ComplaintsforKern Heating Company

• Initial Complaint

  01/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hired **** to diagnose ($285) then install replace existing malfunctioning furnace with a new one ($5,000). The techs installed a new furnace and a new Smart thermostat ($400) After they left I could not find my original working smart thermostat ($150). I contacted the office and was told the tech took my thermostat back to the office. I advised the office that Nobody asked me if they could take my existing working thermostat, and I would like it returned. The office person refused the option of returning my thermostat saying if I wanted it back I could go to the office and get it myself. I advised them again they took my property without permission and I would like it returned to where it was taken from. If I have to come get it I would require a service fee $100 (to convert my time has, use of vehicle, major inconvenience.) I have spoken with them several times giving them over a week to return my property. They continue to refuse to return my property or agree to pay a service fee for my time and efforts. They have now stopped responding to my request. I have text record of most of the conversations. I would like my property returned, and or replaced, and or refunded the amount of thermostat.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  Per the signed contract (attached & highlighted) and our policy the technicians dispose of all replaced equipment unless a customer asks to keep something. At no point did ******************** let the salesperson who took all of the notes for the job or the technicians who replaced the old thermostat to leave the thermostat at his residence, therefore it was removed and disposed of. When he contacted our office we let him know that it was back at the office and then had one of our technicians dig through the dumpster to retrieve his thermostat. We then let him know our office hours in which he could come pick it up. He then demanded $100 for his time to pick up the thermostat (his address is 5 minutes away from us), to which we would like to request $300 for the time spent for ************** to dig his thermostat out of the dumpster which we can all agree is a much more egregious task. We did try to contact ******************* on multiple occasions to try and work something out which he refused to answer any phone calls and would only correspond with us via text message. Our business texting line is for appointment confirmations not for back and forth with customers. As we have told him on multiple occasions, he is more than welcome to come pick up his thermostat but we decline any of his fees that he is demanding we pay him.

  Customer response

  01/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 21190276
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   As noted in the agreement services that are included for the work.  not "carried out unless other wise stated"  yes disposal of broken unwanted equipment should be included. However should be asked especially of working equipment.  Pretty much any service work will include disposal, but they will ask if you'd like to keep the old. Especially replacing a working product. 

   The business also never once mentioned that their text line was for appointment only. And they reached out to me on it as well. I insisted on using the text in order to keep record of the conversation. Which they kept trying to avoid. And even when I stated that was the purpose they did not mention it was limited to appointments.

  So they took a working smart thermostat and the it in the trash?  Hope it's not damaged. 

  as they mentioned the address they took my property from is only a few minutes from their office. Where they are paid to do a service job. I have already wasted way too much of my personal time that I don't get paid for in order to try to get my rightful property back. While they refuse to return the item only 3 minute from their office. My price is certainly reasonably. They don't have a problem charging customers triple that for a visit only 3 minutes away. 

   They're response should speak volumes about the type of customer service they provide. Rather than returning something taken without permission only minutes from their office. They would rather argue for days and refuse to provide a reasonable solution.

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

  Business response

  01/30/2024

  Our policy is removal and disposal of all replaced equipment (as stated in the contract), the thermostat was replaced, therefore it was disposed of. We do hundreds of installations where we replace a working thermostat and have never had such an issue. In ******************** logic, we would have to ask every homeowner if they want to keep their old furnace (as often times they are still working) and every piece of material that was taken apart when installing their new system (maybe the homeowner has a use for it). This would be a very time consuming and probably irritating process for most all of our customers. Therefore we rely on the homeowner to communicate with our team if theyd like to keep something. If this thermostat was of this much importance, its hard to imagine not saying anything on the day of the installation or to the salesperson that he wanted to keep it in his possession. Our reasonable solution is that he is more than welcome to come get the thermostat as he has been told numerous times by our staff.
  
  

  Customer response

  01/31/2024

   
  Complaint: 21190276
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   It still does not return my property. 

   You can clearly see the lack of compassion, or caring for the customer. Again they would rather draw this out  try to belittle, and dismiss my issue. Rather than make an effort, any effort to rectify the situation. And they feel it would be a major time consumption and inconvenience to say "would you like to keep your current equipment or have us dispose of it?" To remove any doubt. Much like any repair service.

   I would have said something provided I had any clue they would take my current working equipment. Had I been granted the courtesy of that simple quick question. 

  I still want my property returned to me.

   And am shocked at the lack of effort. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had to edit to smaller so not such a great explanation now. See ****** review. **** technician ******* $94 fee to show up said he'd have to flush the lines to take care of the leak. $250!!! I needed the leak to stop, let's just take care of it. He cleared the lines and there's a little bit of silt that he got out of the trap filter, not a "clog" by any means, unit still leaking. He says it will cost $677 to fix part, but unit is 11 yr old & only last ***** yrs. You also have corrosion here and here and if that keeps going you're looking at a crack in the unit and a CO2 leak and then you really have problems. My advice is if you're going to put 1k towards this unit, that's only good for another year or two, then you should probably get a new unit. You can combine it with an ac unit for about 10k and we have financing. I literally went upstairs and cried. I signed the agreement so now I'm on the hook for $94 diagnosis fee and $250 to empty some dirt, but I still have a major leak and I need a new unit because my kids are going to die from a carbon monoxide leak if I don't. Wow. New **** ON my furnace it's a 2015 furnace, 7 years old, not 11. He proceeds to explain that I do have a lower end unit that doesn't last as long as others, but to expect it to get us through about 15 to 17 years with regular maintenance before replacement is needed. He shows me that the flames are working perfectly, it's not corrosion, it is some rust, but totally normal around that area with the flames. No jumping, no issues, no chance for a CO2 leak and that you are supposed to TEST for before ever opening your mouth about it. **** used every unethical, unprofessional, upsell rip-off scare tactic in the book! Yes I want a refund, but more than that, I want an APOLOGY. You didn't fix anything!!! $350 later, I still have a leak. FYI to others: On a ******* furnace, the year is the first two numbers of the serial number. As you can see it says 15- for 2015. I'm not the liar here.

  Business response

  11/21/2022

  We received a call from the homeowners regarding a water leak and put it on the schedule to get taken care of right away. They were informed of the $94 service call fee and wanted us to come out. ************** found two things upon diagnosis of the furnace; first was that their collector box was leaking and second was that water was not draining properly from a clog in their drain trap. ************** showed Mrs. ***** the cost to clear the drain trap for $237.75. She gave him the approval and signed off on the estimate for him to complete the work (see attachment of signature). He also gave her pricing to replace the collector box so that it would stop leaking as well as gave her the option to have a comfort consultant give an estimate on a new furnace. Given that they were the new homeowners and we have no idea how the furnace was treated prior to their purchase of the home, we always give both options so they can either purchase a new unit or buy parts for the existing unit. She told the technician that she did not want to spend money on parts and would rather put money toward a new furnace. We told her that we would gladly credit her the money that she spent on her existing furnace towards a new one if thats what she preferred (see furnace estimate w/ service call credit). We did not tell her that her furnace had any major  issues other than the fact that the collector box was leaking and the unit was ***** (see invoice notes that technician typed up for homeowners). I do recognize and apologize that ************** made an error in the manufacture year of the furnace. You can see from the photo we attached (see screen shot) that the data plate does say that it is a 2012 furnace which is what led him to believe that it was from 2012. However we do not base whether a unit should be replaced solely on the year but rather the current condition and the cost to make repairs for the future. With that being said, if the homeowners would have rather replaced the part we would have happily done that for them. We give our professional opinion but we give options to leave the decision completely up to the homeowners, which is exactly what we did in this case. The unit was not fixed only because we did not receive authorization from the homeowner to replace the part that needed to be replaced. We did however identify the source of the leaking, make a repair that the homeowner approved to clear the drain, and gave her options for moving forward.

  Customer response

  11/22/2022

   
  Complaint: 18438437
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Of everything I explained in my first entry.
  

  I want a refund of at least $250. The only thing honestly explained by this company in this entire scenario was the $94 fee. Everything else was an upsell, trick or scare tactic. If I was them, I wouldn't put proof of my misdeeds in the notes to be used against me later either. 

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

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