ComplaintsforValley Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Ltd.

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a ******* Mini-Split Heat Pump from Valley Refrigeration in November of 2020 and it came with a 12-year warranty. I reported to Valley Refrigeration that my heat pump was leaking into my living room when running the air conditioner. A technician recommended to replace the condensate pump on speculation as he said he did not have the proper tools to test the unit after a couple hours of troubleshooting.  A couple of days later I received the quote to replace the pump at a cost of almost $1200, not including my service visit.  I called VR to see why this was not included under my warranty and was told it is because the condensate pump is not a "*******" part even though the only label visible on the device is *******.  VR agreed to eat some of the cost of the pump itself, but the labour should have been quoted as 2 technicians for 4.5hrs rather than just 1, but they would honour the labour portion of the quote.  Otherwise, it would have actually been $900(!!!) in labour to replace the pump. I did not accept the quote and did not proceed with the replacement of the condensate pump.  I have since received an invoice for the initial service visit where I was billed for 4 hours labour, nitrogen and a truck charge for a total of $557 including tax.  This brings the total cost to assess and replace a condensate pump to $1559.   I took it upon myself to have a second opinion and entrusted Matrix Mechanical Group in Saint John to come and have a look at my condensate leak for $135+tax. They arrived on September 7th at 10:30am and resolved the problem within an hour without a need to replace the condensate pump at all.  Upon closer inspection the Matrix technician was able to determine there was a build-up of film, or algae, in the condensate pump.  This was likely from the water having sat in the pump all winter and should have been cleaned in the fall. I would like to be refunded the $276 for the fall maintenance and to have the current $557 invoice cancelled.

  Business response

  13/09/2023

  Credit will be applied.

  Customer response

  13/09/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20592359.  I will accept this resolution, but I am not satisfied.

  To clarify, I will be receiving a credit for the $557 service charge.  However, Valley Refrigeration will not be issuing a refund for the maintenance performed last November and do not accept responsibility for their negligence in causing this issue in the first place.  Had a thorough maintenance been performed by an appropriately experienced technician, the condensate pump would have been flushed, the film build-up would have been avoided and my air conditioner would not have leaked this spring.

  I am also disappointed in Valley Refrigeration's response of "Credit will be applied".  Although, it shows they recognize their failings in handling my recent service issue, it does not make me feel like they will be operating any differently in the future.  What else is Valley Refrigeration going to do to ensure other customers are not treated in the same fashion?

  Thank you,

   

  ****

• Initial Complaint

  10/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Initially contracted Valley Refrigeration to replace zone pump, negotiated terms and they seemed to have honoured my terms. As this was a decent experience I again called for their service when my spark cable, and burner plate needed replacement; I should note upon my own inspection, the spark cable was re-installed incorrectly by them &ultimately became unserviceable due to it touching the burner head, thus causing another service call. I over looked this as my system does have some age to it. My complaint is about this next service. I again expected the same terms as my last contracted service, but to my surprise when I received my invoice I was charged for items I never needed, and billable hours that were not spent on site. I was charged for 2x spark cables @ $240.24 each, when only one is needed for my system. I requested an inspection and to be shown how to use a gas insert in addition to the repairs for my boiler system and in total 1.5 hours was spent on site within the city to both repair my boiler, and inspect the gas insert. I see that as a total of 3hrs of work that was completed at my property. My invoice reflects double this amount, thus overcharging me by $315 in labour. I also had a $50 "truck charge" that I rejected upon my initial request for service that was added without my knowledge. The total for the initial invoice was $2,062.57 I have calculated about $700 in charges that do not reflect anything this company has done on my property. From what I know to be true on what I requested, I should have only been charge a total of $1,366.55. This was brought to their attention, and they did admit to double charging me on the spark cable (because how could one defend that added charge when my system only requires one?), and removed that and 0.5 hrs labour. This was still not reflective of what was done and when I brought to their attention I was immediately met with such an extreme amount of arrogance and self entitlement that I am truly disgusted.

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  Unfortunately, our Vans require gas and tools in order for us to be able to provide services. The truck charge is standard within city limits for all customers, outside of city limits we charge by the km.

  Due to the age and variety of equipment we service we don't always have the parts on hand in the van. This requires us to source these parts, sometimes at a local wholesaler. This time we spend doing so is something we have to charge, otherwise we would be working somewhere else and not trying to source parts to service our customers.

  I appreciate the frustration of the double charged cable, and that was our mistake. However, skilled trades is a high demand / low supply industry, and when we have our techs working for customers we need to charge an hourly rate to be able to compenste them.

   

  Customer response

  11/08/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The vendor has failed to actually address my concern with the facts; while I understand there are costs to doing business, an agreement should be honoured, and charges reflecting that agreement should be accurate. At no point have I rejected paying my bill, only the "extras" that they have tagged onto my invoice in the hopes I would just roll over.

  Valley Refrigeration bills their labor at $105/hr, and have recently increased their fee from $95/hr. I highly doubt that is what they pay each tech. If there is time needed to order parts, much like a mechanic (who are also skilled tradesman) they do so at the same billable time for the service rendered. Ordering parts is an administrative task that is required for them to conduct service; perhaps I should ask what their administrative team is doing while their technicians are on site doing the work? We NEVER see an electrician, plumber, or ANY OTHER skilled trade put forth charges while scrolling to find a part from a distributer. It is common practice to bill this time in the hourly service charge for the time required for such service calls, not to bill $105/hr just to call around for parts. Valley Refrigeration is conducting their business OUTSIDE OF INDUSTRY NORMS & if true, have NOT disclosed this to their customers!

  I feel as if their "mistake" of having two spark cables charged to my invoice was more of a gross oversight that they just let fly to add additional fee to my bill; if that was the only issue, I would tend to agree that it was a genuine mistake. However, combined with their lack of honouring our phone conversation to not add a truck charge (that I again over looked in the last invoice because they "forgot" to remove it), and their gross overcharge in labour, I see this as a tactic to line their pockets with my hard earned dollars.

  If I wasn't on site, and I didn't know that they only spent a total of 1.5 hours at my residence, perhaps they would have more of a leg to stand on by my ignorance; but unfortunately for them, I was home keeping time and at no point did they take a total of 6hrs to rectify my concerns. It is absolutely mind-boggling that this vendor seems to think they can get away with this. Shame on you

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On June 29 we paid $ 12,339.downpayment To have a heating system. We were supposed to have it on August. Then end of October/November....Not trying to be difficult just wanting updates for an estimated time frame. I dont think this is being unreasonable. Perhaps we can collect interest as we have had to buy a wood stove and wood to compensate as we were told to disconnect our wood/oil furnace. I called yesterday Feb.1 Sent an e mail. And called today with NO FEEDBACK. Thank you *******

  Customer response

  03/02/2023

  My claim # is 18965759. I am writing to you to please cancel my claim as it has been resolved. The company called and that was what i wanted. Thank you, *******

• Initial Complaint

  15/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  They charge more than the quote they give you. We were quoted $475. For a job and then they are charging us $615and after we called to complain they were charging us more than we were quoted they will not honour their quote. $140 might not seem like a lot to some people but to us it is a lot to us.

*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. ↩