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:03/27/2023

  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.

  BeUtilityFree was formerly based in *****************, ******** and supposedly went out of business; only to resurface in *******, ***** a couple of weeks ago (announcement letter dated March 10, 2023).Upon receiving the announcement letter, I contacted the **** ************************** and told him that I had a problem with on of the 100 amp hour lithium batteries that I had purchased from him 4 years ago, with a 5 year warranty. He said that he would contact the manufacturer in my behalf. A few days after providing requested pictures of the failing unit, **** said that while he provided a written 5 year warranty, the manufacturer only provided a 3 year warranty and that a replacement would cost approximately $1500 with shipping included.Knowing that I could get a new battery with twice the capacity (200 amp hours) and a 10 year warranty from Signature Solar (*****), I told **** that I was not replacing his battery at that price.If you investigate BeUtilityFree (*************************) when he was in *****************, **, you will see complaints regarding him not honoring warranties in the past, as well as criminal activities that involved jail time. An example can be found here: ******************************************************************************************************************************************* Please help with my warranty issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/05/2023

  When ***** first contacted us requiring his bad battery we acknowledged that the battery was covered under a five year warranty. We only had one page of **** written agreement which involved replacing his nickel iron battery purchased form us earlier with a lithium iron phosphate battery that was maintenance free, and was a larger battery that what he had previously. We proceeded to quote him a replacement cell and credited him back a certain amount of the new battery cost but he rejected the offer outright. We were puzzled so we went back in our records five year ago and found a copy of the 2 page agreement. The 2nd page had the written 5 year warranty which pertained to the lithium Iron battery. (see the attached copy). After finding the original copy of the /a ferment and the attached warranty we sent ***** an email requesting to return to us the bad battery for us to evaluate the battery and either repair or replace the battery. It clearly state that the freight charges are paid by the customer for evaluation or replacement of the old battery. We have sent him at least the same email three times but he has choose NOT to respond to our emails. If ***** does. NOT return the bad battery to us for evaluation then we can no longer help him with his bad battery nor the warranty issue. We will honor the written warranty under the terms of the written warranty. We have also mentioned in a previous email that if he buys another battery replacement made by another battery manufacture to add to the existing battery set that the warranty on the other remains 7 battereis WILL be void. The reason is that  battery manufactures can have different BMS system as well as different battery charge and discharge settings that WILL not match up with his existing battery set and could cause battery charging issues we have no control over. Bottom line is ***** has to return the bad cell to us for evaluation. Once evacuated the battery will be repaired and if it is not repairable we will replace the battery after he pays the freight for the new battery.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/24/2023

  I have located 3 (not 5 as stated by ************) messages in my SPAM folder from BeUtilityFree.  When attempting to respond to the messages, my responses were rejected with the following error:

         

  Address not found

  Your message wasn't delivered to**********************because the domainbeutilityfre.comcouldn't be found. Check for typos or unnecessary spaces and try again.

    

  Upon investigation, I found that the messages were sent with an erroneous/invalid address (johnd@beutilityfre.com) which caused them to be rejected and also caused the original messages to be forced to my SPAM folder. Was this intentional?

   

  I am investigating the procurement of a proper shipping container to return the failing battery to BeUtilityFree along with the estimated return shipping charges .  The unit is rather heavy and will require special packaging.

   

  ************************* (BeUtilityFree) says that I am also responsible for shipping charges from ***** for a refurbished/repaired unit which I am disputing. I inquired about these charges on  April 19th, but have received no response from BeUtilityFree.

   

  Please Reopen this case until a resolution is reached.

   

  Thank you...

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

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

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2023

  I corrected the email and ***** is able to correspond with ** now. His last correspondence was that he is waiting on a suitable box to ship from one of his neighbor. the bad battery back to ** for evaluation. Thus we are just waiting for a tracking number after the bad battery has been shipped. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2023

   
  Complaint: 19853232
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  the business response is not a resolution.  I am awaiting a shipping container from my neighbor who has ordered new batteries. Hopefully he will get his new batteries installed this weekend and that his containers are of adequate size to accommodate my battery for return to BeUtilityFree.
  
  Sincerely,
  *********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2023

  I was awaiting a shipping container from my neighbor, but his container didn't work for my battery. 

  I have asked BeUtilityFree for the manufacturer's contact information. I am now awaiting that information to determine **********************. 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  ***** has asked for the battery manufacturer. He did not give us a reason why he needed that information. However he how says the reason he wants that information is to get "**********************"? That is ridulious. He is not stupid and he knows how these are packaged not only from packaging from almost identical battery modules his neighbor has but also when he received the battery modules over 4 years ago how they where packaged. I will contact ***** and let himknow how the faulty battery modules needs to be packaged. There is NO reason to contact the battery manufacturer because he bought the battery from ** and we represent the manufacturers as well as have the warranty through ** as well. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 19853232
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I sent an email to resolutions @thebbb.org yesterday with additional information and requesting that the case be closed as UNRESOLVED.  Please refer to that email. 

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

  Business Response

  Date: 07/31/2023

  Hello, 
  
  I have emailed ***** on several occasions and he refuses to answer any of my emails. This issue will never be resolved as long as ***** does not cooperate and adhere to the written procedures in the warranty which so far he has refused to do. We can only provide warranty service when the customer proceeds as outlined in the written warranty. I am copying and pasting the last few email correspondence with him he has NEVER responded to.
  
  The warranty states that each situation is on a case by case basis and MAY be need to be returned and we decided that would be necessary in his casew2.  He refuses to be helped and he cannot blame our company for him not wanting to return the defective item to us for evaluation as the warranty states!
  
  I consider this issue RESOLED in our favor because the customer, *****, refused to return the defective item for evaluation which is required in the warranty!
  
  Attachments: Email dated May 19, 2023, email dated May 23, 2023 ( late email to him) written warranty
  
  Please revise this car that it was resolved and that teh customer refused to sent the bad battery module back to us for evaluation. Thank you 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  Direct ************
  www.beutilityfree.com
  Whatsapp: ************
  Our name is our mission!
  
  
  May 19, 2023 email:
  
  *****, 
  
  Your last correspondence to the BBB was:
  
  
  "I sent an email to resolutions @thebbb.org yesterday with additional information and requesting that the case be closed as UNRESOLVED.
  
  First I cant seem to be able to read this additional information you sent the ** which is frustrating.
  
  Second, why would you ask the BBB to close the case when the issue has not been resolved because YOU seem to refuse to abide by the warranty and thus it will appear that our company would not resolve the issue which simply is not true. If you do not send us the battery for evaluation then that is on you and not on us not talking care of the warranty.
  
  I will be in touch with the BBB to show them the emails I have sent you and have them post something that says you refuse to abide by the BeUtilityFree's written warranty you believe is worthless and that the issue has become unresolved because YOU have not sent the battery to us for evaluation and therefore the issue cannot be resolved. Obviously the issue cannot be resolved unless YOU send the battery back as per the written warranty for evaluation for repair or replacement.
   
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  Direct ************
  www.beutilityfree.com
  Whatsapp: ************
  Our name is our mission!
  
  May 23, 2023 email:
  
  *****, 
  
  Since you do not have the courtesy to respond to any of my recent emails and  requested the BBB on 5/18/23 to close the case as unresolved which is false because YOU are the one that does not want to resolve the issue and abide by the terms of the written warranty.
  
  I assume your are NOT sending the battery to us for evaluation. Correct? 
  
  If I do not get a response from this email within 48 hours I will contact the BBB and let them know you have NO intention of following through with the terms of the written warranty and that you somehow believe that our warranty is worthless. It seems to me you want to make up your own rules when it comes to a battery warranty!
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  Direct ************
  www.beutilityfree.com
  Whatsapp: ************
  Our name is our mission!
  
  Warranty:
  
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/31/2023

   
  Complaint: 19853232
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As detailed in my May 15th email to ***************************************** the *** estimate for round-trip delivery to the ***** address was around $350 (excluding insurance). With any additional fees that Beutilityfree might tack onto the bill, the total could potentially exceed $500. That made the warranty service cost unacceptable.

  I have subsequently had the unit tested and diagnosed by a qualified solar technician and he determined that the battery modules were all good, but the ****************** System (BMS) board had a row of 10 MOSFET components burned out, rendering it inoperable.

  If Beutilityfree would send me a replacement BMS board, which is a customer replaceable module (per the user manual), I would agree to close this case as RESOLVED.

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