ComplaintsforWestern Chain Link Fence Company, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid for and ordered a gate with an operating system in March 2022. After they received our money, we never heard from them unless we made contact. They gave empty promise dates of installation. We contacted the manager, he did the same thing. We finally were able to get a hold of the President, and thought she would help but it was more of the same lies. Finally in early June they did come and install our gate. It started rusting the first week, then it started sagging so we couldn't open it, along with many other problems. The gate was only up for 2 weeks in June. They said they were going to take our gate back to the shop fix it and return it. That was the last time we ever saw our gate. We had an attorney file a letter of demand to get our gate properly installed by Sept. 16th 2022 or we would be requesting a refund. Western Fence responded and said they don't give refunds and the gate will not be ready by the 16th. 2 weeks ago they sent our attorney an email saying it would be installed last week. That never happened and we still have not heard from them. This is a $12,000.00 gate that we paid for and do not have. I have no idea how they stay in business. We have never had any sort of issues like this with any other company. I can't believe they're in business. They have never even tried to apologies or try to make it right. This company is extremely unethical.

  

  Business response

  10/05/2022

  The gate that the customer was sold was a prefabricated gate. We had to wait for updates from suppliers to give information to the customer in regards to updates on time frames. Customer called daily for updates, multiple times a day until they were able to talk to someone and then would get upset when we would have no new information from the day before or the same day. We assured them that they were in queue and that we would give them updates as we received them as well. There was also additional work/change orders that were completed during this process which can lengthen the process of completion. After installation, there was a windstorm that occurred in the area that resulted in the gates binding up causing damage to the gates. When Mr. and ********************* reached out we had our technician come out to go out onsite to evaluate what was going on and he came to the conclusion that we needed to replace the hinges that that gate was originally hung with to prevent this issue from happening again. We informed the customer that we would need to unmount the gates, take it back to our fabrication shop so that we could remove the hinges and that we were waiting on the more robust hinges from our supplier. When they had retained an attorney, we informed the attorney that due to the part being shipped in from our supplier we could not guarantee to have this resolved by September 16th, as they had demanded. We received the hinges the following week (week after the 16th of September) and had to weld the new hinges on the gate as well as make some other modifications to the gate due to the damage from the gates binding from the windstorm, then repowder-coat the gate as well. We replied to their attorney that we were aiming for installation the week of September 25th, but would let them know when we would be able to schedule them due to the multiple steps that had to be done prior to getting them scheduled to rehang their gates. Their attorney, as well as the customer, has been informed that their installation is scheduled for Friday, October 7th. 

  Customer response

  10/06/2022

   
  **mplaint: 18173290
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Western Fence ** said we called every day, that is untrue. They have continually told us "Tomorrow the gate will be installed", "next week the gate will be installed" They are all empty promises, and they don't even have the courtesy to let us know, so with that said we have wasted hours trying to get a hold of them to find out a real date. They simply don't communicate unless we have reach out. Last week they were supposed to have a gate installed but there was no response from them, and the gate was once again not installed. They didn't even respond to our attorney's email from September 28th until yesterday saying they were out of town. ******** (the President of Western Fence company) was also CC in the email, and she didn't even respond. They simply don't care about their customers and make that very clear. They have now given us another promise for date of install but given their past of empty promises we won't believe what they say. If they do actually show up with our gate, I hope the gate will be in working condition with no sagging, no rusting, sensor working properly, wiring fixed correctly etc. We will wait and see what actually happens tomorrow. We have text messages, emails, and pictures to back up everything and the number of hours we have wasted from work to deal with Western Fence ** is ridiculous. If you read their ****** reviews, clearly, we are not the first clients of theirs to have the same problems. 
  
  
  

  

  Business response

  10/06/2022

  As the customer has stated that we did not reply to an email from an attorney, because the people he emailed were out of town and the email was returned when the personnel returned back to work. The gate that is being installed tomorrow is a warranty item, that we have communicated the process of which it would take to get the warranty addressed and informed them about approximate time frames. As it was also stated before the gate was working properly where we have videos and pictures of the finished gate and operator.

  Because of the nature of construction as well as having to wait on suppliers to get us items it is hard to give a firm date far out in advance of when a project or item will be complete due to issues that *** arise. As this customer has been informed, they are still scheduled for their warranty item to be addressed tomorrow. Western Fence Company has been in business for 74 years and we honor our contracts, including warranties. Time frames will vary depending on lead times of suppliers, construction on previous projects, and any unforeseen circumstances. 

  Customer response

  10/12/2022

   
  **mplaint: 18173290
  
  The gate was installed on Friday 10/7/22. The bars that were welded on were still not ********** bar was welded on about 2" shorter that the other bar. The sensor for the automatic gate still didn't work. We called and spoke to **** who said he would be back out on Monday to get the gate and fix the problem. They did come back on Monday morning 10/10/22 picked up part of the gate and said they would return the gate to us on Wednesday morning. It is now Wednesday, I once again took the day off of work to be home for the gate to be installed. By 10am we had not heard from a single person at Western Fence ** about our gate. We once again had to follow up and were now told it won't happen today because it was being powder coated and they still don't have a new working sensor for us and they said maybe tomorrow now. 

  When Western Fence ** first came out to our house in March to give us a bid, our salesman told us that if we wanted to order a custom gate it would take a few months so we chose to order the prefabricated gate to get this done sooner. Its been 7 months and the simple prefabricated gate is not done or installed. For a company that advertises that they sell and install gates with operating systems sure doesn't seem to know what they are doing. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** & *********************************

  

  Business response

  10/12/2022

  **** is an installer, not a project manager. He has informed us that he did not tell them that we would have the gate back to them Wednesday. Our shop has to remodify the one side of the gate and then it has to be re-powdercoated. It is not a quick process unfortunately and does take time to go through these steps. If they would like an update time frame they need to call the office, not ****, who does not manage projects or scheduling and speak to either the project manager or the construction manager. 

   

  For the sensor the customer is stating that still does not work. The exit sensor was adjusted so that when the car is near the gate the gate will open and it does function properly. However, the customer informed us that the gate will open if they walk by the sensor as well. The only way to correct this would be to cut a loop into the concrete and lay down an exit loop, instead of an exit sensor. 

   

  We will have the project manager reach out to them to go over the schedule of the gate being reinstalled and the option to cut an exit loop in for the automation. From our records, it does not look like we have had a call in from the customer today, nor did any of our office staff, nor construction manager inform the customer that we would be out to reinstall the gate today. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 12/10/2020 Western Fence Company (WFC) filed a permit on my behalf to replace a fence on a property we have in ************** (BLD2020-12089). The fence is now finished and all paid for from my side. Unfortunately WFC refuses to complete the permit application process with the city. The reason WFC gives is that there were changes to the original contract and these are not covered under the new contract.Although it is true that the original contract was updated to build the fence on top of a retaining wall, there was a verbal understanding with the previous project manager (***************************) that WFC would deal with the permit issues (otherwise, there would have been another permitting fee charged in the new contract, as I've been clear with WFC that I wanted them to deal with the city permit). The new project manager (***************************) does not want to honor this past understanding.Since WFC is refusing to do their job regarding the permit application, I would like a refund for the $200 permit application fee that I paid WFC on 12/16/2020 (this represents less than 2% of the total value of the project).

  

  Business response

  12/06/2021

  Customer had a permit on the original contract where the fence was going to be installed in the ground. Customer made changes and held off on the portion of the fence that was going to be installed on a retaining wall which the fence was supposed to be on top of until the retaining wall was installed. Per the terms and conditions of our contract all changes in regards to the contract (including permits) must be in writing, the permit change was not done in writing, therefore our sales representative *******, was not aware of this change until customer informed him. Customer unfortunately did not speak with a manager in regards to the matter so that there could be a more in depth look. After review of the files (two separate as there was an original and then a secondary) Western Fence Company would be able to submit the fence permit or a refund to the customer. However at this time  the customer has initiated a chargeback for the $200.00 application fee so a refund will not be given. 

   

  We inform all customers that all changes must be in writing as we have it listed on our terms and conditions. 

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