ComplaintsforUncle Tilo's Clean Water LLC

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Uncle Tilo was contracted by us to clean the water catchment tank filters and clean the liner for the property located at ****************. *********. ******* standard practice with liner maintenance, Uncle Tilo along with his assistant physically cut the edges of the liner off so that he could more easily clean them. This caused the liner to be too small for the catchment tank. It began chronically slipping into the tank and becoming contaminated with all the tar that he used to try to secure it. Uncle Tilo's damage essentially rendered the catchment tank liner useless. Hundreds of dollars had to be spent to deliver water after it would fall into the tank but no one (including Uncle Tilo himself) was ever able to get it to hold in place permanently. Thus, the homeowner has had to live without running water for weeks at a time. The only solution is to replace liner. We have offered to pay for 50% of this cost even though it was 100% the fault of Uncle Tilo. He did refund the original charge for liner cleaning (but not the thousands we paid him to clean the filters which are now clogged up again with all the tar he used at the liner's edge). He has ignored phone calls and emails to try to permanently rectify this problem. We are only asking for approx $1000 even though our costs for the damage he caused are much higher. He has not acted with honesty or integrity in this business transaction.

  Business response

  12/07/2022

  Aloha,
  On February 22, 2022 we did a free consultation noting the home was built in **** and that the liner was old and cracking and recommended the liner be replaced, had a newer pump and pressure tank, 7gpm ******** UV system, no overflow pipe, and old filters. It was highly recommended the liner be replaced as it showed cracking.  There was evidence of no maintenance with copper piping.  According to the property card the home belongs to ******* and *********************. ********************* ( *****'s father) hired Uncle Tilo's Clean Water LLC because ***** didn't have any money due to her pending divorce.
  
  On February 23, 2022 an estimate was sent to *********************. On March 3, 2022 the estimate was converted into an invoice and *****'s father ********************* paid the invoice.
  
  On March 8, 2022 Uncle Tilo's Clean Water LLC installed a Clean Water Filter Pack, did a tank clean and installed a new cover on a very old catchment system.  At that time due to the liner having been folded inside the tank the excess was removed in order to clean the tank properly.
  
  June 24, 2022 ***** called to say when water was delivered the liner finally folded in on itself. (Imagine ***** gallons of water delivered at a high rate of pressure in an old cracking liner).  We went back out there at no charge to assist and again recommend the liner be replaced. 
  
  August 1, 2022 the liner was folding in on itself again when water was delivered.  We went back there again at no charge to assist and again recommended the liner needed to be replaced.
  
  October 5, 2022 ********************* called our store as a result of having liner issues again, and threatened our store staff.
  
  October 6, 2022 ********************* and ****** (store manager) talked on the phone and *** apologized for the phone call at the store, said he had drank some beer and was fuming. ****** requested *** call the store staff and offer an apology for his bad conduct, *** did call the staff and apologize.
  
  October 7 2022 *** and his wife **** called demanding we pay for a new liner. We agreed to a settlement that Uncle Tilo's Clean Water LLC would assist them (to stop this madness) and all parties agreed to $650.00.  At that time ***'s wife, **** gave us the name to write the check out to and address to mail the check.  See copy of original check sent with MEMO stating Invoice #**** PAYMENT IN FULL SETTLEMENT.
  
  October 10, 2022 the check was cashed (see attached) where someone had scribbled out " Invoice #**** PAYMENT IN FULL"
  
  October 18, 2022 we received another email from **** stating that they had a painter on the roof and he fell through the sky light...again **** asked for more money from us.
  
  October 24, 2022 *********************** filed a complaint with the BBB.  Our legal team says that filing a complaint with the BBB after cashing the check constitutes fraud on their behalf as they agreed to a settlement amount and cashed the check that stated "Invoice #**** PAYMENT IN FULL."
  
  Had they got a new liner at the recommendation on February 22, 2022 they wouldn't have had all these problems.
  
  If you seek any further information from us please do not hesitate to reach out.
  
  All the best,
  ******
  Education / Marketing
  Uncle Tilo's Clean Water LLC
  *****************
  ************
  
  https://www.tiloscleanwater.com/
  

  
  

  Customer response

  12/12/2022

   
  Complaint: 18307544
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  We stand by our original email 100%.  There was one and only one reason that the liner could not stay put when water was added via water truck and /or rain - the liner was cut too short by Uncle Tilo and associate.  He admitted that cutting a liner is not standard protocol.  The liner has zero cracks and the integrity of it is very good.  The only problem is the size.  Now the brand new cover has also been contaminated with tar due to ****'s failed attempt to fix his mistake.

  
  

  
  

  Paragraphs below from our original email sent after an unsuccessful phone call that we ended due to a stalemate.  We realized that small claims court would most likely be our only option due to ****'s office manager's (yet to ever even see the liner in question at the property) unwillingness to admit any responsibilities for the liner damage. We of course are willing to give Tilo credit for the refund of his cleaning which has been undone by tar contamination now.

  
  

       We have spoken to many multigenerational catchment tank owners and those very familiar with liners.  100% of those we and ***** have spoken with have told us that a liner for a given sized tank should not ever be cut horizontally or vertically anywhere, at any time  The liners are sized so that they can take the stretching or tightening depending on weather conditions and water levels and the forces of filling the tank by truck. You admitted that this is not something that is a standard practice in caring for a catchment tank liner.  They told ***** that any cut anywhere will compromise the catchment liner. ***** had never had a problem with her liner slipping in the past.  Within weeks after your (albeit well intentioned) cutting of her liner, it repeatedly began slipping into the tank causing it to become more dirty than before.  We are aware of you coming out just once to try to re-secure it, but unfortunately your efforts were in vain as were the efforts of those who came on numerous other occasions to pull the liner back in place.  Clearly, the only permanent solution to her cut liner now is replacement.  

  
  

  
  

     We both, just this past week observed the quality of the liner material to be quite flexible, *******, returning to shape and very very strong.  There are no rips, tears, or compromised sections.  The main problem is that now fresh tar has contaminated the interior of the lining.  Again, we understand the rationale behind you cutting the liner.  You meant to help.  And we do appreciate that.  I wish you had discussed this with *** or asked permission to cut it as he would not have agreed to something that is never normally done. Perhaps you were unaware of the need for the overlap of the liner, and even the benefits of that portion of the liner curing to resist any pressures the liner would experience in the water level changing. The sun cured edges of the liner helped to keep it in place.  That is what catchment tank owners tell us. That is the whole purpose of the liner - to remain in place so it can hold water.

  
  

    

       You did great work at *****s home for her catchment pipes.  However, the fact that you cut the liner too short has caused the liner to completely fail to work for its given purpose - to hold water.  We have consulted others regarding this problem and the consensus is that the one who caused the liner to fail to work should be the one who permanently fixes the problem.  We have tried to be patient with having to continuously deal with this.  We apologize that our patience recently was tested beyond what we could handle.  We are just frustrated for our daughter who did not deserve this unnecessary trial. We apologize that your new employee had to hear our frustration when he was not at all to blame for anything. *** had called two times earlier without any response while our daughter was again left without water.

  
  

  
  

       You do run a good business and we believe that in your heart you want to make this right.  We want to offer you another chance to do the right thing.  We could ask for you to pay for 100% of a new liner.  That would be the court ordered resolution should we go to small claims court - plus expenses associated with and caused by the liner damage.  Currently, we will stand by our offer to pay for 50% of the new liner and installation.  An apology to our daughter for having to live without running water for much of this year should be considered as well.

  
  

       I know we can work together for a just resolution.  Our recent phone conversation was not beneficial for any of us.  I am sorry that I do not know the name of your office manager.  She was not present at the time the original work was done.  She was never present during any attempt to re-secure the liner.  She was unfair in her conversation since she was unwilling to hear the facts.  Her false accusations were perhaps based on a legitimate misunderstanding, but not on facts. Since we, along with 3 others just spent 2 1/2 hours working with the liner material recently, we are very confident in the liner's strength and remaining vitality. *** has equal or more experience dealing with similar materials as a boat and aircraft mechanic with formal training and 45 years of experience. The liner to this day remains strong, flexible and viable. 

  
  ***********************

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