ComplaintsforOne Hour Heating and Air Conditioning

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In May I had the reference company come out to fix my AC unit. 1st they walk around with an ipad in there hand taking notes and pictures of things they work on. OK I can understand that. What I am complaining about is that I tried to reach out to them about my bill and I left two messages with no return call, I wanted to make sure there was not an error on the charge for the part they had to install. The part is around 50.00 including markup price. I was charged 275.00 for the part, After they told me with the issue they told me the price for the job in which I approved however I didn't know they were going to charge me 275 for a 50.00 part. I do understand parts will be marked up and the price of 50.00 includes the markup. What I would like is to get the part number they installed and for them to verify the price. My friend who owns a HVAC company told me I was scammed because he charges 40.00 for the part (controller). I tried to get him out however he is 3 weeks out and no appointments available. I also wanted them to install a new thermostat because the one I had broke along with unit. They want 200 to hook up 5 wires. Shows the character of the business. I don't mind people making money I only as they don't make it all on me. I thank you for your help.

  Business response

  08/25/2022

  08/22/22 
  Date of Service: 05/31/22 
  On the morning of 05/31/22 the complaintive contacted our office through our service. Our office reached out directly around 7:30AM with an appointment being made for that same day, squeezing him in prior to already existing appointments (unlike the other company he contacted, "his friends"", who didn't have an appointment for three weeks). On this call he was informed that there would be an $89.00 service fee for our technician to come out to diagnose what the problem was and that additional charges might be incurred dependent upon the repairs necessary. 
  We were on site, to his residence, just after 8:30 AM. The technicians were aware that the complaintive had no air conditioning based on what he had stated on his original call. Our technicians, as is our protocol, first listened to the customer as to what the situation was that was occurring. The complaintive stated that he had attempted to resolve the issue by checking his thermostat and replacing a blown fuse in the air handler. But neither had resolved the issue. He also informed the technicians that he had been working around his outside condenser unit and didn't know if he had accidentally done something. From here our technicians took photos of all parts of the HVAC equipment, inside and outside of the home, as is done on all appointments, for documentation. 
  It was diagnosed that the condenser unit was not coming on and the from here the technicians ascertained that the contactor was not "closing" which meant it was bad. The technicians created an estimate and reviewed the issue and the cost with the complaintive. At being presented the estimate the complaintive had the opportunity to decline the work and he would have incurred ONLY the $89.00 service fee. The complaintive however opted to have the work completed and signed the estimate (copy attached). 
  The technicians proceeded to replace the bad part and air conditioning was restored to the complaintive's home. The invoice was provided and signed off on (copy attached) and payment was collected. At no time during the supplying of the estimate and or the invoice, on the service call did the complaintive question the cost for the charges, for the work performed. 
  One of the managers in our office did actually speak with the complaintive and reviewed the costs on his invoice, reiterating that the $89.00 was our service fee just to come out (service fees are a norm in this industry and vary) and that the $286.00 was the labor and material cost to replace the contactor. 

  Customer response

  08/26/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  

  I am rejecting this response because: Some of the facts are not true.  

  1) You guarantee around the clock service.  If you recall I spoke to a rep the prior night and was told to call in the morning (around the clock service?), Also the comment they squeezed me does not qualify for badmouthing anther business.  I guess I now know why you can "squeeze" me in. Very professional you are. By the way my friend has contracts with corporations and that is why he was not available.  He is looking for more employees so if you are interested.  

   2) Anther misstated statement: The letter states I told the Technicians that I was doing some work around my outside unit.  I was not "working" around my unit.  I check for power and that is it.  The work I referencing to was the water lines I ran in my loft.  You are making sound like I am building a brick wall around it!  You are being very protective but I can see why. 

   3) As stated in the last paragraph one of managers called me back.  Well it's another lie.  No one called me back after I left two messages to only question the charge break down.  Wasn't asking for money back or calling to complain.  Since the invoice was not in detail I would like to know the breakdown of the bill.  However, since I DID NOT get a call back I felt something was being hidden from me.  Would not have gone through this if I got a call back.  Customer Service?

   4) Communication between the office and tech really have to improve.  The tech advised me of the price for the part only is 275.00 plus the labor.  Made no mention the 89.00 fee was on top of that charge.  Most reputable companies waive the fee if they do the work or include with their hourly charge, not add to it the final bill.

  5) As stated in my original request I would to know the make and part number for the contactor.  No mention of that request in their response. Only going on the defense. 

  In summary you can tell they are twisting my words with the situation.  Stating facts that are not true however put in my account notes I assume.  When someone is not up and running they use intimidation to get the work if your back is against the wall like mine was due to the weather.  They make you sign every little thing and walk around taking pictures to give than an out if there is a problem.  If you notice the invoice isn't very detailed at all also. Only shows contactor and service fee. No description of the make of the contactor, part number,  also no breakdown showing service calls fees.  I wasn't looking for a refund, I wasn't complaining, all I wanted to know was the breakdown of the bill.  However with no response it started to make me wonder if this an ethical business.  I guess I got my answer. 

  Regards,
  
  ***** *******

  Regards,
  
  ***** *******

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  12/9/22 
  Date of Service: 05/31/22 
  The above complaint ID response of 08/22/22 was rejected by the complaintive, claiming "some facts are not true", per your 10/21/22 correspondence. 
  Any service offered 24 hours is usually based on whether the problem/issue would be classed as an emergency. In this particular case, when the call came in, there was no request for "immediate" emergency service, so the individual was requested to call back in the morning and he did just so and as previously mentioned he was accommodated and placed on our schedule, for first thing on the morning of 05/31/22, ahead of previously scheduled and confirmed appointments. 
  As is our practice, when we take a call, we are upfront in informing all of our customers, existing and new, that we have a service fee to come out and that upon our visit we will provide upfront additional pricing for any necessary repair(s), of which the customer can opt not to go with. This call would NOT have been treated any differently. 
  On the service call for this customer, our technician followed procedures by listening to what the customer had to say regarding the issue at hand, assessing the situation and creating an estimate with what the additional costs would be. This pricing would have been reviewed with the customer. All of our pricing is listed as one, inclusive of labor and material. The customer raised no questions, when presented with the estimate, and went ahead and authorized the work by signing the estimate (copy was previously provided). Upon the completion of the work, the customer was presented with the invoice, where again, they raised no questions, signed off on it and paid the technician (copy previously provided). It is not the policy of the company to breakdown labor and material and/or to give part numbers, but in an effort to satisfy this customers request, the contactor part no, was *****. 
  He stated in his summary that he was "intimidated to get the work done" and clearly this was not the case as he was afforded the opportunity to decline the estimate, for the repairs to his air conditioning system when they were presented to him. We regret that this customer was not satisfied with the fact that his air conditioning was restored, in less than 24 hours from his initial call.

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