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:05/24/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  This business stole my social security information and also was not transparent about the full charges for their services. When we thought we had paid in full they said we had not and add charges and then without letting us know files something with a collection agency. We have since paid this but found out they stole out social security number which was not given to them to do this and threaten us with filing against our credit report unless we paid. We want a written explanation as to why this happen and how they obtained our person social security number

  Business Response

  Date: 06/01/2024

  To: Better Business Bureau
  Re: Response to Complaint, # ********

  The customers ******************** complaint #******** submitted on May 24th, 2024 contains allegations and assertions not only unsupported by fact, but also directly conflicting with Sutter Home and Hearths documented interactions with the customer and our business practices. The customer alleges ********************** Home and Hearth stole [] social security information and was not transparent about the charges for their services. The customer further alleges that ********************** Home & Hearth add[ed] charges and then without letting us know file[d] something with a collection agency.

  First, Sutter Home and Hearth did not ever collect and does not have the customers social security information. Second, Sutter Home and Hearth explained to the customer, and reiterated multiple times on the Estimate form signed by the customer, that their initial payments were deposits and a remaining balance would be owed after installation. Third, Sutter Home and Hearth attempted to contact the customer more than 10 times over the course of 5 months using the multiple forms of the customers verified contact information prior to sending the outstanding balance to collection.

  This customer purchased a fire pit, gas *** grill, and custom cart for the *** with a cover from our company. We never collected the customers social security number or other personal information not necessary to the product purchase and service provided. Nor have we ever collected that information from any customer in our history. We have no use or need for this sensitive personal information and would never request it under any circumstances. We can only theorize that the collection agency has obtained the customers social security number unilaterally and the customer has incorrectly linked that with the customers interactions with ********************** Home and Hearth. In sum, the customers allegation regarding their social security information is completely unfounded.

  Sutter Home and Hearth makes considerable effort to be as transparent as possible with our pricing and billing practices to avoid customer confusion. It is ********************** Home and Hearth policy to take a 75% deposit to secure ordering of product and scheduling of delivery and installation work. Most of our customers do not want to pay for work like this in full prior to delivery and installation, which we understand and respect. The customer was informed of this policy which is why they placed a 75% credit card deposit of $7,420 on June 30, 2023 to cover 75% of the product and installation labor with the exception of the custom cart.  The customer placed a 2nd deposit of $3,380 to secure the ordering of their custom cart on July 27, 2023. These deposits were only separated into two stages due to the design and quote process of the custom cart which meant a final price for the custom cart was not available on June 30th for Sutter Home & Hearth to calculate a 75% deposit of, or for the customer to agree to.

  Along with this July 27th deposit the customer signed an Estimate form (a copy of which Sutter Home and Hearth maintains) which expressly stated the following: If you wish to proceed, we will require a $3,390 deposit (75% minus the $7420 you already put down). It further listed for the customer: Total Estimate Amount:$14,397.99, and Required Deposit: $10,800.00. It also restated that the Customer is Responsible For: (1) Deposit, balance due upon billing Additionally, immediately above the customers signature the form reads: Terms & Conditions: Deposits must be paid in full upon acceptance of estimate with balances due upon billing. . . . Customer accepts estimate, authorizes work, and understand and will complete customer responsibilities. Therefore this customer was explicitly informed their payments were deposits and Sutter did not add charges as the customer alleges. If the customer was unclear on this and believed they had paid in full prior to delivery, we are sorry for that misunderstanding. We understand that misunderstandings can occur which is why, as explained below, we made significant effort to contact the customer about their remaining balance.

  We delivered all the product and completed installation work on September 14, 2024 and then billed the customer for the $3,597.99 balance due on their order. Photos of the installation show Sutter Home & Hearth completed the work in full and the product was in good condition. The customer made no claim of unsatisfactory product or service. In addition to the invoice and payment link emailed to the customer the business day following installation, Sutter Home and Hearth attempted to contact the customer numerous times over the course of 5 months using the email address, phone number, and mailing address of the customer provided us in order to complete the transaction and work which exactly matches the information provided in the Customer Information section of the ******************** complaint prior to sending the outstanding balance to collection.

   Sutter Home and Hearth provided the customer what we believe was more than sufficient notice and opportunity to discuss their final bill and warning of the collections process before sending to a collections agency. Below is a list of the dates and methods by which we attempted to contact the customer to collect the outstanding balance or otherwise communicate with the customer after the products were delivered and installed. The customer only responded once to a phone call on October 17th at which point we discussed the invoice and remaining final balance. The customer requested we resend the final invoice and we did so promptly via email. Therefore, even if the customer was not aware  that there was a final balance owed after installation (in spite of the written Estimate they signed) they were made aware as of October 17, 2023.  They ignored every subsequent attempt we made to contact them for the next 5 months at which point we had no choice but to send them to collections for the outstanding balance of $3,597.99.

  9/15/2023 - Original invoice and payment link emailed.
  10/16/2023 - Mailed /Re-invoiced customer
  10/17/2023 - Phoned. Reached customer, they said they didn't receive the invoice. Resent payment link.
  11/16/2023 - Phoned. Left message.
  11/22/2023 - Emailed 1st Notice.
  12/18/2023 - Mailed 2nd Notice.
  12/19/2023 - Phoned. Left message.
  12/21/2023 - Emailed 2nd Notice.
  01/17/2023 - Phoned. Left message.
  01/18/2024 - Mailed Last Chance Notice.
  01/19/2024 - Emailed Notice. 
  02/07/2024 - Phoned. Voicemail to customer phone.
  02/07/2024 - Emailed Follow up to voicemail.
  02/14/2024 - Phoned. No response. Cleared to send to collections.
  03/08/2024 - Emailed Final Notice.
  03/08/2024 - Mailed Final Notice.

  As evident from the above, and contrary to the customer's assertion, ********************** Home and Hearth informed the customer of their outstanding balance and provided notice of the impending collections process. We rarely send any customer to collections, perhaps once every two years, and it is something we are loath to do as evident by the five months we let their account be in arrears and how often we tried to contact them to clear up the matter. We always prefer to work things out with customers and almost always find a compromise or understanding. At any time, we would have spoken with or met with the customer if they were unclear on their bill, had a complaint, or any other issue but they simply ignored us or failed to respond.

  It was not until after the customer had received a collection notice that they attempted to contact us and left a message. We called them back the next day but were not able to reach them, and they never called us back. Instead they have submitted a BBB complaint, which we assert misrepresents the facts and events of the situation and falsely accuses us of identity theft. This customers ********************** Home and ********************** account has been suspended with no future sales or service permitted due to us being forced to send them to collections. Also, since we had to send the customer to collections, we will only be receiving a fraction of the balance they owed us. This along with the time already spent trying to contact this customer means that our hard work and effort will be rewarded by a financial loss. Considering all of this we ask that the customer no longer contact us for any reason including future service or sales. At Sutter Home and Hearth, we take great pride in our customer service and the relationships we build with our customers. We regret that this customers relationship with us has ended in this fashion.