verbally, these actions on your part significantly increased the chances of livestock losses and work needed to maintain the tank over and above services included in your package additional work we did at no extra charge for several months as we attempted to educate you about aquarium ownership and care. 
  
  When you received an additional service fee (as specifically outlined in the agreement) for excess care over and above what was included in your service package, you stated you wanted to terminate the service agreement early and take care of the aquarium yourself. Our business concluded in June at your request.
  
  Fees for early termination are specifically outlined in the agreement you signed on 12/27/23, also stating via email you accepted the terms. We charged a steeply discounted termination fee in lieu of the almost $3500 that was due to us per your agreement. We explained that if we had to pursue collection for the fees, then the full termination fee due as outlined in your agreement, plus any attorney or collections fees incurred to recover the amount in question would be submitted. After reminding you of these terms, you attempted to reinstate service, at which point we were disinclined to do so. After spending additional unpaid time going through your agreement again with you, you responded by email on July 2 stating that you understood the terms and the cancellation policy. Content reproduced below:
  
  Thank you for your previous clarifications. I have now located and reviewed the section of our contract that discusses the consequences of default or early termination, as well as the provisions concerning the acceleration of the full balance of annual maintenance fees. I have learned my ****** and truly appreciate your patience and detailed explanations. Thanks to your advice, the aquarium is doing much better now. I honor and respect the service you provide. You are always available to give valuable advice. Its been instrumental in improving the environment for my aquatic friends. Best regards, thank you again! ***********************
  
  We received notice on July 22 that you had filed a chargeback for the discounted termination fee, which was taken from our bank account on Tuesday, July 23. We then received notice of a complaint from the ******** of ******** Affairs on the same day. We immediately responded with the above backup, and complied with your written request for an invoice showing the full cancellation amount due (the invoice for $3486.50 cited above). You then reported our compliance with your written request to the State as harassment. The State has concluded their investigation and found it illegitimate. It appears that in light of this you are now attempting to disparage our business on Google. 
  
  We ask that you remove this illegitimate complaint and cease and desist immediately, as it is slanderous, libelous, and completely untrue.