ComplaintsforGeneral Welding & Repair

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am filing a complaint against **** and ********************, owners of General Welding and Repair for giving my moms backhoe to someone who is not the legal owner of the backhoe. **** has done repair work in the past for my mom, *********************. ***** has been a customer of ********************************************* and ********************** for the past three (3) years. ***** and **** are very familiar with the type of equipment that is owned by *****. **** was asked to do some maintenance work on ****** backhoe and let someone who does not legally own the backhoe pick it up. This backhoe was reported to ******************* as unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and theft.On 6/24/2023, **** and ******************* (previous contractor who was building my mom a house) were parked on the road by **************** (this is ****** property). The backhoe was sitting at ****** property at ****************. ***** saw them parked and approached the truck and told **** that she had the backhoe filters and has had them for 9 months. ***** told *** that the backhoe is to be returned to her at **************** and *** said OKAY.On 7/5/2023, ***** calls **** about her dump truck and asks that he help her get it started. **** said he would come over and help get the dump truck started. Then ***** asked about the backhoe and **** said parts were ordered, and he was waiting for the parts and the backhoe was in his shop. ***** communicated again to **** that the backhoe was to be returned to her. **** acknowledged her instructions. On 7/10/2023, ************************* (****** daughter) and ***** intended to pick up the dump truck from Bill. They drove over to General Welding and Repair. ***** and ****** spoke with ***** and asked her if **** would weld a mudflap on the dump truck. ***** said yes and to put the mudflap inside the dump truck. ***** asked for **** and ***** said that **** was getting a haircut. ***** asked ***** about the backhoe and ***** said ******************* picked it up. ***** told ***** that they were not to give the backhoe to *** and that she talked with **** about this. ***** said we give the equipment to whoever brings it in. Based on Roxies response, sometime after 7/5/2023, **** and ***** allowed *******************, who does not legally own the backhoe and does not have a bill of sale or title to verify ownership, to pick up a backhoe that does not legally belong to him.The backhoes owner is ********************* and not *******************. The title for the backhoe lists ********************* as the owner. ***** and **** are liable for giving a piece of equipment to someone who does not own the backhoe or have the title. General Welding and Repair liabilitys insurance is liable for replacing the backhoe.The most recent verbal agreement between *** and ***** was that the backhoe was to be returned to her and *** verbally responded with, okay, agreeing to return the backhoe to ****************, where the backhoe was parked prior to being driven to General Welding and Repair for maintenance work. I feel that **** and ***** have taken advantage of my elderly mother and have discriminated against her because of her age and gender, disregarding her verbal instructions releasing the backhoe to a male in his 50s.**** and/or ***** allowed ******************* to drive the backhoe off their property knowing he did not have permission or authorized to take the backhoe. **** and **** did not attempt to contact ***** and confirm that ******************* had permission or authorized to drive the backhoe off their property, disregarding ****** instructions to return the backhoe to **************** after the maintenance work was completed, and that ******************* was not to pick up the backhoe. Due to the actions of **** and *****, ******************* has taken possession of the backhoe and has refused to return to *********************, the legal owner of the backhoe.*******************

  Business response

  09/01/2023

  ******* and ***********************************
  General Welding and Repair
  82 North Lane
  ******, **.59725
  *************
  
  September 1,2023
  
  Complaint  ID ********
  
  To Whom It May ************************************ I wish to address the complaint filed against me and my wife ******* as owners of General Welding and Repair.   I apologize for my delay in responding to this complaint but we had illness and a family get together that took us out of state.  To make it simple I am going to address ************************** as ***** and Mr. ******************* as *******
       We have done work for ***** and ***************** over the past several years and have had an excellent relationship.  After ****** husband *** passed ***** needed an existing house remove from her property where she desired to build a new home.  We removed this house, outbuildings and foundation. This is when we met ******************* who was to build ****** new home.  After a time I asked if I could purchase the **** Telehandler which I used when moving the house but ***** informed me that *** was going to purchase the **** Telehandler and several other items of equipment left from her husband **** construction business.  Sometime later ***** contacted me and asked if I would desire to purchase the Manitou Telehandler instead.  Being that we had just done some work on it I agreed to purchase it for $25,000.00 which I paid in full.
       On 1-17-2023 *** contacted my shop requesting our services to repair fuel problems with the **** Telehandler which was now on a Blacktail Subdivision job.  We completed the repair and *** promptly paid the $1,139.22 bill.
       When ***** was going to have an auction sale I noted that the **** Telehandler was now listed on the sale bill.  ***** told me that the auction company wanted some large equipment on the auction for a better auction success so she told Time that she needed the **** Telehandler on the auction.  I do not know anything of ***** and **** agreement on this matter but the *** Backhoe was not placed on the auction due to *** purchasing it.
       *** had contacted our shop to have the *** Backhoe in question serviced and various repairs done.  On Saturday 6-24-2023 *** roaded the backhoe from ****** home he was building to our shop.  I then gave *** a ride back to ****** residence and ***** met up with us when we arrived.  At this time ***** reminded me that she had two filters for the backhoe.  ***** had previously informed me in a phone call that she definitely wanted Time to pay her for them.  With *** still present in my vehicle I asked ***** if she had a service manual for the backhoe and she said she would look for it.  At this time *** volunteered to bring the service manual to my shop when ***** found it.  ***** seemed quite irritated that *** had not gotten and installed the filters already.
       I have already charged *** for the filters based on the invoice ***** gave me with the filters.  We issued a credit memo #***** on the statement sent to ***** for the repair of her dump truck.
       While the backhoe was in my shop ***** did ask me how the repair was going.  *** contacted me on Friday 7-7-2023 to pick up the backhoe.  He roaded it from my yard and knowing that he was still completing ****** home I did not question his actions.  When a customer brings a piece of equipment into our shop for repair and payment is made they have the right to regain possession of that equipment.
       We had no intention of getting involved in a dispute between two parties as we are not aware of the circumstances leading to this unfortunate situation.  **** and I do take offense to being accused of taking advantage of or discriminating against anyone because of age, gender or race.
  
  Sincerely,
  ***********************************
  Owner of General Welding and Repair

  Customer response

  09/10/2023

   
  Complaint: 20458177
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  **** knowingly gave ****** backhoe to ******************* who is not the legal owner. *****  told **** twice the backhoe was to be returned to her. **** mentions that *** picked up the backhoe on July 7, 2023 from his place of business and **** said he gave *** the backhoe knowing he was still completing ****** home. That is false. *** walked off ****** job on June 30, 2023, and took all his tools. **** gave a backhoe to someone who wasnt working for *****, the **** owner of the backhoe, at the time and **** is responsible to replace the backhoe. The backhoe was in Bills possession and he was told twice that he was to return it to *****. Bill is an accessory to theft.

  I would like to address the house that **** mentioned that he moved to help out *****. That house was given to **** by ***** and **** moved the house for his wife ***** to use as her art gallery. **** did not do *****  a favor moving the house. **** never offered to pay for the house. 

  **** sent ***** a letter with copy of my BBB complaint saying that they have been friends for years. **** is trying to manipulate my elderly mom.  If **** was a friend, why did he give her backhoe to someone who does not own it? **** and General Welding are responsible for replacing the backhoe and for emotional/financial damages they have caused *****. 
  

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

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  Customer response

  09/23/2023

  Attached is a letter from my mom, ********************* giving me authority to file the complaint against General Welding. 
  

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

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