ComplaintsforRick Leonard HVAC & Plumbing

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Spent $100 to be told I had dirty filters, and was promised a quote on a replacement for a whole unit, and a new thermostat. After waiting weeks and being told they would take $100 off in due to the confusion and wait, they then turn around and tell me they are refusing to work on my property because it is a manufacturer's home even though they were willing to work on my next-door neighbor's property who home is also manufactured. If they promised to take $100 off I don't see why, if they are unable to perform the work they said they would, there should be an issue with a refund. They can keep their $5 in charge for a fuel charge to drive six miles out of town, but their time was clearly a lie.

  

  Business response

  08/05/2024

   Dear Sir or Madame:

  On June 27, we were called to a mobile home on ******************************************************************************** about a unit not cooling for *********************.  He was told our Service Call is $95 and that is for the first 30 minutes and there is a $5.00 fuel charge.  After that it becomes $95.00 an hour.  He agreed.  Our Tech went out and discovered a dirty filter that had not been changed in some time.  He changed the filter.  While he was there, he noticed that someone had removed the ceiling and  insulation in the main area of the mobile home.  That means that the unit would not be able to cool the area as it had no insulation.  My tech raised his hand and could feel noticeable warmth up there.  He asked **************** about it and **************** said he did it so he could have higher ceilings, according to the tech's description.  Mobile homes are not easy to cool already and with the removal of its ceiling and insulation, that leaves a metal roof.    **************** called a day or so later saying it was still hot in the home and voiced a complaint about being charged $100 and his unit was still not cooling his home.  The person who answered the next phone call from **************** was unaware that he had taken the insulation and ceiling out of his main living area and told him we could give him a quote to replace his system and we would apply his payment if he accepted the quote.  As I stated earlier, I do not know of a system that will keep a metal structure cool without any insulation.  His home is not cooling through no fault of ours and we could not in good conscience let him accept a quote when we know no system will  cool properly without insulation.  I am refunding his money back to his credit card ending in1511 because, it simply is not worth it as we can not make him understand the situation he created by removing his ceiling and insulation.  Can you please convey that the charges were reversed this afternoon?

  Sincerely,

  ******* Leonard

  Customer response

  09/18/2024

  Please see attached document.

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  To Whom it may concern, Rick Leonard plumbers came out on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 to install a toilet that was new and was unboxed by the plumbers ***** and his Trainee. The plumbers were very quick installing the toilet ***** was standing back allowing the person he was training install the toilet and was done within 30 minutes. After installing the toilet a payment was made in the amount of $190.00. When the plumbers left I thought the plumbers had everything sealed and done. Later on that evening. I noticed water on the floor. I immediately called Rick Leonard and ***** answered the phone. ***** stated that he will send the guys back out to service the toilet but they had a job to do first thing in the morning and will be right over after that. On Wednesday, November 17, 2021. ***** the actual plumber came out to inspect the situation along with his trainee, again his trainee did most of the work and ***** installed used bolts and a used supply line to the new toilet. When the they were finished ***** checked the toilet and stated that it was good. As soon as they left the toilet was still le****g water from the same spot and now including the supply line. At that point I made another phone call to Rick Leonard. ******* the owner answered the phone. I explained the situation. ******* stated she will talk with ***** to see what was going on. I expressed to ******* that ***** allowed his trainee to install the toilet and that the trainee may have tighten the bolts too tight which could have caused damage to the toilet porcelain. ******* stated again that she will talk with ***** to get his side of the story and stated that ***** is usually pretty good and normally doesn’t get any complaints. Since then I have not heard from ******* and has now received another **** for $88.16 which now brings the total for a toilet installation to $278.16. This charge is not acceptable as the toilet was still le****g. Had to purchase another new toilet plus install.

  

  Business response

  12/03/2021

  Mr. ***** ****** called Rick Leonard HVAC & Plumbing and said he had purchased a new toilet from Lowes and needed us to come install it.  Our plumber, ***** Novak, was having an issue with his back so, he took a plumber’s helper, **** ****, to assist him in setting the tank and toilet.  Since the homeowner was supplying the products, we did not change the existing supply line.  The standard labor fee for a toilet install, (when we do not supply the parts) is $150.00 + $35 old toilet disposal fee + $5 fuel charge which equals $190.00.   This was agreed upon up front.  Mr. ****** says that the “trainee" over tightened the bolts.  I spoke with each one of my employees separately and asked for their account of the toilet installation.  I did not allow for time in between for them to collaborate their stories.  Scott, our plumber was the one who tightened the bolts, not the helper who was there to lift.  Everything appeared to be fine at that time of the install and ***** presented Mr. ****** a **** for labor and was paid. 
  That evening, Mr. ****** called and spoke with our business manager, **** ******** after hours.  He said the toilet was leaking around the base.  ***** and the tech were once again dispatched to Mr. ******’s residence the next morning. The tank was pulled and new tank bolts and washers were installed as well as a new supply line.   Our tank bolts are better quality than the factory tank bolts so ***** used ours.    Unfortunately, water was still leaking around one of the bolts.  ***** did a visual inspection and could find no external reason for the leakage.  Scott felt that the toilet must have a fine, hair line crack inside  it that was causing the leak.    
  Mr. ****** called again and spoke with me.  He told me the toilet was still leaking.  I told him that the toilet may have a defect or may have been damaged in shipping or when the employees from Lowes stacked them in the warehouse.  I explained that he should take it back and exchange it for a different toilet—preferably from a different lot number so as to avoid a possible factory defect.  He then asked if we would be installing this next toilet for no charge since he had already paid to have it installed.  I explained that if this were a toilet that I had provided, we would have to “eat” the extra installation and then we would take it up with our supplier for a warranty labor amount due.  I explained that Lowes would not be giving Rick Leonard HVAC & Plumbing a labor allowance as we did not purchase the toilet from them.  Understandably, this upset Mr. ******.  However, my company is not responsible for a defective toilet that Mr. ****** purchased at a box store. 
  My plumber installs between two and four toilets each week.  Just because he was physically unable to lift one by himself did not impair his ability to tighten bolts correctly.  Since it was determined that the toilet was defective, it would not have mattered who installed it, it would have still leaked.  While I sympathize with Mr. ******’s issue of purchasing a defective toilet and having to pay to have a second one installed, Rick Leonard HVAC & Plumbing cannot warranty another company’s product.  I will however, gift him the extra tank bolts and washers and new supply line and the labor for that second visit in the amount of $88.16.  We cannot give away the time we pay the plumber for his expertise and experience.
  I would like to call in question his last statement stating he had to purchase a second toilet.  It has always been our experience that Lowes provides good customer service and would have exchanged the defective toilet for another one if he had tried to return it.  In the past, we have had a customer purchase a bathtub for installation and our plumber found a slight crack in it near the drain line.  Lowes exchanged it the same day.  I had also explained to Mr. ****** how to go about the toilet exchange with Lowes.

  Customer response

  12/03/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. However Mrs. ******* Leonard failed to mention that her reps did in fact place faulty equipment such as the supply line that was installed onto the new toilet. Please review the photo of the supply line that was installed as it was defective. With no rubber seal to make sure the water doesn’t leak. Also please review the receipts the one on the left was the first toilet and the one on the right is the receipt for the second toilet.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

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