ComplaintsforOlin Bonnell Plumbing Service

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  On 12/22/2022, our residential hot water heater malfunctioned and was leaking and needed to be replaced. After calling multiple plumbing services without success and going into a holiday weekend, our neighbor referred us to Olin ******* Plumbing. Mr. ******* called us on the morning of 12/23/2022 and we agreed to the following: He would provide us with a new Rheem hot water heater and install it that afternoon and the total charge for labor and materials including the new heater for $950.00. He arrived at the scheduled time, installed the heater, and was paid in full by our personal check. He provided us with an invoice and left our home. Unfortunately, I did not review his invoice until after he left. Herein lies the problem. Later that afternoon, I reviewed the Rheem Limited Warranty attached to the heater tank a portion of which states: "... THAT THE HOMEOWNER NEEDS THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION TO SUBMIT A WARRANTY CLAIM LATER: 1) warranty starts on the date of manufacture unless the owner of the product can provide documentary proof of a later purchase date. This could consist of a copy of a purchase receipt with product, date and location of purchase, 2) an invoice from the plumbing company showing the product, serial number, date of installation, And company name. Documented proof of purchase will be required in the event of a warranty related claim. See *******'s invoice attached. It is a blank stock invoice found at any stationary store, totally incomplete, no installation date, no address, no company logo, does not list the equipment ID information etc., & lacks the Rheem required warranty information for a claim at a later date.. Since 12/27/2022 I sent two (2) detailed emails to him, a voice mail message & no response, I finally called him yesterday, and requested a replacement invoice per the Rheem warranty. He stated: QUOTE: "...he does not read emails, and the invoice he provided me was O.K., and you are are not getting another invoice from me."

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  Owner Information ****** ** ******* *** *** ********* **** **** ***** ***** ***** ***** ** ***** ************ ******************** Contractor Information **** ******* **** ******* PLUMBING SERVICES LLC **** *********** *** * ************ ** ***** ************ ********************** Unit Information Install Date: 2022-12-23 Model: ************* Serial Number: ********** see attached

  
  

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  
  Rheem Partners System
  12/27/2022
  
  
  Product Registration Confirmation
  
  Owner Information
  ****** ** ******* ***
  *** ********* **** **** ***** *****
  ***** ***** ** *****
  ************
  ********************
  Contractor Information
  **** *******
  **** ******* PLUMBING SERVICES LLC
  **** *********** *** *
  JACKSONVILLE FL 32224
  ************
  **********************
  Unit Information
  Install Date: 2022-12-23
  Model: *************
  Serial Number: **********
  
  
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  Rheem Water Heating product Limited Warranties are valid for the original owner of the water heater. The warranty starts on the date of manufacture unless the owner of the product can provide documentary proof of a later purchase date. This could consist of a copy of a purchase receipt with product, date and location of purchase, an invoice from the plumbing company showing the product, serial number, date of installation, And company name. For New construction or remodel the documentary proof could consist of closing documents, gas or electricity turn-on certificate, or similar documentation. Documented proof of purchase may be required in the event of a warranty related claim.
  
  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WARRANTY INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE ONLY AND IS AN ESTIMATION PROVIDED BASED ON CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE PRODUCT’S INSTALLATION DATE AND APPLICATION THAT MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LIMITED WARRANTY THAT IS APPLICABLE TO YOUR PRODUCT ARE CONTAINED IN THE LIMITED WARRANTY PROVIDED WITH YOUR PRODUCT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LIMITED WARRANTY PROVIDED WITH YOUR PRODUCT IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THE WARRANTY EFFECTIVE DATE AND WARRANTY PERIOD FOR YOUR SITUATION. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE DOES NOT REPLACE, ALTER, AMEND OR SUPPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE LIMITED WARRANTY PROVIDED WITH YOUR PRODUCT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF THE WATER HEATER OR OTHER SPECIFIC WARRANTY COVERAGES MAY DIFFER FROM THE ESTIMATED PERIOD SHOWN ABOVE.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: The product limited warranty information provided here applies only to water heaters installed in a single-family dwelling. If the water heater is installed anywhere other than a single-family dwelling, the applicable limited warranty period may be significantly shorter and you should refer to the limited warranty for the product in order to verify warranty coverage. For each and every warranty claim, Rheem reserves the right, among other things, to verify that the terms and conditions of the applicable limited warranty have been adhered to and to verify the location of installation to confirm whether the water heater is installed in a single-family dwelling.
  Thank you,
  Rheem Manufacturing Company
  
  We are unable to respond to inquiries sent in reply to email
  View our privacy statement here: www.rheem.com/about/privacypolicy .
  

  Customer response

  01/11/2023

  The Rheem confirmation of registration that was attached to Bonnell’s 2^nd reply is non-responsive to Complainant’s original BBB complaint based on the following (same invalid meaningless invoice previously attached to the original BBB complaint):

  1. Rheem provides the following disclaimer at the bottom of the confirmation of registration copied from Complainant’s registration information submitted by and attached to Bonnell’s reply:                                                                                                

  QUOTE: “ Rheem Water Heating product Limited Warranties are valid for the original owner of the water heater. “The warranty starts on the date of manufacture unless the owner of the product can provide documentary proof of a later purchase date. This could consist of a copy of a purchase receipt with product, date and location of purchase, an invoice from the plumbing company showing the product, serial number, date of installation, And company name.”

            

  Due to the following circumstances caused by Bonnell’s refusal to provide a detailed invoice, Complainant’s warranty start date is September 22, 2022 (date of manufacture)  NOT December 23, 2022 (actual installation date) – loss of an average (rounded-up) of four (4) months of warranty coverage due to the lack of documentary proof of purchase or installation:

   

  1. Complainant does not have a purchase receipt required as documentary proof of purchase of the Rheem heater from a store or distributor (at date later than the Date of Manufacture) because Bonnell was the actual purchaser of the Rheem heater and installer of same; and

   

  2. Complainant does not have a detailed invoice from Bonnell containing the following required information:

   

  1. Official Plumbing Company invoice;
  2. Homeowner’s name & address – place of installation;
  3. Date of Installation;
  4. Description of the installed Rheem product (Model No.:) and
  5. Product Serial Number

   

  2. Complainant(“Owner”) personally submitted all of the information contained in the confirmation; however, the information submitted does not satisfy the Rheem warranty terms which clearly states that without the required documentary proof of the “ACTUAL DATE OF THE INSTALLATION,” then Rheem will only honor the warranty start date based on the Date of Manufacture printed on the label on Complainant’s water heater which in this case is SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 (see photo of heater label attached to the original BBB complaint). Meaning, unless the Complainant can provide documentary proof of the actual installation date, then Rheem will revert back to the printed date on the heater label as 09/22/2022 as the actual start date, not the true installation date of 12/23/2022. Thus, the Complainant loses nearly an average four (4) months of actual warranty coverage as a consequence of Bonnell’s continued REFUSAL to provide the Complainant with a valid and completed invoice required by Rheem.

   

  It should be noted that the Complainant submitted true and accurate information to Rheem as recorded on the confirmation of registration. But this document is only proof that the homeowner submitted registration information which is not verifiable nor is it proof of the purchase or installation. (note: that any homeowner can submit any information they chose at the time of registration, whether accurate or not.) The documentary proof of the installation date and start of the warranty period is verified by either proof of purchase OR the installing Plumber’s receipt is verified by an inspection by the Rheem  repairing contractor or distributor at the time of the actual warranty claim.

   

  Bonnell is fully aware of the documentation that I previously requested by my earlier email to him, detailing the required information and again during a later personal telephone conversation with him both of which occurred prior to filing the BBB complaint. On both occasions he stated that he refuses to provide me with a new invoice – period. Why Bonnell will not provide the complainant with a valid, completed and customary business invoice is unknown however the incomplete receipt that Bonnell did deliver to the Complainant is problematic.

   

  The Complainant will not withdraw this complaint unless Bonnell delivers a valid invoice containing the necessary information mandated by Rheem under the terms and conditions of the Rheem limited warranty stated above. Ensuring that  the complainant will have the ability to process warranty claim at a later date, if necessary.

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