ComplaintsforH&H Drain Cleaning & Residential and Commercial Maintenance

• Initial Complaint

  10/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Date of the transaction: The transaction occurred on Friday, 29 Sep 2023 The amount of money you paid the business: $442.00 What the business committed to provide you: To diagnose and fix the issue for $195 - $200 What is the nature of the dispute is: I had a non-urgent plumbing issue. I asked **** how much to diagnose and fix the issue and he informed me $195 -$200. He found it to be a septic issue so I figured he was done. I asked if he knew any septic companies and he said yes but he wanted to try something. He dug up my yard and found the issue to be a clogged septic filter. **** used my water hose (contaminating it with septic filth) for most of the job including cleaning the septic filter. He had not yet washed his hands and the whole thought of the septic tank water and him touching my hose, cleaning the filter around my yard, and sitting on my porch all dirty grossed me out. He sent me an email receipt before I gave him my card number without verifying the price ( I just wanted to be done with this experience). I provided him with soap to wash his hands and he used my hose again to wash his hands while at the same time wiping the hose to try to clean it. When I checked my account on Sunday he charged me $442 for that hour, so I’m guessing there was also a card processing fee, he didn’t inform me of either. He didn't use any special equipment or parts. Perhaps I should have charged him for using my water hose and hand soap. l feel **** took advantage by charging 121% over. Whether or not the business has tried to resolve the problem: I tried to resolve this amicably when I asked him to call me on Saturday 30 Sep 2023. I asked for him to adjust the bill to what was quoted over the phone ($195-$200), but he informed me he could probably give $30 to $40 back. I asked him to provide me a detailed pricing breakout to justify charging so much for so little, especially since he used my equipment (water hose) for the majority of work and it wasn't quality work.

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  Customer was aware of the total cost. He signed the credit card statement. He even put the information in for his email. He called back wanting a complete refund. All the work was done to company policy. We did not repair the grass as he was explaining before we started the work.

  Customer response

  10/06/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I reject the response from the Owner (****) of H&H Drain Cleaning & Residential and Commercial Maintenance. I’m very upset with the job he did and the absurd amount he charged which was not quoted or discussed by him. 

  **** quoted me $195 to $200 to find and fix the issue, granted I figured that was a high estimate in the case he would need to chase the clog by pulling toilets or scoping the lines with a borescope. **** went directly to the main drain and within the first 5 to 10 minutes (while waiting for the washing machine, tubs to be filled and drained) he informed me that the septic was holding water and that it would need to be pumped. With that being said I thought ****** work was done and I was ready for him to leave since I was upset with his unhygienic methods and the fact that he utilized my personnel water hose and nozzle as his own personal tool (Without permission); exposing it to sewage (black and grey water, and later cleaning the septic filter with it with his filthy hands). Would you walk into a customer’s garage and just start using their drill without asking?
  
  So, at this point I was expecting some nominal bill because he had barley did any work and he didn’t fix the issue since it was the septic and not plumbing job. I kept a friendly deminer hoping that he was done.  I did ask **** if he had any recommendations for septic companies since I was going to start getting quotes but he kept on saying yes but let me check something, because he said that it could possibly be my letch field. He told me he would have to dig to see; and showing me again he didn’t have the proper equipment he asked if I had a pointed spade shovel because he only had a trenching shovel (smaller digging surface). I informed, I did not.
  He then started digging with his trench shovel with no regard of my property (see photos) where he believed my septic would be. And although the way he was digging up my yard also bothered me, I let it be because I figured he was doing me a favor by confirming if it was the septic or possibly the leach field, or the pluming leading up to the septic.  I wasn’t expecting much more since he didn’t even have a water hose or a proper shovel.
  After about 10 minutes or less of digging he got to the septic tank lid. He then pulled the lid and septic filter and said there’s your problem. He washed my septic filter with my water hose. Then he put the filter back in and did a sloppy job at backfilling the dirt/grass on top of the hole, without even compacting the ground to prevent any sinking or tripping hazards.

  By this time, I was just holding in my dissatisfaction and just tried to be as friendly as I could because I wanted him to go already.
  So, he sat on my porch with his tablet asked me for my email address and then sent me an email. I saw that the email came in because it popped up as a notification on my phone. I was such in rush for him to leave I just gave him my card number figuring the most he would charge would be $200. In fact, I was so upset I never even checked his work to see if the toilets would bubble up or not.
  
  After calming myself down after he left, I opened the “receipt he sent me and realized he charged me $425 (later saw $442 when I checked my account). I tried calling him and texting him to discuss because there must have been some misunderstanding, but he did not respond.
  I finally got ahold of him the next day to discuss, I stayed as calm as I could and told him that we needed to correct the price.  I asked him for a breakdown of what he’s charging for because so we can discuss but I never requested a full refund.
  There is no way on earth this job is worth $442. No specialized tools were used (used my water hose for majority of the job), he didn’t replace anything (he just rinsed off a filter I already had), and he didn't pump out my septic.
  
  Finally, although, I’m not please at all, I’m solely requesting the return of $242 so we can settle on $200, which was the max he quoted on the phone.

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