ComplaintsforAssociated Appliance & Service

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Came out to evaluate parts and labor to fix broken refrigerator. Took 3 weeks and many calls and never provided info. Charged me anyway.

  Business response

  01/04/2024

  Dear BBB,

  On November 15, 2023 we were contacted by the ****** to arrange a service call for their tenant (******) at *** ********** **** ** ********* ** for issues with the door not closing, and icemaker issues (the refrigerator was working).

  We booked the call for November 18, 2023 (which was a Saturday, when normally we charge 20% more because the technicians are on overtime, but we did NOT charge the ****** the Saturday rates as they were returning customers). As you will see, this was Thanksgiving week, on of the busiest week in the appliance service business. Our rates were explained when we took the call, and the ****** were aware of our rates because they were the same rates they were charged on :

  11/10/23 (Service Order ****** attached) for their rental house on ** ******* **** ***** ** ********,

  07/21/2023 (Service Order **************) for their personal house at ** **** **** ** ********, and almost the same rates we charged OVER SIX YEARS AGO (before our slight increase in rates

  08/11/2017 (Service Order ****** attached) for their rental house on ** ******* **** ***** ** ********

  Our rates are: $99.00 for the technician to go to the home (Monday thru Friday), and $30 per 1/4 hour diagnostic/repair for labor time. The bill reflects the service call charge, and half hour of diagnostic time (Just as the ****** had paid on the 3 previous calls, one of which was only a week prior which was for 15 minutes of time). 

  The details were gone over with the tenant at the house. We ordered the parts, and received them so they would be available asap for them if they wanted them (we have return privilege's on unopened parts). When we called on Monday 11/27/2023 (4th business day after the diagnostic call. ** NOTE we were closed 11/23-11/26 for Thanksgiving) to say the parts were received if they wanted the repair, we were told the landlord (****) had purchased a new refrigerator. Mr. **** states that he called for updates and didn't get the information. That very well may have been true, the technician who was there ordered the parts from the road and hadn't had time to enter his notes in our computer, again this was Thanksgiving week, a very hectic time.

  In short, the ****** know our rates for our Trip Charge and Diagnostic/Repair time - they paid the same rates without question a week before, four months before, and almost identical six years before. This is a situation where the landlord opted to buy a new product and doesn't want to pay what he may consider "for nothing" on the old refrigerator. The service call and labor time cover not only the technician's salary, but insurance, taxes, service van, maintenance, and all of the inside expenses necessary to operate a service company such as rent, utilities, office staff, taxes, insurance and salaries.

  There is no legal, moral or ethical reason that we should "work for free" in this matter. The service call was booked, our rates were understood, we charged for the call and the time invested.

   

  Sincerely, 

   

  David R. P**

  Associated Appliance

  Jan4, 2024

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  We made the decision to purchase the new refrigerator because our calls went unanswered.  We have records of the replies which always referenced a previous service call to one of our other rental properties.  On other occasions including recently we purchased a new appliance after getting the estimate.  So that is a complete fabrication and we have always paid for service.

   

  NO one ever gave us an estimate on the refrigerator repair despite repeated attempts.  They ordered the parts without ever even telling us that the refs could be repaired, let alone how much.
  

  With an unhappy renter we made the decision without having the input for a repair that we paid for. Even the manager admitted this to me in the phone.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ****

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