Bad dealing with plumber!
By jillhill
@jillhill (37354)
United States
September 21, 2010 4:16pm CST
I turned my furnace on a week ago to find out it wasn't working properly.....So a week ago Monday I called the plumber/heating company that put it in my house as they have been the only ones I have let service it. The guy came about 2 hours after I called....went down...washed the filter then proceded to do a couple of bangs on it and said he had to go back to the shop to look up on the internet as site on how to replace the gas vavle? WTH/ Then he calls from the shop and says he'll get in contact with me the minute he finds out the information he needs......guess what? He never called back or returned. So I have sat with the furnace NOT in working condition waiting for him to call. I wasn't so concerned this weekend as I had a craft show and was gone most of the weekend but when I got up on Sunday morning it was only 55 degrees in here. Yesterday I called another company and they came immediately....I have to get a new furnace. Today another guy comes and sits down with me and explains everything about the types of furnaces they offer....he offered financing...and lined it up to have the new one installed by Monday!!! Now that is service. So the other company lost a customer....and another one gained a new one. I felt very upset that I was totally ignored by the first one...after all I have been calling them for all my plumbing needs for over 30 years. I will be posting this experience on Angie's list. Everyone should know they aren't reliable! Have you ever had an experience like this?
5 people like this
13 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Since you've been using this company for 30 years, did you make an official complaint? Because it seems to me that this company would go head over heels for a loyal customer like you.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
22 Sep 10
I would still let the owner know this and if he values his business, he will hold his son accountable, if not then he is taking a chance of losing his business.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
21 Sep 10
That's terrible PR. I would definitely let the owner know what happened and why you are not returning unless you really don't want to mess around with it and be further annoyed. That takes some guts to promise to return and then no call and no return. I can't recall anything like this happening to us in the past. Someone won't listen to me, I sick my husband on them and they listen. We girlies sometimes have to let someone else handle things if we plan to get anything done. If my husband wasn't available I would talk to our son-in-law and let him take care of it.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
22 Sep 10
This was the owners son that came....I doubt very much complaining would help....there's more to the story that I can't prove but someone else told me it was possible. You see the sheriff that is in office now.....his wife works for them. I happen to have a sign in my yard for the opposition...the sign also disappeared and I had to have a new one put in my yard....I wonder if their relationship was worth the $2500.00 I spent on a new furnace....small town....small minds!
@JudgeIronFist (2472)
• Singapore
22 Sep 10
I've not experienced something so terrible like this. How can they do business like this? Good that you've reported on them. I don't understand how the other guy can become a plumber/serviceman when he DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO REPLACE THE GAS VALVE!!! Is the company's administration blind or what. Look at who they've hired? Someone who has little or no knowledge about plumbing. SIGH! What is this world coming to?
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
23 Sep 10
Hello the pipe work in my homes were done by a reputed contractor of my city 3 years ago, i have a service contract with them too, that is they should the homes once every month to see if there is any leakage,,
More over if i call, they have to rush and fix the problem instanly!!
Well the renter lady, upstairs was complaing of leakage and dripping water since 15days, i made them several calls, none came, though the lady at the reception said, the complaint was recorded, lastly i had to get the job done by another plumber..
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always, cheers.
Professor. .
@prashant_utneja (44)
• United States
22 Sep 10
hmmm this is really bad bad service, you should to teach them a lesson..any kind of profession is call a big faliure without the CS means CUSTOME SATISFACTION..so one should take care about it.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
16 Oct 10
The Local guy I did have servicing My central heating Boiler for the last couple of Years wouldn't even return my calls when it stopped working during the hard winter we had last year..His wife took messages..I'm still waiting! I eventually got someone else to do the Job.Luckily I have an open fireplace with a back boiler which kept things going,but I had a close call when my cold water stopped flowing,and I managed to avert a burst pipe..the house next door,empty since my neighbour passed away last Year,wasn't so lucky..
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Wow, I wonder if this guy was new and the owner doesn't even know what happened. Did you ever have bad service from them before? I would certainly let the owner know.
I haven't myself had problems like that, but my sister and many of my friends have. It's so weird with the economy the way it is, you'd think these places would be bending over backwards to get your business.
At least you'll have heat now like you said more or less...out with the old and in with the new. Whoever serves you the best is who to stick with.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Its amazing what some companies won't do to keep a customer and what some companies will simply do to gain one. I know that a satisfied customer tells at least 5 people but a dissatisfied one tells 15 people. I know that some companies get so big that they don't care who they keep as home owners because they usually have commercial clients to pay their bills. Sorry you had to let a company go but they don't sound like they care about you as a person anyway.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
22 Sep 10
How awful! Thankfully it's not too cold out yet. I've never had this sort of problem with a plumber or electrician or anything. I've had trouble with mechanics mostly. If something goes wrong inside the house normally hubby is the one to fix it himself and I can't complain much if he doesn't do it right since he's not a professional and we can't really afford a professional.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 Sep 10
HI JILL. Isn't that an odd way for people to act that are in buisness. I would have been suspicious when he said what he did about having to look it up on the net to see what was wrong, DUH. hE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BY LOOKING. i WOULD REPORT HIM TO THE BOSS IF HE WASN'T THE BOSS, LOL. He probably did u a favor by doing that. At least u feel good about this new company & that's good. I hate having to fool w/people like that.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
26 Sep 10
Hiya Jill,
Once I did with a Plummer who said no worries fixed in five minutes. I told him that the Radiators had not been bled for a long time. I think that he did not want to listen to me.
So by instinct I cleared the things away like the Television Set that could get wet just in case.
In five minutes he had my living Room flooded with black oily Water and he did not say he was sorry either.
I said I did tell you about it and that the valves on the Radiators had not been touched for years either. I had warned him about that beforehand so he would know what to expect. I just don´t how I saved everything furniture, Curtains and everything from getting swamped in that black oily stuff but I did manage it. I had to very quick and fold up Curtains and draped them over the top of something else.
Fortunately the worst of the mess was all on the Floor and I quickly got that cleaned up too.
He has to be the worst heavy handed plummer I have ever encountered in my life and I did not call him back again.
@RossBoyy (161)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Well I am a plumber myself and I think that its terrible that you were given such bad customer service. And for him not to know what was wrong with it and had to go check on the internet? Wow call himself a plumber? I think not.
Well I'm glad to hear your new plumber worked out good for you.
