Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/01/2024

  Type:Product 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 am writing to formally file a complaint against LEVELit Canada Inc, specifically the president of the company REMOVED.
  Our predicament commenced in early June 2023 when I reached out to REMOVEDto undertake a project on my property at REMOVED. To kickstart the work, REMOVEDrequested a deposit of $6000.
  His email, included below, clearly states that deposits are fully refundable if canceled before the work commences.
  From: REMOVED Date: Fri, Jun 16, 2023, at 3:20 PM Subject: Re: Footings for piers: quote request To: REMOVED REMOVED 
  "REMOVED... Our deposits are fully refundable if canceled before we start work. Yes, I visited your site... It is tricky, but we work on much worse. If you want to proceed, you can e-transfer the deposit to accountsREMOVED, and we will order your materials and schedule you on the board... REMOVED."
  
  Regrettably, after receiving my $6000 deposit, REMOVEDfailed to honor his commitments and did not initiate any work. On the contrary, abruptly ceased communication, ignored my calls, emails leaving me with the impression I had fallen victim to a REMOVED, losing a substantial amount of money intended for my family, including my small kids.
  In an attempt to clarify the situation, I made dozens of unsuccessful phone calls and left numerous voicemails for REMOVED. Between June and September 2023, I managed to speak with him on the phone no more than 2-3 times,. During those conversations, REMOVEDwould not give a start date, continuously citing bad weather and delays.
  Winter arrived, and REMOVEDnever fulfilled the agreed-upon work. Prolonged periods of silence ensued.
  In October 2023, my exhausted family, seeing no intention from REMOVEDto start the work for which we deposited $6000, decided to terminate all business with him. Despite great difficulty, we got REMOVEDon the phone and communicated our decision, requesting the full refund of our money, as outlined in his June 2023 email. REMOVEDvehemently rejected our plea, citing among many other “good reasons” having 100s thousands of dollars from other clients as retainers in his account. Is he holding hostage our money and many other clients’ money? He also claims there is a waiting period of 7-8 years. That was never disclosed before the $6000 deposit was made, in fact the promise was the work was to be done in 2023.
  To make matters worse, in our attempt to amicable resolve the situation he fabricated lies, accusing us of being responsible for the work not starting. In a threatening email, he described all the points he had not complied with as if they were our faults. His proposed solutions are unfair to us, and would result in us losing money due to REMOVED's intentional misleading in order to attain customer’s money.
  I must note that on December 13, 2023, after persistent efforts, REMOVEDreturned only $3000, a mere 50% of our deposit. Subsequent attempts to express dissatisfaction and seek a fair resolution through email were met with false statements, attempting to charge us for services he allegedly did, that we never agreed upon or signed off on, an allege service he is not able to provide documentation for. All of that coupled with lack of transparency, raised concerns that he is attempting to unjustly/fraudulently appropriate the remaining $3000.
  REMOVED's elusive nature, refusal to engage in reasonable discussions, false statements, and dishonest efforts to shift all responsibilities require your intervention. We kindly request your assistance as an official organization to compel LEVELit Canada Inc, particularly the president of the company REMOVED, to return the remaining $3000 of our fully refundable deposit. See email above.
  Our family has played by the rules throughout this ordeal, we find it unacceptable for REMOVEDto evade responsibility and not upholding to the email agreement made with us. We believe that with your intervention, a fair resolution and the return of our $3000 can be achieved.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 30/01/2024

  My apologies in my delays of replying to this complaints. Upon review of this file we have found that there has been more than a dozen emails in reply to this file. We have attached the most pertinent for your review, The very last email stated that we were unavailable from January 9th until January 29th as we were out of the country, hence the delay in reply. On our review of our records we have found twice as many phone calls and voicemails. If these are required we can supply cell phone logs and transcripts of voicemails. The client requested a quote from us June 7th 2023, a quote was then submitted to the client June 13th 2023, An email was sent to the client June 15 2023 stating that we were presently booking work in November 2024, but would attempt to schedule her later in the fall while we were on sites in her area. Unfortunately due to many issues delays in scheduling carried into early fall. When the client was told that the work would be bumped until early spring she verbally threatened to sue and report our organization to CRA and police for fraud. As per attached email the client requested a refund of her retainer on November 27th 2023. Mid December after many email exchanges we refunded 50% of her retainer and explained that since the materials ordered for her site were special order we would have to reassign/resell same too a future client. The fact that we were now into December the client was told that this could take some time but would be the most beneficial way to not incur any additional restocking charges. At present the amount of materials sitting in the yard for this client far exceed the 50% value of the remaining retainer. 

  We are a family company that does a very specialized service in a large volume for hundreds of clients yearly. We take great offence that this client claims lack of transparency or understanding of the retainer that she supplied. It is very evidently listed on our quotation and was broken out in numerous following emails. At any given time our organization holds well over 400,000 dollars worth of materials in our yard for future clients. These materials are even insured as they are held in trust until use. We have over 6 acres of equipment and materials that our clients are welcome to inspect at any time. In 20 years we have never not completed a project that we have been commissioned to do. Retainers for materials are specifically collected to protect the client from any cost increases of a quotation, especially since some jobs are scheduled 2-3 years from quotation date. As per our email of January 4th we gave the client a choice as too how she would like us to proceed. To this date she has not supplied a key for access, a signed work order or direction as too what she wants us to do with these materials. We find it very belligerent that these claims have been submitted in our absence since there has been much notice given. I have attached a Facebook review that the client posted under a pseudonym that was also posted in our absence. It should be noted that the client appears to use many different emails and names throughout the correspondence with this firm, the fact the she still has not supplied a signed work order and is now requesting any refund of retainer go to a different email then all prior communications including the emails used to E-transfer deposits (attached) leads us to believe that this client did not ever have intention of our firm completing this work.

  In a nut shell we have never said that we would not return any credit due. A large amount of work and company resources have been expend to which we see no chance of recoverability. As per attached email the site is well over 1 1/2 hours away from our shop and we have attended site multiple times. Material were special ordered for this job and the client was informed of such. All we ask at this time is the direction asked of email of Jan 4th,2024

  Customer Answer

  Date: 31/01/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21120911
  
  
  
  I am not satisfied with LevelIT/REMOVEDresponse and as such rejecting his response because:

  Prior to giving the deposit of $6,000 to REMOVED, he was very response and quick to communicate. In writing, REMOVEDguaranteed that my deposit is 100% refundable.

  As the promised start date was nearing, on multiple occasions we reached out to set the details, our emails and phone calls were ignored and went unanswered. It was impossible to get in touch or to get an update on the situation.

  Two months after the promised start date we finally managed to talk with REMOVED, and at this point he would not commit to a new date in Spring of 2024. Instead, he said that we could wait for 7-8 years in waiting list. This is not what REMOVEDagreed to, prior to sending the deposit.

  Systematic failure to communicate and the inability to set and hold to a committed date, severely deteriorated our trust and believe the honest intentions of the company. After sad realization that LeverIT / REMOVEDhave no intention of doing the job we want to cease our business with him. Therefore, requesting a full refund as in the written commitment by REMOVEDprior to deposit by REMOVEDhimself.

  Despite to REMOVED's lengthy response and an attempt to portray himself as a victim in this situation, REMOVEDis the one holding my hard-earned family money (since July 2023), while we are raising a young family, haven't been on vacation in over 8 years and working 2 full-time jobs, $6,000 might not seem like a lot of money to REMOVED, but for us it is a substantial amount. This ordeal with REMOVEDhas caused a lot of frustration and financial strain on our family and it affects our trust in all the contractors. How can we give a deposit in good faith, like we did with LevelIT and be sure they won't take our money and run.

  We are asking REMOVEDfor the return of the remaining $3,000 dollars refund.

  And now we would like REMOVEDto assist us in upholding LevelIT/REMOVEDto his written, explicitly stated commitment of 100% refundable deposit. 

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  REMOVED

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/02/2024

  Contact with this client has always been consistent as per attached emails and many others. The fact that our company phone is a cell gives us complete records of all incoming and outgoing telephone calls between our firm and this client. Once the client started threatning our staff and leaving very verbal voicemails, we ceiced any verbal communication in early December so as conversation would be email only.The clients claim of work seven or eight years out is ludicris. At present her file is 7 0f 17 jobs that were bumped into spring due to early winter conditions. As per our attached email the client was well informed of this but chose not to wait till spring like all others.Every year work is carried over and all 2023 jobs are dealt with before our 2024 schedule work starts. Even though we work in a daily enviroment (cottages) that have little to no internet or cell service, the client was always updated as to what was happening. Throughout continued verbal threats, defamation and bullying we have tried to compromise with this client. We have just recently learned of a google review posted under yet another name that is word for word the same as a review posted to our Facebook account. At present we are owed approxamitly 4,216 dollars with the clients custom materials being approximetly 3,400 in paid value. To this date we have continued to try to refund the value of the clients materials, in essence offering a full refund of all paid, but have not recieved a reply to our email of January 2nd which has been previously attached. I have no knowledge of the clients family or financial issues as since the client is using multiple names, emails and phone numbers, and has not still signed the original work order , we have no knowledge of who we are dealing with. What we do know is that we have expended 4,216 dollars on this file to date.We have returned 50% of the clients deposit pending reassigning her materials to another client.We have given her multiple choices in how we can effectively close this file . We see no chance of return, so continue to try to midigate our losses. Of the thousands of clients we have dealt with, we have never encountered issues of this nature before. The client informed us that she is a director of a major media company and knows full well how to use social media against someone. We have now learned that under Canadian social media law legeslation businesses in Canada have a right to reputation. 

  In closing we fear that no offer will be satisfactory to this client, She has defamed our family, our company and our brand. And we will defend all vigorously if required. As all our clients, suppliers and associates know I am very passionate about what we do. Being a four generation family with 5 of our 6 children presently on the crews all know that family and our business is everything to us This whole issue none the less affects me deeply as we firmly believe in client satisfaction regardless of cost. Our firm has thousands of happy clients and great reviews, so I am told that one bad should not affect me, but it does.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/02/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21120911
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

   

  Firstly, I would like to highlight that my communication with REMOVEDhas always been polite and courteous, as evidenced by our documented, dated, and printed correspondence. Despite this, I find myself enduring REMOVED's lack of professionalism and false accusations in his attempt to divert attention away from his wrongdoings.

  
  As I've previously stated and will continue to reiterate, one of the major issues we faced after submitting my $6000 deposit was the lack of communication from LEVELit/REMOVED. Dishonesty and lies have now become prevalent as a cover-up for his poor business practices.

  
  Despite any potential availability of other staff or customer support members at LEVELit, we were never given the opportunity to interact with them. All our communication has been solely with REMOVED, who was consistently ignored our emails and phone calls under the pretense of unavailability due to being out of the country for extended periods or working in areas with no cell coverage, as he later informed us.

  
  I must also emphasize that REMOVEDconsistently failed to provide basic documentation. He never supplied a signed contract for us to review and sign, nor did he provide a receipt for the deposit I made or acknowledge its receipt via email or phone call. Additionally, he failed to provide receipts for any custom materials he allegedly purchased for a project that may commence in 7 years, as he stated when I requested a refund of my deposit. It appears that providing required paperwork is not part of his business practice.

  
  Furthermore, REMOVEDfailed to fulfill his commitment to complete the job I paid him for by September 2023, and he has not provided a new start date for 2024. He continues to disregard his "100% refundable" deposit commitment, which suggests he is unlawfully pocketing clients' money while having the audacity to claim defamation.

  
  Despite multiple requests, REMOVEDhas not provided any indication that we are scheduled for spring 2024 or evidence of our written refusal to wait. This refusal to provide such information further demonstrates his deceitful behavior.
  Until recently, there were two negative reviews against LEVELit on their Facebook page, aside from my own mother's review. As well as an additional negative review elsewhere. REMOVEDhas since deleted these reviews, which should’ve served as warnings to those considering the company. This indicates that we are not the first, not second and not the last dissatisfied clients to encounter problems with this unprofessional business owner. Deleting all negative reviews once shows REMOVED’s dishonesty and deceiving nature to his potential future clients.

  
  REMOVEDconsistently refuses to issue a full refund of my deposit, withholding $3000 that was allocated to fix structural issues at the cottage. We have no other funds available for this much-needed work, and REMOVED's actions are compromising the property's integrity and jeopardizing our family cottage.

  
  REMOVEDportrays himself as a representative of a family company with a "firm belief in client satisfaction regardless of cost," yet his actions in this instance contradict this statement. Refusing to return a 100% refundable deposit directly contradicts his supposed values. This serves as evidence that LEVELit is not a reputable company, and people need to be made aware of this.

  
  It is now evident that REMOVEDand LEVELit are attempting to defraud us, their client. We have made numerous attempts to resolve this issue amicably, providing ample time and opportunities for resolution. However, these efforts have been fruitless, leading us to reach out to the REMOVEDto seek justice.

  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  
  Sincerely,
  REMOVED