ComplaintsforGallo Plumbing Services, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I requested a technician to come to my house for a quote on a plumbing issue on 6/6/2022 the plumber changed the date and time of the appointment 3 times in 1 day he finally showed up and looked at the project and told me he had no clue what to do..he smelled so horrible my house had to be fumigated.. wore dirty shoes in the house ruined my floors and on top of it all STOLE! a necessary part that was needed to fix the problem. He was rude to me and called me names and that I will not repeat he fixed nothing! stole a part and left. subsequently the Company sent me a bill for $135.00 invoice #***** I called to discuss this with the owner and she used profanity and threatened me with physical harm! if I didnt pay it and hung the phone up on me. I request the BBB to dispute the charge and contact the company. Please keep me informed on what to do next. Thank you. ****** *****

  

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/05) */ First and foremost, I apologize for the absolute inaccuracy of our customer's claim. This customer is a "New" client that we had never done work for before. Ms. ***** called in for an issue with her steamer unit as well as a kitchen stoppage. We advised to her that there are many brands and models for steamer units and we would have to get the information to further investigate and order parts while our tech was there for the kitchen stoppage. Our tech was running late to the appointment due to unforeseen issues on the prior appointment and contacted the customer to let her know. When our tech arrived, there was NO stoppage in the kitchen as the customer had already poured chemicals down the drain. The customer did not cancel prior to our arrival. While our tech was on site the customer had him look at the steamer unit that was NON functional prior to us being called in the first place. He inspected the unit and made notes that would most likely resolve the issues with the unit and told the customer that we would have to research and order parts and schedule to return at a later date. The customer understood and our tech went out to his van to fill out an invoice and collect while on site. He charged our rates of $75 trip charge plus 30 minutes of labor as we are on site 10:20am to 10:45am. When he went back to knock and collect, the customer denied access and slammed the door in our techs face. He contacted the office to let us know and we advised him to leave and we would mail out the invoice of $135.00. Once we mailed the bill, the customer called to dispute and spoke with our office help. The customer made complaint that our tech smelled like cigarettes and took a part from her NON functional steamer unit. We contacted our tech to verify nothing had been removed. I (part owner) received a call from the customer on 7/1/22 again disputing the bill. I advised that the bill was due as she called us for a kitchen stoppage and did not cancel the call prior to our arrival. Our tech verified the stoppage was cleared and that she had requested he look at the steamer unit which he did. She stated that he "stunk so bad she had to fumigate her house". I advised our techs are out in the Florida heat working all day and I apologize but they do not have time to shower before every job. The balance is still due in full. She screamed and yelled that our tech was mean and nasty to her. I advised he has been in our employ over 10 years and would never be rude to ANY customer. I then calmly told her the bill is still due and she would continue to receive them until she paid for the service she contacted us to provide. She tole us she was calling the BBB and then she told me "********" and hung up on me. She posted on our Company Facebook account and embellished further on the story on our page in a negative manner. This time our tech now stunk like a sewer to look at steamer unit issue and do nothing. Again, the steamer was NON functional when they originally contacted us and we actually went out for a kitchen stoppage during this visit and to obtain information on the model of steamer unit they had. They again stated our tech now STOLE a part and that I told them to "*" off. They also said our bill was $150 not the $135 they were actually billed. Now, they are claiming that our tech smelled horrible and they had to fumigate their house and now all of a sudden he had dirty shoes and they "ruined" their floors? Again he STOLE a part? Our tech did not steal anything. The unit NEVER worked before we arrived. Now a supposed stolen part would have fixed the unit that was non functioning? Now our tech called her names and was rude? I don't think so. And yes, I spoke with this customer. I never used foul language and definitely would NEVER threaten bodily injury for not paying a bill. I would file a lien or a small claim. This is just ludicrous and complete and blatant lies to get a refund for something they never even paid to begin with and to put negative attention because they don't like the resolution of the balance is due in full. A copy of the original invoice from our tech as well as the copy sent to the customer is attached. Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/07/06) */ ***Document Attached*** Please note who is using profanity against who. This was received from the customer today 7/6/22. The check clearly states "*****!" and again her story in the letter to us takes another right turn with another different accusation. We have phone records to provide if necessary to verify we have never contacted her since we provided the service. She has always called in to our office. Yet her claim is we are "harrassing" and "threatening" her. This claim is absurd and a blatant lie. Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2022/07/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This woman is mentally disturbed! She needs serious psychiatric help... it is a shame that a credible business has her at the helm..The BBB needs to contact a medical professional for her..I suggest sending a letter to the owner recommending a true professional psychiatrist to do an evaluation. This is not normal professional behavior...she is a threat to society! i am scared for my well being..please! I beg the Bureau to follow up with her ridiculous and untrue responses she needs a serious a mental professional now! This business will not survive the employees must be scared to go to work. This is serious I am not embellishing Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2022/07/07) */ In response to her threat of violence if they do not receive payment from me I was scared and sent them a check for $135.00 Check # 1009 this company needs to be shut down their business practices are fraudulent and unethical and I have confidence that the BBB will see that my money is refunded and this company is reprimanded Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2022/07/09) */ At this point, I do not believe we owe anything more. The melodramatic response speaks for itself. No one threatened bodily harm nor would they. We are contemplating contacting the authorities for harassment at this point as claims against my employees are over borderline ridiculous and the fact that this is "Posted" for everyone to see is an insult. She submitted a check in fear of her life that has not even been cashed. She is so scared for her life that she continues to post on internet media and call our office. We have records and proof to support our story. Consumer Response /* (4200, 16, 2022/07/11) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Well the first lie is I have called her office once! to discuss the charge and that is it I have never called them since the internet is protected by the First Ammendment so she can go ahead and call the authorities I am exercising my First Ammendment rights I feel very sad for this woman she doesnt seem capable of handling such an important job successfully but its not my call. I really feel that if this was a legitimate company they wouldnt risk or ruin there reputation over such a small mistake on there part but the fact that they are going to such measures to save a mere $135.00 is a sure sign they are hurting for business its tragic really they should feel ashamed ..ripping off clients is not the answer doing good work for your clients is..they fail at that I feel certain the BBB will agree to that fact. This incident is very disturbing and I would like to have some closure if this woman has so much time on her hands she would like to keep arguing about there very bad business practices and trying her best to justify what is clearly a scam..a true sign of desperate dying business she can I certainly have more important things to do..BBB I just want a refund...not asking for more..I trust you will protect fellow Floridian citizens Business Response /* (4000, 19, 2022/07/12) */ I am Jason ***** - The owner of "***** Plumbing Inc". I was very much aware of the situation. The customer in question had called our office originally for a kitchen sink stoppage.She had briefly mentioned she had a steamer issue and requested we look at that also. She was informed that we could look at it. *** - my technician - contacted me while on site to inform me f the situation. He stated that he thought he was doing a kitchen stoppage when he arrived but when he started the conversation - she stated the they were able to resolve the kitchen sink issue and that she wanted to look at a steamer issue. I told him that I would call him back and immediately talked to Jill in my office. She firmly stated that no one called her to cancel or inform her that the sink issue was resolved and that only an estimate was required for a steamer issue. She did state that there was a mention of a steamer issue originally - and she stated to the customer that we can look at it while we we were there for the sink issue. But there was no call back to inform us that the original sink issue was fixed and we were just needed for an estimate. If an estimate was all that was needed - It would have been assigned to me so I could handle it. I called Del back and told him that 0 the owner did not call us back to cancel the original call and that he was to collect our trip charge and 15 min of labor. This is of course due to the fact that it costs the company money to send a "technician" out for a service call whereas they are not supposed to be paid for. After Del spoke to me - he presented the customer with an invoice - which at that point she stated she was not paying it and slammed the door in in face. He immediately contacted me after this. After this - we mailed her a physical invoice. It would be about a week later she called my office and started off with yelling and bantering about how she isn't going to pay us anything and how she was gong to contact the BBB. Aside from this - a person named **** *********** started belittling us on Facebook from a post someone else made back in 2013. My bottom line is this - this claim is false. I fully believe the customer did not realize to update us that the circumstances had changed and didn't think anything of it (or completely forgot - and maybe don't realize little things like this hurts a small company financially). We have submitted proof of the profanity that was written on the check by the "customer". We will not be dealing with these individuals any further. Consumer Response /* (4200, 21, 2022/07/13) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This is a lie the technician has not told the truth about what occurred most likely to save his job..I am appalled by what Mr Gallo has provided to the BBB and the notation on the check was for my reference not the companies that is the name of another account of mine..regardless this bogus cheap company will not own up to the truth in what occurred the technician lied and stole a part...if that isnt enough for a refund nothing is...it is $135.00 an insult they cant afford to keep a customer on good terms I will leave the decision up to the BBB

• Initial Complaint

  02/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We used Gallo plumbing in Sept for a clog in guest bathroom. Unknown to us, the owners son Kyler was the one sent to job. After 30 min+ of extremely loud commotion on our roof, he knocked saying he broke his tool down inside pipe and needed to go get help. A few hours later he knocked on door again and said we were good, water flowing now. We continued to have gurgling sounds and slow drainage but we were reassured that we were clear. Dec 8th the issue finally backs up enough, that water has nowhere to flow except back into our house. We had to rip out 1/3 of our flooring/baseboards. Gallo came back out and ran a camera, they forgot to record it and gave us runaround for weeks. They also claimed to have done a "clean out" for us and we see no proof of that, I can't get 5 cups of water down our bathtub without it sitting. Our insurance company sent an engineer to our home one week after the Gallo plumbing "clean out" and gave an extremely conflicting report. Multiple clogs throughout the house still, water sitting in lines. Luckily NV5 Engineering informed us our pipe had been broken off inside the vent and we had an open hole on our roof. We then noticed the new brown water spot on the ceiling in our guest bedroom, the sharing wall with the guest bathroom toilet. It's Feb 11th and this has gone on for months. Jason Gallo admitting they dropped the ball on us over and over again. This last time by giving me his word that he would personally fix the issue and make it right, only to send 4 additional people and have an excuse for himself that he's too overwhelmed and busy planning his anniversary trip. He signs off emails hope to "meet/talk soon" with no answers. All the while living with concrete floors and our daughter sleeping on an air mattress in the living room since before Christmas. I've requested a refund of only what we've paid since Sept. ($950) i won't go after them for damages because luckily our insurance covered since we weren't at fault.

  

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 20, 2022/07/08) */ Our tech did go out for a stoppage on September 7, 2001. He was on the roof cabling which was the result of the loud commotion. The machines are heavy and the cables create additional noise along with our tech moving around on the roof for access. Unfortunately, sometimes tools/machines break. In this instance, the cable snapped off in the vent. We had to send a different tech out with a different machine to be able to retrieve the cable and clear the line. This did in fact happen. Stoppages are only warrantied for 30 days and the customer did not contact us about any issues with the drains until December 2021. At this time we recommended a camera inspection and on December 15, we performed the inspection. We found the condition of the piping in the home to be built up with HEAVY rust/scale and advised that they would need chain knocking and hydrojetting of the lines to clear this and prevent routine stoppages in the future. We returned December 22 and chain knocked the lines as stated and ran the camera to inspect again. We found the lines in much better condition. However, we made note that the drain field may have issues that need to be addressed by sewer company because it seemed to be causing build up in the main trunk line. The clean out was holding some water and drained slowly into the septic which helped us to diagnose there were further issues within besides regular stoppages. When we did the video inspections we were not aware there was an issue with our camera recording until the customer requested the copy be sent. We sent our camera out to Orlando to have it repaired and once we got it back we went out to re-inspect the lines and sent the customer the video. This was done on February 7, 2022. We found on that visit that there was a section of separated vent stack in the attic. We repaired the stack and performed that video inspection on the return visit at no charge as we understood the customer frustration in the length of time between the initial video, having camera repaired and then final video that we sent to them. We did, in fact, send the video multiple times once it was done because the customer "never received it". The issues with their sewer has nothing to do with the work we performed and we advised the customer of the issue with the drain field and the fact that it would need to be addressed before it caused larger issue. We do not agree that the customer deserves a refund as the initial stoppage was cleared 3 months prior to the December issues. We performed all of the work as stated and agreed. The only issue was the camera equipment wait between the initial camera and the return visit to camera. At that time there was NO Charge and we repaired an issue not related to us while we were there as a courtesy. We do understand that they were upset, unfortunately, we cannot control accidents and issues with equipment that arise. It's part of the job and we handle it as it occurs. Thank you for your understanding and patience. I apologize for the delay.

*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. ↩