Business ProfileforBelfor (Canada) Inc

Last March, I noticed a leak in our hall closet, the third time we've had this problem, and the third time Belfor has come out to 'fix' it. In late May, months after we had last used the tub in question, I spoke to Adam (not sure his last name, but in the Victoria company), he told me he'd send someone out for a 'nominal' charge to look at it. I told him at that time that we hadn't used the tub in question for months by that point. Anyway, he sent out a workman, who brought out a humidifier and who cut a hole in the ceiling of the hall closet where the leak was. The gentleman in question was here for about a half hour, was very chatty and friendly, and went on his way. We unplugged the humidifier, as it really wasn't necessary and was just wasting electricity. So, the next day the workman (only 1), came by to take the humidifier away. In July, they sent me a bill, for 7 hours of work!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes - seven hours? Doing what? Well, according to the receptionist, and my husband, they are claiming it was travel time - ****** tells me it's 7 minutes from my house to their office!!! I had one phone call with the 'project manager', Adam...but somehow, seven hours was billed. I was outraged, as was my husband as I've never seen such bold padding of an invoice in my life. They must have realized this, because they did reduce the bill to $650.00, still far too much for about an hour's worth of work. The receptionist told me that I had been billed for 'travel' time, and time to clean the machinery (what???)!!! I am outraged and will scream this from the rooftops, as I found out over Christmas that a good friend has also been ripped off (well, their insurance company was) by this company for work they were specifically told not to do - her husband discovered they had charged the insurance company for work that had never been done!! This company has sent the bill to collections, however, they will not see a penny from me. They are just ******** us.

We would welcome a proposal from the customer. We were requested to attend site and complete work. We regret that the customer takes exception to travel time. We should have explained our charges so that everyone was satisfied there was value for money. The file will be pulled back from our collections agent and we will accept a reasonable proposal from the customer in full and final resolution of this matter. We regret that the customer is proposing screaming from rooftops along with another customer who feels that we are an unethical company. Our last 10 Google reviews have 9 - four's and five's with an overall rating of 4.0 which, the in home services business, is pretty good. The only bad review of the above noted 1 was by a *** ***********.

Ah yes, we tried to offer this business $300, which I thought was fair for a half hour's work - including the 7 minutes each way from their business to my home (it's a 7 minute travel time according to ******). Then a ten minute phone call with Adam (don't know his last name) business (X4) to my residence, that takes us up to about an hour. Over $900.00 for cutting a hole in my hall closet celing?? I think this business is outrageous for assuming anyone would pay that kind of money for a workman for one hour - my husband was home at the time the workman came - he was very friendly, did his job, and left. Came back the next day at our request to take the unnecessary humidifier away (we hadn't used the tub in about 2 months at that point) because I had uplugged it. The cost for that? $375.00 plus taxes. The number of hours they say they worked? Seven. Yep. 7. Outrageous. For a friend they billed for work on a whole room my friend and her husband specifically said don't work on - they billed for flooring and labour on a room they never even touched as my friend was renovating it themselves at a later date. She tried to get it off her billing, but neither this compan (Belfor) nor her insurance company would, after her repeated attempts. Everyone who deals with these companies should be requesting full and detailed invoices, because it seems they can bill for sheer nonsense, and nobody is accountable. I would advise anyone to ask for time sheets and to sign off each time a workman or woman is in their home. It's the only way we can avoid this invoice plumping and padding. As far as I'm concerned, I've never been ripped off as much as this, it's unreal, I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with this bunch. Had this company been fair, and billed (even up to) $400.00, I might have paid it, no question, but, they chose the bill padding route and I refuse to let that go, it's just **********.