ComplaintsforA & J Drain Services LLC

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On November 8, 2022, as we did every year, we had A & J Drain come to our home to clean out our sewer line. They were aware that we had a buried trap, and knew there was no cleanout in our yard. This time, the technician made an error and got his cable stuck in the sewer line. I wrote him a check for $235.00 (Invoice #*****), assuming someone would come and get the cable out and finish the job. Two people did come a few days later. They couldn't remove the cable, which went the length of the sewer line. They cut it off from the machine to which it was attached, and left it --running the length of the line. As a result, we cannot flush paper down our toilets. This is not only a problem for us, but we cannot have company with our toilets in this condition. In addition to that, and because of other complications, we now have to have a major rerouting of our sewer system, which has been estimated to cost as much as $38,000. The A & J Drain company refuses to pay for any part of that even though they claim to be insured, or even to return the $235 we paid for a job they didn't complete, but in fact, made worse. We believe they should return this payment to us.

  

  Business response

  02/17/2023

  A&J Drain has cabled this line several times from the basement stack because there was no cleanout found in the yard, and customer also had told our technician there was no cleanout.  We have cabled at this property 6 times between 11/2016-11/2022.  It is by the grace of God that we didn’t get stuck the first 5 times because of the unknown buried trap.  Our invoice on 11/15/17 recommended a yard cleanout to be installed for proper maintenance.  There is no possible way to know there is a buried trap, without running a camera in the line.  On 11/8/22, we cabled the line, and the cutter got stuck.  We ran a camera to find the issue, and found that there was a buried trap.  There is some confusion in understanding this, because we cannot make an error to get our cable/cutter stuck.  This is a hidden plumbing issue that we were not aware of until our cable got stuck.  Our disclaimer on our invoice states that A&J is not responsible for broken or stuck cables.  Please see attached invoice with disclaimer.  Tell us why here...

• Initial Complaint

  11/17/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A&J charged me $95 to come out and snake my drain, and didn’t do the job I paid them to do.

  

  Business response

  11/18/2021

  The washer and dryer are in a VERY tight area in a bathroom, behind a toilet.  We do not move washers/dryers to get to pipes.  If something were to get scratched or a pipe damaged, we don't have the resources to fix them.  We only are there to cable the line.

  On 10/7/21 the technician found that the washer hose was broken on an older washer that was in the same tight spot in the bathroom, so couldn't test the washer to see if the water came out of the stack. The water ran onto the floor.  The washer was rusted and the hose was broken, so he suggested to them to get a new washer.  We charged a service call for our time/gas/etc. We still wouldn't have been able to move the washer to get to the stack.

  On 11/17/21 the technician went back.  They had bought a new washer/dryer.  Still the stack is behind the washer/dryer so unable to move.  We didn't charge for this call.  Please see picture to see how tight this situation is.

  The customer cussed at the technician and on the phone to the office assistant.  We wish he understood that we can't take on the responsibility of moving appliances when we are there to do drain cleaning.  

  Customer response

  11/18/2021

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

  the technician stated the barrel of the washing machine was rusted out the 1st time. Nothing about a broken hose, because the hose was NOT broken. Instead of being a washer repair man he should have done the job we hired him to do the 1st time and we wouldn’t be in the situation we are in now. We did NOT hire him to diagnose a washer issue that wasn’t even the issue. We hired him to snake our washer drain which the tech admitted he didn’t do. 

   

  

  Business response

  11/19/2021

  The washer & dryer needs to be moved for us to be able to cable the laundry stack.  If the customer can get them moved out of the area, we can come back to cable the stack.  We already have called and offered that and he didn't return the call.  The area is way too tight to be able to do any kind of work.  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In November of 2020, I was charged 110.00 by A&J Drain Service to have the sewer line in my home cabled. The sewer line became blocked again in May of 2021, so I scheduled another sewer line cabling with A&J Drain. When scheduling the appointment, I explained the issue in detail and was told that the price would be 110.00 again. After the service was complete, I was told by the technician that the price would be 155.00 because of the larger cabling machine that was used. I paid the 155.00 and later emailed the A&J Drain office asking if I could be charged the 110.00 rate that I was given over the phone (and that I paid for the same service back in November). They replied that laundry and sewer lines have different prices. I emailed back letting them know that it was the same line that they cabled back in November. They replied that because the 'big drum machine' was used, the price is higher. I then called the office but was hung up on after asking to speak with the owner.

  

  Business response

  05/04/2021

  The plumbing is abnormal.  When he called in and said the laundry stack needed cabled, we quoted him a laundry stack price of $110.  But he also told the technician that it was a 60 ft run.  The technician explained this wasn't a laundry line then, and sewer line cable is a different price. Turns out, this is where the sewer needs to be cabled from.  This is a totally different price, because of the machine and the distance of the line.  To cable a sewer line from inside the house is $155.  It is very hard to quote a price over the phone when the plumbing is not normal.  The owner wasn’t available when the customer called, but the office had talked to the owner about the situation after their email had come in.  Basically if we cable a sewer line, it should be sewer line cost no matter the access.  Our technician cabled from the laundry stack all the way out to the main sewer 100 ft.  A laundry line cable would only be 15-20 ft.  We really can’t take fault when the customer’s plumbing is abnormal.

  Customer response

  05/27/2021

  The company's response is not satisfactory for me.  I would still like the difference in price (45.00) refunded.  

  
  

  The company stating that the plumbing in our house is 'abnormal' is just another one of several excuses for charging more than the price originally quoted.  As I stated in my original complaint, this company had already been to my home a few months prior.  I was charged their regular $110 rate on that first service visit, and was quoted that same $110 rate when I called and scheduled the second service visit.  Neither technician stated, implied or even gestured that anything was 'abnormal' about the plumbing in our home.  We live in a rather large subdivision, and all of the homes are similar.  

  
  

  The company also states that I 'told the technician that it was a 60 ft run' as if I misled or gave inaccurate information to the technician.  When in fact, before the technician chose the machine that he used for the service, he first came into our home to look at the area for himself.  The technician's choice to use the machine that he used was based on his own assessment. 

  
  

  Also, the company's response with regard to the 'laundry line', 'laundry stack' and the 'sewer line' reads a bit confusing, when it is actually quite simple.  The drain pipe from my laundry room runs into the main drain pipe for the rest of the house.  That's it.   This company has attempted this same 'muddying of the waters' in prior emails with me by using plumbing and drain terminology that I guess that they think will confuse the customer.   

  
  

  The company cabled the same line from the same spot on both service visits.  The first service visit was quoted and charged 110.00.  The second service visit was quoted the same 110.00, but was changed 155.00.  I would like a refund for the 45.00 difference in price.  I think that this is only fair.  I should actually be requesting a full refund for the second service visit because the blockage was not cleared out on the first service visit; it was only pushed further down the line, which resulted in the need for a second visit less than six months later.   The company does however have a warranty period and six months is beyond their warranty period, so I am not requesting a full refund.  I am only requesting a refund for the 45.00 difference in price.

  
  

  
  

  Thanks

  *******

  

  Business response

  05/27/2021

  We will refund $45 but we would appreciate the customer not to call us again for service.  In the future, we suggest him to tell other companies that it is the sewer line that needs cleaned through a laundry stack so they know how to quote the price. Thank you.

  Customer response

  05/27/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ***** **.

*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. ↩