ComplaintsforFast Locksmith and Garage Doors Ltd.

• Initial Complaint

  05/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We called this locksmith to unlock the smart door for my parent on Jun 1st. I asked the price before and they said $120. and I thought that was reasonable at first.He came 30 mins late and he did the job without telling us the price. he eventually changed the cylinder and change extra labour $120. for All together it came as $360 Moreover, he told us to pay cash otherwise, he needs to charge another 5% tax.1. we suspected the way he drill the lock is not the ultimate the solution. it is battery operate system so he could try the battery recharge from outside ( common way) first. so no need to change the cylinder.2. he initially told me that it is $120. they should be a detailed price info before he proceed.3. We felt bad that he told us that he can give us the receipt with CASH payment when we need the prove of the payment. so we paid with Credit card. I felt that is wrong doing.4. This business should explain well their charge before we come. I completely felt that we are trapped in the venerable situation.5. they charge Credit card fee 5% and another 5% for GST.

  

  Business response

  09/07/2024

  Thank you for sharing your concerns about the cost of our services.
  
  We understand that our pricing may not have aligned with your expectations and we apologize for any frustration this has caused.
  
  We want to assure you that our prices are competitive and reflect the high quality of our services.
  
  Our team of experts strives to provide exceptional work, and we stand behind the value we deliver.

  While we understand your perspective, our pricing is carefully structured to ensure we can continue to provide top-notch services.
  
  However, we value your feedback. This will give us the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to your satisfaction and show you the value we can deliver.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you better in the future.
  
  Thank you for your understanding.

  Customer response

  09/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 21793054
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************

• Initial Complaint

  25/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1) On March 24, after losing my wallet with all my bank cards and license, house and car keys, I visited *******************************************'s website, where it stated: Service call $95 from 8:30 to 7pm // after 7pm: $250 + $250. I called at around 6:40pm and the dispatcher didn't mention the after-hours charge. The dispatcher said I had to discuss the rate with the technician. (And later on, the technician said the dispatcher doesnt actually work for him and doesnt know anything about the rates, etc.)Anxious and assuming all was well for the rate since it wasnt 7pm, I awaited help. The technician arrived about 35 min. later and did an excellent job in about 90 seconds. He was courteous and kind. I was billed $370 for unlocking my front door (service call + afterhours surcharge + 90 seconds of labour). When I expressed shock at the bill, the technician explained that he actually gave me a $150 rebate, that the total should have been way higher, and that he did the best he could. Clear communication regarding after-hours charges were definitely lacking. Despite me calling just a bit after 6:30pm, and the technician arriving at about a quarter past 7 and leaving two minutes later, I was charged an exorbitant after-hours fee that really hurt my poor (lost) wallet.There was a clear lack of communication from the dispatcher, an unjustifiably high bill (I wonder if sometimes, a technician will purposely wait 10 minutes more, when it is very close to 7pm and surcharge rate time)2) *********** uses deceiving and possibly fraudulent marketing material. The pictures of the employees on the About Page on their website: ******************************************************************** photos that have been stolen from various places on the internet. (Please see attachments)I believe that using pictures of other people and passing them off as your team without any mention of stock photo or a disclaimer for illustrative purpose only is very dishonest.

  

  Business response

  23/04/2024

  As stated, the prices are visible to the client on our website. She viewed the website as she mentioned before calling us for service. The technician understood the client was in a state of distress and offered a large sum of money off from the total bill.
  

  Customer response

  23/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21480981
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1) As explained in my original complaint (and provided attachment), I was charged way more than quoted over the phone even though I called before 7pm (the time when "surcharge" is effective) and the locksmith arrived a few minutes later. I want to be provided with complete details of the invoice, including the "large sum" that was apparently taken off the total. My total was 370$ for a 2-minute simple unlock job, and as explained in my complaint, the quote total over the phone was supposed to be $95 (for a service call before 7pm). I would have never used your service is I had known the total would be nearly 400$, and would have taken the itme to call other locksmiths. In this case, it feels like a "bait and switch" approach.
  

  2) Your original website (fastlocksmithvancouver.com) has been taken offline since my complaint, and is no longer valid. As mentioned in my complaint (see the original attached screenshots), the website used stolen photos from the internet to show the team members. I believe this is unethical, and the fact that the website was taken offline after my complaint confirms my suspicion.

  As requested, please provide a detailed explanation for the $370 fees charged. Your response that "client saw the price on the website" is not valid, because your original website is no longer online.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  23/04/2024

  Our website is still up and active. I have attached the photo showing you the website is still active and a clear indication of prices are shown! Our intention is not to mislead you nor have you been mislead. I appreciate any feedback given during this discussion and will look into this further. As it stands, everything was done as per standard and we were even able to give you a discount on our services. 

  Customer response

  24/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21480981
  
   I appreciate your prompt reply. It was a bit disheartening to see my ****** review ignored for a month, while other more recent (positive) reviews had prompt replies; and to wait a month to get a reply here on BBB. I'm sorry to keep dragging this on (and thanks for the website screenshot - I couldn't access it yesterday) but this doesn't address my main issue, which is:

  - I called before 7pm, was quoted $95 (as displayed on the website), but since the locksmith showed up just a bit after 7pm I was charged a total of 370$, without any detailed receipt except for a text message with the total amount (see attached screenshots; two charges of ****** for a total of ******). Can you please detail this charge, including the "major discount"? The service call required less than 2 minutes total (just labour, no parts). The operator should have mentioned that IF the locksmith comes after 7pm, I will be charged a lot more than the initial quote. I assumed that since I called before 7pm, and the locksmith showed up quickly, I was still under the normal rate. This amount of $370 was completely unexpected and an amount I can't afford, and if I had known prior, I would have called around to get different quotes. 

  - As for the "misleading" part, I'm talking specifically about the website. I do think it's misleading for the customer to show your team of different guys named "Dennys" with stock photos taken from other websites (*****************************************************************).

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  07/05/2024

  We appreciate all the feedback regarding this matter and will work harder to be more prompt on the negative responses and feedback. We apologize for any inconvenience and miscommunication during this process!

  Customer response

  07/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21480981
  
  I have asked you repeatedly to explain why I was charged $370 for service call + labour on a 2-minute job first quoted at $95, but you keep avoiding the question, and keep responding by platitudes like "thank you for the constructive feedback". This lack of transparency and accountability raises serious questions about the integrity of your company. As a consumer, I expect honesty and fair dealing in all transactions, yet my experience with your business has left me deeply disappointed. Since I was not offered any kind of resolution or compensation, all I can do is make sure my voice is heard.

  I trust that the Better Business Bureau will take this incident into consideration when reviewing your rating. I have wasted enough time on this matter, so I will leave it at that.
  Regards,
  ********

• Initial Complaint

  30/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hi,I had locked myself out of my home on 20th April 2023 and ******************* was called to help me out. The technician came out and quoted a price for approx 250 cad for changing locks. I called the technicians office or asked the technician to provide me a price chart. The technician started to be rude to me. The office said that usually the price is what their technicians quote and that they didnt have a price list. I asked the technician that I will need an itemized receipt atleast to see the charges and by then the technician had cut open the lock and offered to stop the work if the price didnt suit me and that I could get another company to finish the work. I waited for the itemized receipt to justify the charge this technician and company had quoted me to see two lines of labour charge which the technician or the company couldnt explain to me well. I shared this with my colleagues and friends/family and hear very similar stories of locksmiths charging such ridiculous prices. The work didnt even last 20 minutes. If you read the reviews on ****** for this company, people have shared similar very expensive and dissatisfied experiences. I reached out to the company via phone, email and though they promised a manager would reach out to me, I still haven't heard from them.

  

  Business response

  12/06/2023

  Hi ****, 
  
  Thank you for your concern. I have attached the invoice for the work to this reply. 
  
  You were charged $125.00 for labor. Which is a standard rate for the emergency service provided to you. The receipt shows double because we changed the way we input the entry's.  It was $125.00 total for labor. 
  
  You were charged less than what was quoted to you over the phone. You were quoted $250.00+tax.
  
  The job total came to $241.50, he had to drill the lock to gain you entry to your unit. The work took around 20 minutes because he is an experienced professional. This is why you called a locksmith to help you with the work. Rather than not being able to do it yourself or have a apprentice do the work and that would take three times the time. 
  
  You have to remember this is a trade. The technicians are experienced professional. You had yourself in an emergency service were you required to get entry into your suite. Not only did he dispatch to you swiftly but he also go you in quickly. Which is a win win situation for you. 
  
  
  

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