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:10/28/2024

  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.

  1. Aqualine fraudulently billed us $3,000 for smoke alarms. We were quoted and agreed to a wired unit, without any disclosure to us, battery units were installed (which we already had). Aqualine deceptively edited the bill to include "or battery", the quote I was given says "wired".2. Aqualine repeatedly told us they had a work permit and an L&I inspection scheduled, when an inspector never came and Aqualine was not responding to my inquiries about an inspection, I contacted L&I almost a month after we had paid Aqualine and they notified me Aqualine had no work permit, no inspection scheduled and the individual that performed the work was not a licensed electrician- all the work was done illegally. Aqualine had no intention of getting a permit, or scheduling an L&I inspection and only did so once an investigator contacted them.3. L&I found several egregious code violations in the work performed by this Aqualine installer. Outlets were left completely uncovered, lights were dangerously put in the ceiling without brackets amongst other electrical code violations. Aqualine initially attempted to send the same, unlicensed individual back out to correct the work. 3. Aqualine installer put a counterfeit PUD cable lockout on our utility box and swapped the panel without notifying PUD or having it inspected, which is a significant safety issue for my family. *** has scheduled an inspection and notified their safety office.4. We have contracted a 3rd party licensed electrician to inspect this illegal work. They immediately discovered the meter is damaged and will need to be replaced, which will cost $3,000. We will also have to pay to resolve the code violations and unfinished work left by Aqualine.5. This company has refused to even acknowledge any wrongdoing, refund any amount and have made multiple factually incorrect statements when I've tried to seek a resolution with them. I have included all supporting documents with this complaint.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/28/2024

  Good afternoon,
  
  Thank you for reaching out on this matter. We sincerely apologize for
  the inconvenience this is causing. We are currently talking / working
  with L&I On this situation.
  
  Over here at Aqualine, customer satisfaction is our top priority, and
  we take all customer concerns seriously.
  
  We have reviewed your complaint regarding ***** ******** and are
  currently taking steps with L&I and inspectors to resolve any issues.
  ***** has filed complaints with L&I, ***************** and now the BBB.
  
  To address your concern, we did offer to send a different tech out to
  solve any concerns that he did have, but the customer declined that
  option immediately. Shortly after the tech left, ***** called in and
  emailed. Shortly after that he put a stop payment on his payments and
  opened complaints. We are here and want to rectify this situation
  as soon as possible, Making sure all parties are satisfied.

   

  As we started, We offered, And are still willing to work with ***** on an expedited solution.

  
  We have also attached the signed invoice, by *****. This being the
  final step before we leave. We make sure the customer is happy with
  the work that was done. We always verify before we leave if the customer
  is satisfied.
  
  
  We have attached the invoice, which ***** did sign. Along with a snip of the verbiage used in the smoke detectors off the invoice.
  
  
  If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/28/2024

   
  Complaint: 22480836
  
   
  Complaint: 22480836
  
  Aqualine's response is unsatisfactory.  This business sent an unlicensed and clearly incompetent associate who damaged our home and left the job incomplete.  This individual completely disregarded our safety, electrical code and Washington State law when performing the work.  They never obtained a permit, or scheduled an inspection and repeatedly lied us about this fact.  They never contacted the *************** when swapping the fuse box, placed a counterfeit cable lock out on it and never had it inspected.  Furthermore there was significant damage caused by this individual that will cost thousands of dollars to fix.  The remainder of the work is yet to be inspected, and I'm genuinely concerned about what else they will find.  Aqualine is knowingly sending unlicensed individuals to perform consequential electrical work.  They've provided factually incorrect statements to L&I claiming the work performed by this unlicensed individual was "supervised".  Aqualine has shown a willingness to knowingly disregard state laws, our safety and then provide false statements to L&I.  No reasonable person would feel comfortable allowing this business to continue any degree of work on their home while knowing this.  

  
  The smoke alarm item was completely dishonest.  The adjustment from a wired system to battery smoke alarms was never disclosed to us, and we never would have agreed to pay $3,000 for 6 battery smoke alarms, that we already had in place.  The work was obviously not finished, outlets were left uncovered and the business never attempted to have it inspected for safety until I contacted L&I.  Furthermore the numerous code violations on the L&I report should make it obvious the work was not complete.

  
  As far as the number of complaints I've made, I assure you, I'm just getting started, as Aqualine clearly has no intention of doing the right thing.  My employer is currently finding us legal representation and we will be seeking a judgement against this company.  They have been incredibly dishonest in this transaction and I genuinely believe they are putting unknowing consumers in danger.  
  
  
  
  ***** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/04/2024

  Hello,

  I'd just like to notify BBB that this business has submitted a deceptive document in their response to my complaint.  They edited my email.  I've attached an original copy of the email thread here.  

   

  If possible I'd like to update my response to include this fact.  

   

  (Aqualine submission and Original email attached)

   

  Thanks for your help,

   

  ***** ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2024

  Hello BBB,

  We appreciate you work with us and ***** on this issue. While we appreciate ******* feedback, I'm concerned his goals and comments are venturing into more personal attacks, which are not productive for addressing any legitimate concerns about our business. We are always open to constructive criticism regarding our products/services, but we will not engage in discussions that target us personally. As the files we sent before. Were of his and ours. We took screen shots and sent them. Nothing has been modified or changed from what the customer originally got. With that said. ***** is come after Aqualine in anyway he can to try and discredit us. After the work was complete. As far as a refund would go. ***** already has tried to dispute his charges. But as we have the documents showing we have done the work, They declined his refund. We have been in communication with BBB, WA L&I As well as he's filled complaints with the governors office. As we originally wanted to send another tech back out to go over his concerns. He opted to decline that. And instead file multiple complaints. With that being said. No refund will be given. We have tried to work with him. And his responses have only been to reach out to everyone else but us.

  I hope this effectively answers any and all issues.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 22480836
  
   I do not accept the response from this business.  Firstly, this business did absolutely edit an email they submitted to BB, (I've again attached the original)  Aqualine removed a relevant part from my response in their "PeterEmails.pdf" submission, that detailed my conversation with L&I, when I discovered that Aqualine is sending unsupervised electrical trainees to perform electrical work on my home.  I'd encourage anyone doubting this fact to compare the original email I submitted against the e-mail Aqualine submitted.  The other allegations Aqualine has made in this latest response are just puerile and irrelevant to the facts, that they have yet to responded to.  I'll lay them out here again.

  1.  Aqualine sent an individual, who misrepresented himself as an electrician, to perform extremely consequential electrical work on my home, which included replacing a fuse box and grounding the home.  The work this individual did, was in fact illegal- which is why they are being investigated by L&I.  They have made the false claim to the investigator that the work was "supervised", by an electrician, which I can prove, is untrue. 

  2.  Aqualine did not get a permit before starting work, and repeatedly lied to us about this fact.  A permit was only obtained after I was forced to call L&I myself, when Aqualine refused to have the work inspected.  

  3.  Aqualine never contacted the *** utility company when replacing the fuse box, which is required and a significant safety issue.  The employee placed a counterfeit cable lock out on the utility meter.  I contacted ***, who came back to inspect the work and replaced the counterfeit lockout with one of their own.  They referred the issue to their safety department to follow up with Aqualine.  

  4.  The work performed by the Aqualine employee was unfinished, not up to electrical code or was not what was agreed upon in the original quote.  For instance, we agreed to a wired smoke alarm system and this employee put up battery smoke alarms.  Outlets were left with no cover or not screwed into the wall.  Lights were left only secured by the electrical wiring, among several other concerning issues. 

  4.  The Aqualine employee caused thousands of dollars of damage to our home. The utility meter was damaged will need to be completely replaced, and much of the work that was performed by Aqualine is not up to electrical code. I was willing to work with this company to resolve the deficiencies and complete the work, until I found out the company is sending individuals, with no electrical license to perform this work. I explained this in the e-mail to Aqualine, which they edited before submitting to BB. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2023

  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.

  I had aqualine install a central a/c in my house. It turns out the system they installed was not sized appropriately to cool all three floors of my house. The own *** said he would install mini splits to cool the two upstairs rooms. The system they installed was not what was agreed to. They did admit to this and promised to fix the issue. They have yet to attempt to remedy the issue. They have been paid in full. They have also no made an effort to get the required city inspections done. The continue to call for inspection without sending anyone to my house to meet the inspector.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2023

  Dear BBB Team and *************************,
  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised by ************. Aqualine Plumbing, Electrical and Heating takes immense pride in delivering quality services and products. We also stand firmly behind our work.
  Aqualine installed a central AC add-on, a Daikin Inverter side discharge with a **** SEER rating, at **************** residence at ************************************************************** on May 9th, 2023. The job was paid in full at $13,377.74, and ************ financed the payment with ************** Due to the age of the home, nearly a hundred years old with an outdated duct system, we encountered difficulties in delivering cool air effectively to the 3rd floor. This is an issue that, upon reflection, we acknowledge could have been better anticipated with more thorough testing and checks prior to the installation. Committed to not shirking our responsibilities and to standing behind our work, we immediately began crafting a solution. We dispatched a senior HVAC technician, and after a consultation with myself, Niv, we determined that the best course of action would be to install an additional outdoor unit (Daikin Heat Pump model#2MXS18NMVJUA) with two mini-split heads, representing an approximate $6,000 value in equipment alone.
  Subsequently, we executed additional installations and made adjustments, all at no extra cost to ************. The installation was executed to his satisfaction, and we made sure to update him at every step, particularly due to the complexities associated with a nearly century-old brick house.
  Regarding the concerns ************ raised about the mini-split air blowing directly into his face, we informed him of the mechanical louvers and offered a diverter solution. However, he opted for a different solution, which required us to gain access to the attic. This part of the process presented challenges, as on multiple scheduled visits, we could not access the attic due to restrictions from tenants and non-responsiveness from *************
  We also acknowledge ************** concerns about mortar waterproofing and drywall plaster fixes. We offered to hire specialists to handle these issues at our own expense, but it appears that this was not sufficient for *************
  It is also worth noting that we faced significant difficulties in communicating with ************. Calls, texts, and emails were often delayed. Despite our best efforts, inspectors from the *************** had multiple unsuccessful attempts to access the property due to a lack of response from ************. We made him the point of contact for these inspections but received no cooperation.
  We have documentation supporting our claims, including pictures of failed inspection attempts and communications or lack thereof. BBB Portal wont let us upload any pics or documents, we will send everything upon request.
  We would like to resolve this matter to the satisfaction of all parties involved. We are open to discussing further adjustments or steps we can take to ensure ************ is completely satisfied with our services.
  Thank you for allowing us to address this complaint. We look forward to resolving this matter promptly and satisfactorily.
  Sincerely,
  Niv ******* Owner, Aqualine Plumbing, Electrical and Heating

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 20634883
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The statements made by Niv are inaccurate. I did contract to have them install a central system in my home. The install did not go as plan and the brand new system had to be completely rewired. I was asked to be here on several occasions even when crews did not show up on time. After repairing the brand new system I noticed that the thermostat was installed in the basement. Every HVAC contractor knows that you can not install a t-stat in a basement and have it operate properly. After two attempts ******** was able to get the thermostat installed on the main floor of the house but not without doing semi-major drywall damage which they did repair. The next issue was that the top floor of the house was not receiving cool air to all of the rooms. The bathroom gets a lot of air but the two sleeping rooms do not. When I inquired with the manager *************** explained that it was a faulty duct because of the age of the home. The age of the home does not matter, and if you think that is going to be an issue you should warn a customer upfront. At this point *** had already taken the payment from the finance company. I did not get a say in that at all. No one called to make sure the job was complete or get my approval so my best guess is that *** lied to the bank and told them the job was complete. *** did agree to fix the issue by installing a secondary mini-split unit with two heads in the upstairs rooms. We agreed to this approach even though it would max out my electrical panel. I was trying to be reasonable and work with *** and his team. While waiting for the new equipment to come in I inquired about two additional issues. One there were no permits pulled nor any inspections scheduled with the city. I was shortly forwarded the permits and was not informed with any notice of any inspections. I am a general contractor and I have never heard of contractors assuming clients will be home to handle their inspections. Nor does it state anywhere in out contract that this would be required of me. At one point I was told at 9:30 PM after asking again about inspections that someone would be at my house in the morning. I did speak to the electrical inspector over the phone once and he informed me that this company does this all the time to avoid inspections of their work. The next issue is that the wifi thermostat that was installed does not stay connected to the internet. *** told me it was because I need wifi boosters. I explained that did not make any sense given that the t-stat is on the same floor as the router but he insisted so I purchased two boosters for each floor of my home at my cost and still the t-stat does not stay connected to the internet. When the new mini-split system finally came in they sent a crew to my home to install it. I walked their tech through the entire process and where I wanted the overhead units installed. They needed attic access which we were not told about prior and the attic access is not on our side of the home. We reached out to our neighbor but she was busy with work meetings and understandably did not want anyone in here home. We asked to have the install rescheduled so that we could schedule access with the neighbor but we were assured that they would be able to get the job done without any issue. We left the house to get some breakfast and avoid the noise and upon our return we discovered that Niv and his team installed floor mounted units and not the agreed upon wall mounted units. To further that they installed the master bedroom unit where it blocks access to one side of the bed and blows air directly into my face. We have not been able to use that unit at all this summer. **** the now new manager did suggest some type of deflector but I declined stating that the overhead units we agreed to needed to be installed. Everyone at that point was on the same page and the new system was to be ordered. Fast forward a couple of months and the units were in and a schedule date was set to install the new units. When the time came there were several excuses about why they were not able to come out and complete the job. I got busy at work and stopped bugging them and they never rescheduled. I then sent an email asking to have their equipment removed from my home and the money refunded. Again no response from Niv or ****. I have since sent two emails asking for action but those have also gone unanswered. I did hear from Niv last night after letting him know i was escalating this to the BBB and *********************** He proceed to call me names and try to shame me for taking action. He then promised to contact me this morning and never did. All of this is supported in text and emails. At this point I do not wish to have them address the issues they created but to have a third party HVAC company complete the job and pursue this legally. I do not feel safe with *** and his team in my home as his actions have not been true at any point in this process. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2023

  ************ has provided a narrative with a blend of accurate details and inaccuracies. Aqualine and I have exerted genuine efforts to assist and rectify the situation to **************** satisfaction. It's worth mentioning that Aqualine has successfully installed numerous HVAC systems in **************** neighborhood, each of which has been duly permitted and inspected.
  However, it appears that the willingness to reach a constructive resolution is not mirrored on **************** end. Rather than striving collaboratively towards a solution, it seems the objective for ************ is to assert a form of victory in this situation. The only communication that did not receive our immediate attention was an email sent by ************ on Monday, September 18th. On the night of September 20th, he texted me at 11:00 PM, informing me of complaints filed with both the BBB and the Attorney General. I promptly responded, as is my customary practice whenever customers reach out directly to me, regardless of the hour. It was disheartening to learn that he chose this route, especially considering our extensive efforts to rectify the installation issues at hand.
  We remain staunch in our commitment to addressing and resolving **************** concerns in a manner that satisfies both parties involved. The mention of pursuing a legal avenue is indeed a serious step. While it is not our preference to escalate matters to a court setting, we are prepared to present our case comprehensively, showcasing the diligent efforts we've made towards finding a resolution. Our primary aim has always been, and remains, to achieve a satisfactory resolution for all parties involved