ComplaintsforCMI Air Conditioning & Electrical

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The company installed a new Rheem air conditioning unit in my ********** condominium in 2017. I have used the company regularly whenever any issues arose. On June 6, 2023 I contacted **** who was the technician who serviced my unit in the past and reported to him that my unit was leaking. **** instructed me to call the main office and they sent him to assess the situation. **** reported that the drain was clogged so he flushed it and he also said that he instructed the tenant to buy a new air filter because it was dirty. I was charged $209.38 for the visit. Later that day I received a quote to have the coils replaced (which were still under warranty) at a cost for labor of $845. Since my father owned an AC company previously, I researched the average costs for this and learned that it was less than half the quoted price. Today, 6/13/2023, my tenants contacted me and sent me videos of the leaking A/C unit. I immediately called CMI and was told by ******* that she would have a service manager call me back within 20 minutes. An hour later, I called back and was transferred between ********************, ***** and some other person and had to explain the situation every time. Ultimately, ***** promised to send someone out but Only if I agreed to pay for the coil cleaning. The estimate clearly stated that the parts were not available and would have to be ordered. I insisted she send someone out since I had only a week ago paid for the same issue and no one ever mentioned coil cleaning before as a necessity. ***** told me to call another company to resolve the leaking AC despite her company being the one who sold it to me. She was rude and tried to extort me into paying a very unreasonable rate for something that wasn't even available. My floors need to be dried out in order to prevent mold and mildew and this company is irresponsible, discourteous, unprofessional and dishonest. I want a refund of my $209.38 from the shoddy service call.

  

  Business response

  06/23/2023

  We spoke with **************** June 13th after she was very upset about being passed around to several different people in our office. Dispatcher asked ***** to talk to her because she [******] was being very mean.  We sent her a proposal to replace her evaporator coil.  Technician said the coil was impacted.  She wanted a technician to come back out to address the unit leaking. We said we could send someone, but it was not necessary the unit needs a new coil, and the leak would continue until the coil was replaced.  The attached service ticket dated 6/6/23 #****** is for our diagnostic and drain cleaning work. This is a legitimate invoice. We then provide her with a quote to replace her evaporator coil (attached dated 6/7/23), this quote was for $845. She said we were over-priced, she had another company tell her it would be a quarter of the price. At this point she was not obligated to accept our proposal. We never told her she had to pay the $845 and we did not tell her to call another company. She hung up on ***** while discussing the issue.  She then sent an email which I am including an excerpt:  "You sent me a quote for $845+ that is more than twice the industry rate for  labor for "repairing" a unit that is still under warranty that your company installed especially after your tech just drained the line AND you charged me $209.38 for a service call.  My father owned an AC company for many years and cleaning the coils may affect the temperature but it would not cause the drain line to overflow.  Besides, why didn't your tech ***** or **** who came out before mention this issue previously?" 

  My response to her emailed concerns, gain she is not obligated to accept our proposal, our proposal is fair for the work proposed and well within industry averages. While the coil would be provided from the manufacturer's limited warranty we still have costs associated with this work: The transpiration of getting and returning the coil, the materials needed to make the repair are not covered by the limited warranty (Refrigerant, brazing materials, nitrogen, and other misc. materials) as well as the labor to install the coil.  As far as her concern of a dirty coil does not affect the drain, this is inaccurate, the dirt from the coil absolutely can affect the drain, that dirt has comes off the coil directly into the drain. She calls what we are doing as extortion, I'd say she doesn't understand the definition of that word, secondly, we have treated her fairly while responding to her service request.

  My response is this, *************** had a legitimate service invoice for $209.38 which she paid; this will not be refunded, we rendered the service she requested. 

  Customer response

  06/23/2023

   
  Complaint: 20181914
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The company has a history of referring to clients who disagree with them as "mean."  I was never mean and frustrated would be a better description since I was passed around five times, had to repeat my story multiple times, and the tech clearly did not do a good job since the unit leaked only one week after he drained it.  In fact, I called another company who sent me a video of the gunk he cleaned from the unit and his comment was that the CMI rep should refund my money.  After reading other BBB comments from unsatisfied customers, I didn't expect CMI to be customer sensitive.  They are defensive and have no interest in helping clients who have given them business in the past. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I signed multi-service contracts with CMI on two properties. With two properties, I started to see a pattern of issues. I called the office to complain that something always seemed to go wrong shortly after service. ***** told me to "take your business elsewhere and never call again" and "I will be happy to refund you". Yet, after I emailed her and the office twice since 8/12/22, no response and no refund on the pre-paid service contracts. Since CMI broke the contract and is not doing its maintenance services, I request a refund. They also installed new AC units and these should have a one-year labor warranty.

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