ComplaintsforBN Appliance Repair

• Initial Complaint

  25/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Good Day, On 8th December 2023, I called BN Appliance Repair via telephone (I had earlier been given their telephone number by an associate) to request a quote for the repair of a fridge at ** ***** ****** Bedford. I spoke with a BN Appliance Repair. representative called ****, who advised that someone would go out to look at said fridge and provide said repair quote. I was requested to send the contact details of the occupant m tenant of ** ***** ****t via text which I did. I was also assured by **** that the no repair work would be carried out until I had given the go-ahead. At no point during this telephone conversation was there a mention of a "Service Calls - Trip Call" charge. I was subsequently advised by the occupant of the property that she had been advised by BN Appliance Repair that a representative would visit on Monday 11 December 2023 to look at said fridge. After the visit to the property, I received an email from BN Appliance Repair with an an invoice for aforementioned "Service Calls - Trip Call" for $125 plus tax of $18.75 (total: $143.75). I subsequently queried this charge via email, explaining that I was not informed of said charge in advance, prior to the representative visiting the property on 11 December 2023. BN Appliance Repair's response was to claim that I was notified in advance of said charge. However, I have not been provided with evidence of said advance notification, despite my repeated request for such evidence. BN Appliance has also started charging interest at 4% per month on said total amount, effective from 11 January 2024, and have also threatened to take the matter to collections. This given me great concern and anxiety as I am now being subjected to the risk of being taken to. Debt collection

  Business response

  23/02/2024

  Hello, It is our practice to always disclose the price of our trip and diagnostic charge over the phone. If you were not disclosed the price, there was always an option to ask what the charge would be for us to come out. We do not advertise free estimates anywhere as that is not something we do. We have reached out to you and your tenant multiple times to collect payment on this, and we had only advised contacting collections after you had threatened us with your lawyer after saying you would not pay this invoice. All of our invoices state a 4% interest charge if the invoice is not paid within 30 days of the service date, and that the charge is reoccuring.  

  We understand that overdue bills can be a source of anxiety, we highly suggest staying on top of your bills. 

  Also, we have attached your updated invoice, where your new total amount is now $157.27 - updated February 16th. 

  Customer response

  26/02/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:

  1) The Consumer Protection Act of Nova Scotia requires that contracts must be clear and straightforward. Also, inquiries which I made after this unfortunate experience reveals that a trip call / diagnostic charge, or similar charge, is a matter of individual company policy, and if there is to be a trip and diagnostic charge, it is the service provider’s responsibility to disclose said charge upfront.
  
  2) I was NOT informed by the BN appliance repair representative (***** / **** *****) whom I spoke with over the phone that there would be a "trip and diagnostic charge" or “service call – trip call” charge during our telephone conversation. I have repeatedly mentioned this via email to BN appliance repair, but they continue to insist that I was informed of said charge by ****.
  

  3) BN appliance repair claimed they also disclosed the said trip call charge to me via “confirmation email and text message”, which was supposedly delivered to me prior to their going to the property (as mentioned in their email; please see the “Email exchange 20 to 21 Dec 2023” document, attached herewith). I requested that BN appliance advise me which email address and phone number was used for said disclosure, and I conducted a search of my email inbox and spam box, as well as the text messages on the phone number used to communicate with BN appliance repair, but did not see any such disclosure message from them. And I advised BN appliance of this situation via email (as seen in the aforementioned Email exchange document).
  

  4) I did not receive any of the “booking service” messages (see “Attached screenshot” document) that BN appliances repair mentioned were sent to me - a search of the text messages on my phone number and my email did not reveal any such messages. I informed BN appliance repair of this situation, and requested they confirm TO which email addresses and / or phone numbers said messages were sent, but BN appliance repair’s response was to provide the phone number associated with their booking service, which I would imagine is the number FROM which said messages were sent (see “Email exchange 20 to 21 Dec 2023” document).
  

  5) BN appliance repair is being quite untruthful in their “we had only advised contacting collections after you had threatened us with your lawyer” comment in their "Message From Business" response to BBB; a review of the “Email exchange 20 to 21 Dec 2023” document (attached herewith) reveals that I mentioned making full recourse to the law, and subsequently referring the matter to my lawyers (as mentioned in the “Email exchange 10 Jan 2024” document, also attached herewith) AFTER BN appliance repair had threatened that their invoice would be “submitted to collections for them to collect payment” from me!
  

  In the light of the above narratives, may I request that you kindly respond and advise on the following:
  

  1) Is it acceptable for a service provider to invoice for a "trip and diagnostic charge" or “service call – trip call” charge, without disclosing such charge in advance?
  

  2) Is BBB able to offer further assistance, and / or what other options are available to me regarding next steps in this matter?
  

  Thank you.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  ******** ******

    

  
  

  Business response

  15/03/2024

  You called for a repair on your fridge, we inspected, and gave you a quote. You have to pay for our time we took to come out and diagnose these issues. We find this ridiculous that you would not expect to pay for such service. Please review your invoice and pay the amount that is due. Thank you.

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