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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
04/11/2022
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
On March 30th, 2022, we had the waste pumped out of our septic tank by Bowen Septic. Upon the driver arriving (Mr. ************************ he asked me to sign a waiver for him to enter the property. I explained I was not comfortable with such a large truck entering the driveway. The driver assured me he did this all the time, and nothing ever happen. After some discussion I agreed, trusting he knew what he was doing. As I feared, after he turned the full truck around to attempt to remove more waste, which was not a sucess, the weight of the truck cracked three slabs of broken cement in our 3-year-old driveway. The tech apologized over and over stating he would send pictures to his company (which he did) and that they had a Millon dollar insurance policy that would cover any damage and that we should give them a call. I spoke with a gentleman by the name ****************. He said he would talk with the owner and get back to us. Not receiving a call for 48 hours I decided to call him back. **************** told us per the owner they would not fix the driveway. It was his driver who assured me that he uses his customer's driveways all the time without issue, and it was his driver who turned the truck around because he thought a different position would allow them to remove more wasted, which it didn't. Well, he had to leave to go and empty the truck to return back 2-3 hours later to complete the job. The driver is at fault for the damaged driveway, making the company responsible for the repair.
Business response
04/29/2022
We have customers sign a consent for us to come on the property and the terms and conditions include that we are not responsible for any property damage including, but not limited to, driveways, sidewalks and walkways. The customer signed consent, and however we can empathize with the situation, we are not legally liable. We service dozens of properties every week and don't encounter this issue. The driveway was previously broken by another contractor and may have be inadequate for normal weight bearing. We have large pump trucks and this was our smallest truck, and great care was taken to do our best not to damage anything. We truly want our customers to be satisfied with our service and we made sure the terms and conditions was signed by the customer before entering the driveway. Our technician didn't enter the driveway until the consent was signed. The terms and conditions include the following verbiage : "RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMPANY AND LIMITATIONS
Company shall do all work in a good and workmanlike manner
Company is not responsible for any existing illegal conditions
Company is not responsible for any damage caused by the removal of the clean out cap or drain cover
Company is not responsible for loss or damage by the following : A) Storm, wind, fire, flood damage, excessively wet ground: B) Acts of ******************* abuse, or vandalism of any kind
DAMAGE TO REAL PROPERTY - Company shall not be held responsible for any damage to real property including, but not limited to, driveways, patios, walkways, parking areas, trees, sewer drains, septic tanks, septic tank lids, drain field lines, water lines, power lines, gas lines, cable lines, phone lines, sprinkler lines, landscaping, or drainage systems, etc. in complying with this contract."Customer response
05/09/2022
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:From: *********************** <**********************>
Sent: Friday, May 6, 2022 10:22 PM
To: info <**********************************************>
Subject: Re: You have a New Message from BBB Serving Metro Atlanta, ****** & NE *******, Complaint #********Yes, I mentioned in my letter to the Better Business Bureau that we had signed the agreement after the driver assured us he does
this all the time and it would be fine. We explained to him that because the driveway had been broken before ( which was fixed by that company) we didn't think he should place the truck in the driveway. He quoted how many years he worked for the company and made us feel comfortable that he knew what he was talking about also, mentioning the company had a million dollar insurance in case something like that was to happen. I find it a shame Bowen's Septic admits that it is responsible for the damage but refuses to fix the damage.
Sincerely,
***********************Business response
05/09/2022
We do in fact, on a very regular basis, enter driveways without incident. We have rarely ever even cracked any cement in a small way, and it's usually with our large trucks and large excavators. This was our smallest truck, and the complainant indicated to us that a prior company had recently damaged the driveway. We were transparent from the beginning as to both having a low possibility of doing any damage to the driveway, but also making sure before we enter the driveway that they have signed our waiver because it would not cover damage done to the driveway. If the complainant was of that deeply unsure of the driveway and what damage might occur, they should have not signed the waiver and either declined service or required us to not enter the driveway. The waiver form clearly states we are not responsible for damage to driveways. Our manager, ******, did make sure with the owner before giving them a firm answer, but just to give the owner time to make sure the technician did the proper steps before answering. We regret that it happened, because we have been in business over 30 years and almost never run across this type of damage. The complainant's driveway was made of different types of concrete and had been patched, so it just wasn't able to bear the weight of our truck. As to our insurance, the complainant indicated that the prior contractor didn't have proper insurance and that they sought us out because we were very thoroughly insured. We are not arbitrarily declining to cover the damage. We have to honor the same guidelines with all customers to be fair. We will always be open to communication, should the complainant want further explanation. Please let us know if there is any additional information you should need.
Respectfully,
Arnold Bowen
Customer response
05/11/2022
Complaint: 17013946
I am rejecting this response because: the crack cement was on the other side of the driveway. I did not seek the company out because of its insurance but because of its rating. The insurance conversation was brought up by the worker when he assure us that he had been doing this for a while and noting had ever happen.
Sincerely,
***********************Business response
05/13/2022
We truly are sorry that the customer's driveway is damaged. We did our due diligence in every step and investigated thoroughly, and sadly we are not liable for the damage. Please call us at ************ if you need further explanation.
Sincerely,Arnold Bowen
Customer response
05/20/2022
Complaint: 17013946
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
***********************Initial Complaint
10/15/2021
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Bought a house Jan 2020. Inspection done Dec 2019. House has to meet 5 year affordability requirement since it was purchased via Homestretch (HUD program). Bowen's Complete "completed" inspection stating septic tank was operable. Later discovered this is a lie. Septic tank is not up to code. Inspection report is misleading. States septic tank has a working tee when in actuality septic tank does not have a tee at all due to the type of tank. Have been communicating with Bowen's Septic since they are the same company with the same owner. Bowen's Septic has called me repeatedly to berate me and harass me verbally over the phone.Business response
11/15/2021
We at Bowen's Septic don't have record of ever servicing this property. Please reach out to us if you need further assistance.
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Customer Complaints Summary
2 total complaints in the last 3 years.
0 complaints closed in the last 12 months.