ComplaintsforBest Value Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  07/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Best value AC in Ormond Beach sold us a franklin/goodman air conditioner in 2017 with a 10-year warranty parts and labor. We have been having problems with the unit since it was installed. The unit never worked properly. Recently we have discovered that the unit was built in 2015 and installed in 2017. There have been multiple attempts by best value to repair this unit to no avail. Furthermore, we have spent hundreds of dollars on service calls as well as a $300 3-year maintenance program in which the owner personally told my son to never call the store again. In summary, we were sold a lemon and previously in my opinion defective unit which is too small and inadequate for our home. Two independent contractors have also mentioned that the duct lining is not compatible with the unit they installed. Therefore, they knew full well they were installing a previously damaged and defective unit and connected it to duct lining which would ultimately result in failure.

  Business response

  08/22/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/26) */ We installed the unit on March 10 2017 and yes has a 10 yr parts and labor warranty through ************** manufacturing, any ************** dealer can honor this warranty. From March 10 2017 until July 23 2020 we never had to go to the residence for any A/C issues. On July 23 2020 we replaced a bad capacitor at n/c under the warranty and customer purchased a maintenance plan for $299. Our next service call was September 25 2020 where we replaced a bad contactor, again n/c under parts and labor warranty. The next time we heard from the customer was on June 03 2021 and they started accusing us that we did not install unit properly and that they had other A/C companies out to work on unit and said that we did a horrible job. My question is, why didn't the customer contact us before calling another company. Plus the unit was permitted through the city and passed state inspection. Customer was extremely rud to the office staff and myself. We decided then that we were no longer going to service this customer. We are not going to take that kind of abuse from someone when we did nothing wrong. Customer then calls July 26 2022 wanting a service call and when we refused to come out customer got very irate again. I have no problem refunding customer the $299 paid for maintenance contract, the customer has never asked for a refund on the maintenance contract. The air handler was manufactured in Feburary of 2017 and the condenser was manufactured in May of 2015. Sometimes these units will sit at the manufacturing facility or the distributor for up to two years before being sold to A/C companies like us. The unit was brand new in the box when customer purchased the unit. Also the home is 1188 sq ft, a 2.5 ton 16 seer unit is more than adequate to cool and heat the home. I tried calling customer back and customer has no voice mail. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/07/27) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This response is inaccurate and unacceptable. My mother who is 80 years old has not had a working A/C unit since this was installed. It has been a back and forth issue that has gone nowhere with Best Value. They have attempted to correct the problem multiple times with zero results. Note that the owner mentioned the unit had a "bad capacitor" and the following service call was to address a "bad contactor". That's because the whole unit is bad and in the estimate of two other companies "not worth salvaging", as it was installed improperly by Best Value A/C. In addition, this unit was built in 2015 but installed in 2017. The owner claims that it is "normal" for these to "sit around for a few years". However, that is not what experts in the field say. Especially, in Florida air conditioning systems do not sit around. Other companies sell them immediately and directly after purchase according to two other companies I have contacted and are willing to provide their input in this regard. Lastly, the owner stated I was rude, when he was the one who told me that we "could have our $299 extended maintenance plan back and to "never call here again" . Any logical thinker can analytically conclude from the information that has been presented thus far that the unit is ultimately a failure that Best Value is simply unable or unwilling to restore to a properly functioning state. I want to know the history of this unit since 2015. Was is installed in someone else's home? Was is previously rejected? How many service calls are assigned to this unit? The excuse will undoubtedly be something along the lines of, "we don't track units" or "Goodman doest offer this kind of information". My response to that is that's because you know it's defective or else why didn't you fix it? Why are we here? Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2022/07/28) */ This is a complete lie. I have every service record of the only couple times we ever went out. I can provide all documentation supporting this. We have the right to refuse service. After speaking to the customer over a year ago and telling them that we are not coming to work on the unit they still call a year later wanting service from us. If these other TWO companies are so great then why did you have to call two companies and not just one?? This is just odd to me. Like I mentioned they have a 10 yr parts and labor warranty through the manufacturer, they can have the unit repaired by anyone. If the customer thinks it's so defective then please call the manufacturer and ask them to look at it. Like I said I have no problem refunding the $299 back from 2020 service call. We put the unit in 5 years ago and last year was their first ever complaint, like I said unit was installed for 3 years before we ever had to go back out for a service call. We live in Florida where you is the ac unit more then any appliance in your home all year long. You will eventually have problems. That is just facts no matter what brand is installed. Consumer Response /* (4200, 12, 2022/08/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Two other service companies were called out to review your work and both said the same thing.THE UNIT WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY TO THE WRONG DUCTWORK. The unit is now DAMAGED as a result of this and your responsibility to fix it. The warranty does NOT COVER IMPROPERLY INSTALLED UNITS. Therefore, I would like for your company to either refund or replace the A/C unit at no charge to the owner. Also, please contact her for a refund that you promised a year ago on the phone for the $299.99 "Extended maintenance program" but NEVER DID. Apparently I'm not the only one having this problem according to Google reviews. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2022/08/02) */ IT WAS NOT INSTALLED IMPROPERLY, IT PASSED STATE INSPECTION AND YOU WENT 3 YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE PROBLEM. WE ARE DONE HERE. I WILL REFUND MONEY FOR THE PMA $299 AND THAT IS IT. HAVE A GREAT DAY.

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