ComplaintsforAlberta Furnace Cleaning

• Initial Complaint

  17/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My problem is with Alberta Furnace Cleaning for willfully withholding information from me to increase my charges in my home vent cleaning. I called the company to get my dryer vent cleaned and furnace and vents cleaned as my dryer was clogged and not drying my clothes. After explaining the problem the lady on the phone quoted me for ***$ to get it all set up. I agreed and we proceeded with the service. The techs finished up but noted that they did not clean my dryer vent when i asked about it. I was told that they were not instructed to do so from head office and that they couldn't do so if they wanted to because of it's location on the roof and there was snow build up. We rescheduled them to come back and i confirmed on the phone with the operator that I wouldn't be charged in addition for the missed vent. She agreed. Techs came back in a few weeks when the snow melted off and charged me ***$ with threat of collections agencies if I didn't pay. Reluctantly, I am forced to pay, as taking it to small claims would cost me more than it's worth. When speaking to the manager about this he gave me no agency at all and claimed that his employee wouldn't do that. I was lying to him about the experience and the payment confirmation. That I was never charged for my dryer vent in the first place. So on and so on. This is crazy to me. I feel like I have been taken advantage of and that this company is not transparent with there sales tactics. I would have never paid ***$ to clean my dryer vent/furnace, I would have gone somewhere else. I was lied to about the quote for service, and then lied to again when they claimed it was a free service visit on the second rescheduled service. This can't possibly stand. I am hoping that I can receive some help in recovering my ***$ that doesn't involve me hiring a lawyer. Unfortunately, i do not have a voice recording of the phone calls so I fear from a legal standpoint I have no ground to stand on.

  

  Business response

  18/03/2022

  In response to ************************, his position has been contradictory in speaking to me about what happened versus what our staff's discussions with him had occurred. Our company does discuss and advise on costs associated with services, based on the subject matter of the conversation. ************************ has also used our services previously and paid additional costs for dryer vent cleaning, so he is aware that this is not included and combined with any service we offer. On this current service, the dryer vent is on he roof and hence the costs is $ *** plus tax to perform his cleaning service request and has been confirmed, that our employees in our office did advise of the costs, prior to our arrival to perform services. Based on the actions we clearly took to advise ************************, we will not consider refunding any monies at this time. 

  Customer response

  19/03/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: In response to this manager and his sales team, their position has been contradictory to what was said to me over the phone. Not one single time was I told on the phone that there will be an additional cost for my dryer vent outside of the quote.  As a customer it is not incumbent on me to remember sales costs from previous years, and furthermore, when discussing this point with the manager not a single time was I ever paying ***$ for a roof vent cleaning. This is not a valid excuse for a sales team not being fully transparent with their sales costs. In addition, when I specifically asked the sales representative about NOT being charged for this service she confirmed with me twice that it was going to be free since I paid for the first visit.  Now, whether or not this employee made a mistake in quoting me for my original invoice, or whether they made a mistake in claiming the service was free, this is not my problem.  If a business advertises a product/service as free, they are bound to that claim in my opinion.  I feel like I have been ****** from and entrapped by this company to pay additional costs that were not ever advertised to me. If I knew ahead of time that my vent cleaning would be ***$ I would have gone somewhere else.  To underhandedly force this payment on me AFTER the service was done and never once quoted me for it is appalling. To quote someone a specific dollar amount and then **** the price ***$ on site after the work has been done and never informing me about it is reprehensible. Not even to not tell me about it, but to go further and lie to my face and tell me it's free and THEN charge me is even worse and in my opinion *******.  I'll look into my legal options with my lawyer to see if it is worth pressing forward. It does not make any sense to me that a company is willing to lose the business of a lifelong customer over a ***$ charge.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  28/03/2022

  Further to ************************' position, the testimonials made by our staff, indicates that they did mention the costs, prior to our scheduled service appointment. The staff involved, have been employed with Alberta Home Services for quite some time and have never received a complaint of this nature against them, or there would be a pattern of customer complaints based on this type of accused unprofessional behaviour. We do also advertise the costs associated with dryer vents and can be validated by going to the following web page https://www.albertahomeservices.com/duct-cleaning/dryer-vent-cleaning/ in conjunction with our terms and conditions. We strongly take pride and care into discussing all associated pricing with any of our services and that it is understood before scheduling. Based on the position ************************ is taking, we would not condone unprofessional behaviour that would affect our business negatively. We therefore will not proceed on a refund at this time.

  Customer response

  30/03/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  In regards to this managers position, I again fully disagree with what he is saying.  I do concur that the price is indeed listed online, but the problem being is that I didn't see that because I didn't book online.  This was a phone conversation for my quote in which I was told my dryer vent would be cleaned and then quoted said price. Essentially, the staff are either A) covering their mistake by lying and saying they did something when they didn't. B) the manager is covering for their mistake to save face.  Either way, I was not told about the additional cost when quoted or when booked a second time, and furthermore, was told quite the opposite that the second booking would be free of charge by your employee ******** I believe. I am not lying about this over a ***$ ****, I am fighting this due to the principle of the behavior by your company.  Therefore, I think the above excuses are being made solely due to the fact these conversations were not recorded or made via email and the manager knows it's a he said she said situation. This is exactly what he told me over the phone as well, and seems to just be the easy out for him. It's disrespectful and disingenuous to me as a customer to be told that I am lying about my complaint sir.  This seems to be par for the course from this manager.  I am still stunned that this individual refused to honor the deal that his company made me and has now lost a customer worth far more than a ***** ***$ up charge.   Regardless, I can see that the company will not be honoring their end of the bargain and in doing so have lost a customer and all i ask is that a formal complaint be filed from the BBB and that it is reflected upon their record to warn future customers of this reprehensible behavior.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

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