ComplaintsforFairTradeWorks

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  BBB unable to locate business

  More info

  We signed a contract for renovations at the end of May with Fairtradeworks. The estimate was just over $100000. We paid a 25000 deposit. We paid about 10000 i additional costs - some upgrades to the scope, and the fronts doors turned out to be more expensive. Permits were filed (we think). A structural engineer came in August. At some point between August 25 and the present, they closed their business without contacting us. With $35000 of our money, and no work has been even started.

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  BBB unable to locate business

  More info

  I hired this company to complete a major renovation of our new home. After working through some preliminaries of the job, issues with the house became apparent that prevented us from proceeding with the renovation. The person I was dealing with (****************) understood given there where many things both party didn't know until we got into the planning process. As such, we requested a refund of our deposit of $5,250 (includes $250 of GST) on Oct 27, 2021. **** agreed to a refund on Nov 1, 2021, minus accrued costs to date of $852.50, which was appropriate. I followed up with **** every few weeks and he kept trying to figure out why my refund wasn't being processed. On Dec 27, 2021, *** Perkins the President, reached out to me and said he would deal with it first thing in the new year. We actually did not hear from him again until March 2022! This was after numerous emails and calls. After a few more follow-**** he apologized and said he would refund us in full by Apr 4, 2022. This day comes and goes and no refund was issued. Then, in the end of April, he comes back to us and he wants to pay us back weekly in the amount of $500 by e-Transfer. This was not ideal, but we accepted just to get things moving. Between May 6 and Sept 9, 2022, we only received 4 payments totalling $2000 and that was with us constantly following up with him to pay us. We've since followed up with no response. Since then, we've moved and had a baby so time flew by and we are only addressing this now. In total, Fairtrade still owes us a refund $2,254.87. This experience was really horrible and stressful. It's to bad as we had a great experience dealing with **** in the beginning. I've attached the email chain the documents all of this. I tried to keep everything in email as it became clear early on that I couldn't trust ***/Fairtrade.

• Initial Complaint

  27/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Diversican Richmond Joint Venture operates a retirement residence called Courtyard Gardens Retirement Residence, located at 7051 Moffatt Road, Richmond, BC (the "Retirement Residence"). On August 27, 2021 an agreement was entered with Fair TradeWorks (2020) Ltd. for the renovation of the country kitchen at the Retirement Residence. Unfortunately, a deposit in the amount of $17,141.13 was made by the Retirement Residence to Fair TradeWorks (the "Deposit"). Almost a year later and the renovation has not been started, Fair TradeWorks has indicated they are not able to do the work, and they are not able to return the Deposit. The parties entered into a settlement agreement dated June 8, 2022 whereby the Retirement Residence agreed to accept monthly payments from Fair TradeWorks in the amount of $2,200 starting June 22, 2022 for the return of the Deposit. No money has been received by the Retirement Residence from Fair TradeWorks. Our seniors deserve better.

  Customer response

  28/06/2022

  Good morning,

  In response to the request for clarification, I can confirm that I submitted the complaint in my capacity as general counsel of the manager/operator of the retirement residence that operates as Courtyard Gardens Retirement Residence.  The management company is Diversicare Canada Management Services Co., Inc.  If it would be more appropriate for the retirement residence to submit the complaint, I can have them do that - they are currently in between general managers so I just thought it might be easier if I took carriage of this matter.  We would rather avoid litigation but we are so frustrated with the contractor's constant excuses and delays.  We thought this complaint process might be an added incentive for the contractor to take the retirement residence seriously.  I am fairly certain (but I am only an ******* ******* that it is an offense in B.C. for the contractor to use our deposit for other jobs.

  Please let me know if there are any further questions or if the retirement residence should submit the complaint instead.

  Many thanks,

  ***** ****** ***** ************

  Business response

  21/07/2022

  FairTradeWorks has experienced extreme business hardship through the Covid 19 pandemic, which led to an extreme and unpredicted cashflow problem that could not be controlled after every effort to do so. Our intent was good, to approach the client and let them know exactly what was going on, and enter into a payment plan to return the deposit paid in full. Unfortunately, due to further business hardship, we could not make the payments as outlined. That stated, we are working through a full recovery plan, and plan to reach back out to this client within 2 weeks, to arrange another payment plan to reach all of out goals. We are obviously very regrettable, we could not fulfil this contract, but like many small business over the last  years, we where hit with challenges that where well out of our control. We have never been in this situation before, and we are doing all we can to make this right. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩