ComplaintsforS & S Campers Mfg., Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Invoice #****** S&S Campers reports replacing entire camper roof in Dec 2021/ Jan 2022.Leak and damage in kitchen cabinet back corner detected July 27, 2022.I called S&S to report problem and was directed to send pictures by email. I attempted but emails did not go thru, I called and got a second email address that still did not go thru. I texted a picture to a phone number I had saved from my earlier contacts re roof in Fall 2021. Number was for a repairman at the business. Received a call back from ****** the next morning.****** reported many campers having roof issues due to extreme weather and indicated the leak was my fault - asked if I had checked the roof to seal it. The brand new roof only lasted a few months as the area of wrinkling and roof sponginess is about 915 inches.He recommended replacing the entire roof again or replacing a portion from the inside. When I asked about a warranty he did not reply whether they warranty their work. When I asked if repair cost would be on me he replied it would.I made payment on Jan 10, 2022 and picked up the camper. Cost of this work was $7865.00 Since the new roof failed within months of completion, and a full roof repair is the best long term solution as recommended by the company, I request a full refund.

  Business response

  08/22/2022

  S&S Canopies & Campers Mfg. **************************************************************** 59901
  In response to claim ID ******** submitted by ***********************:
  We warranty all services performed by our technicians in our shop. Our warranty extends 60 days after the service is performed with some exceptions, depending on the details of the work performed and products used. We ask our customers to bring in their unit for inspection before any warranty work is performed. If its determined that the issue at hand was due to a mistake in our work or a manufacturer defect from parts and supplies used, we always cover the costs of the future warranty work. 
  We occasionally ask customers to email us pictures of damages on their **s to assist us in determining the next best step forward.  However, emailed pictures alone cannot replace the need for an in-person inspection to receive an estimate or start a warranty claim. Our employees at the front counter have their own business issued emails that they check daily. We are unsure where the difficulty of sending emails to us originated. Our business emails are listed on our employees business cards and other documents we use for our customers. We provide the business emails to any customer who asks, and we communicate daily with customers via email with no issues.
  Regarding texts or calls to our employees personal cell phones, they are occasionally used to communicate with customers through the process of service work. This is not the ideal or recommended way to reach us regarding any future service or warranty especially when the employee is given no prior information and details about why a past customer is reaching out in the future. Our employees do not save customers personal info in their phones as a measure to ensure the privacy of our customers. Any future inquiries from customers to our employees cell phones create difficulties as our service men do not have all the information they need to understand who and what job a customer is trying to reach out for. 
  After inquiring our employee ****** about this matter, he explained that he was not given the current details of this situation. Due to the time that had passed from the day ***** had the repairs done to the day she inquired about solutions to her now leaking roof our employee would have needed more details to look up ****** information and retrieve her work order from our secretary to proceed with a warranty claim. He recounted that he gets many calls a week about people needing roof repairs and he recommends to anyone who calls to make an appointment for inspection, estimate and repair of the issues at hand. There has been no past, current, or future appointment made by ***** to have her ** inspected after her initial completed repair date of January 10, 2022. This is necessary to complete warranty work and we would gladly set up a time for ***** to come in and do this. 
  In summary, given that we have not been able to inspect the ** to determine the cause of the new leak we do not find that a full refund is warranted. The ** must be brought to us for inspection to determine the cause of the new leak before any further steps can be taken.
  We would absolutely accommodate an inspection on ********* roof to determine all potential warranty work and manufacturer warranties on all parts and supplies used during this repair. 
  We are always willing to help our customers with any issues that *** arise to maintain customer confidence, trust, and satisfaction with our services. 
  We understand that maintaining these values is an integral aspect of creating the best experiences for current, future, and past customers.
  Wed like to thank ***** for her business and we are fully prepared to work with her to ensure her full satisfaction of our work.
  
  

  Customer response

  08/30/2022

   
  Complaint: 17642131
  
  I am rejecting this response for several reasons.

  
  

  1- The response indicates the information I shared about being told to email pictures of the roof  damage to S& S  is not company policy, however these were the directions I received. 

  
  

  2-The response reports  ****** had no memory of telling me there was no warranty coverage and further repairs would be at my own expense when I know this information was given me by him over the phone

  
  

  3-The conversation I had with ****** did not represent the company values or procedures outlined in the response, yet the company takes no responsibility for this situation, and even attempted to shift the blame for the supposedly rebuilt roof's current evidence of leaking

  
  

  4-I have come to suspect the full roof rebuild I was expecting and paid for was actually not done.  I can see  from the inside of the camper there is new ceiling in about 1/3 the length of the camper, but the ceiling in the remainder has not been replaced- as evidenced by darker ceiling, cracked molding, a wrinkled  and time-darkened sticker  on the ceiling, and the spot in the corner of the cabinet that is wrinkled and soft.

  
  

  
  

  For these reasons, I do not feel reassured by the response that S & S campers has the ability to deal with this situation in a fair and reasonable manner.  

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

  Business response

  09/22/2022

  S&S Canopies & Campers Mfg. Inc.
  Complaint ID ********
  While having the pictures on file is helpful it still does not replace the need for an in-person inspection to determine warranty. We have not received any photos of your ** at this point and we have not seen your ** since the initial repair in January of 2022. 
  We require in-person inspections to determine warranty work to prevent any fraudulent warranty claims. If we cannot inspect your **, then we cannot proceed with warranty work. 
  Weve attached your original invoice and work order with this response. Every part of the job on the work order was in fact performed. Any allegations that we charge anyone for work not performed are false. Were a locally and family owned business that has been running in the flathead valley since the early 70s. We know that a business won't have long-term success  if they don't operate fairly, reliably, and honestly. 
  At the time of the repair we replaced and sealed the roof and 96 square feet of ceiling panels that showed observable water damage. It is possible that the initial water damage  the ** could have gone into other areas of the **, such as the walls. Without tearing into the walls we would not be able to determine if there was more water damage to the ** other than the roof.  If there was more non-observable water damage at the time of the repair it could show up later in other areas of the ** later down the road. We replaced the ceiling panels that had observable water damage. The remaining ceiling panels did not have observable water damage at the time of repair and were left as is.
  A refund for the work we provided to you is not warranted at this point in time as we haven't had the opportunity to inspect the **. Please bring in your ** to show us your concerns and receive an inspection at no cost to you. We have not seen your ** for over eight months and have no way to assess what the current issues are from. Were happy to work with you on this and our technicians are happy to answer any questions and provide details of their work. Please review the attached work order and invoice and reach out to us to set up a time for an inspection. 
  
  

  Customer response

  09/26/2022

   
  Complaint: 17642131
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  I am not satisfied that the job I was expecting to be completed, that I paid for and that is indicated on the work order was completed.

  As stated in the previous communication from S & S Campers- only the ceiling panels with visible damage were replaced. The work order and estimate were for a complete roof and ceiling replacement..  The quantity of materials listed on the final bill  (such as 100 ft of moulding and more than the 2 ceiling panels used) are more than what was used to replace only the two panels that showed visible need of replacement.

  As I have stated before, I noticed in July the water damaged ceiling inside the corner kitchen cabinet.  The size of this area is too large to have occurred in the few months since the roof of the camper was replaced (in December/January 2022).  This ceiling damage was the first thing I noticed that indicated the entire  ceiling had not been replaced at the time of the new roof being installed.  My complaint remains that my camper should not have ceiling damage months after the ceiling and roof were replaced.

  S&S's prior response clarifies that only the visibly damaged ceiling panels were replaced. However,the work order, estimate and final charges indicate the entire ceiling would be replaced along with the entire roof.  The invoice S&S attached clearly shows the use of more materials than what were required for replacing two 4'x7' panels (56 square feet).  The invoice shows 96 square feet of material used and paid for. In addition, the other materials listed are in amounts that would have been required for the replacement of the entire ceiling.  I  expected and paid for a full ceiling replacement and received a partial ceiling replacement.

  I continue to be dissatisfied with the finished repair as I was overcharged for materials that were not used for the partial ceiling replacement done on my camper.  There are six ceiling panels in the camper, two of which are new.  I was charged for 5.  Other materials listed on the invoice are in larger quantities than those needed for the portion of the ceiling that was replaced.  I expected and paid for a full ceiling replacement and received a partial ceiling replacement.  I only discovered this was the case when I found the damaged ceiling area inside the kitchen cabinet in July 2022.

  Finally, S&S mentioned photos and camper walls in their response.  I am not clear whether they still have the photos of ceiling damage inside the kitchen cabinet I texted or not.  Furthermore, I am not clear about whether they are saying it would or would not be helpful to have photos.  I have not mentioned any potential damage to camper walls.  I don't know why S&S brought this topic up.  At this time I would not be interested in S&S completing any further work on my camper.

  I believe I am owed a refund for the overpayment I made for materials and labor charged for a full ceiling replacement when a partial ceiling replacement was completed. 

  I am not interested in having S&S look at my camper to determine if there is a warranty on their work.  I was already told by ****** in a phone call to S&S  that there was no warranty of the work and  further repairs or replacements would be at my expense.  I am considering having an independent RV inspector take a look at the work order, invoice and camper to determine my next steps.

   

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

   

   

   

   

   

  1) I was charged for quantities of materials that are larger than those needed for the job as it was completed.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

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