ComplaintsforGreen World

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I am writing because of a serious problem that I'm having with Green World, a lawn irrigation company in Plaistow, NH. As the enclosed documents will indicate, it was necessary for me to replace the back flow valve of my irrigation system due to the failure of the company's technician to properly drain it when he winterized the system on October 13, 2021. When that technician returned on May 11 to start up the system, he indicated that the back flow was badly leaking and required the attention of a plumber. I contacted ******** ********* Plumbing and their technician explained that the back flow valve required replacement because it froze over the winter because it wasn't properly drained that previous October. The replacement cost me $925.00. I contacted Green World to tell them about my problem and initially the owner, Jason *******, denied responsibility. Interestingly, his secretary told me in a subsequent conversation that Mr. ******* contacted his insurance company and filed a claim under his errors and omissions provisions. I have telephoned the company at least six times and spoken with Joanne in the office, but only once has Mr. ******* responded; he never has kept me posted on the status of my complaint nor his intentions to resolve the issue. It has been three months since I initially contacted Green World and I am perplexed about why they have failed to reimburse me the $925.00 costs when as my documents indicate, they are completely at fault. I appreciate your interest in my problem and I look forward to your help in resolving it.

  Business response

  08/04/2022

  I have spoken with *** and explained to him how an irrigation system is winterized. The pressurized line from a compressor is attached to the back flow, which is a component of the irrigation system. The air from the compressor is then sent through each zone of the irrigation system through the back flow to blow out the water from the lines so that there won’t be damage over the winter time. If the irrigation system wasn’t winterized correctly than there would also be valves that would freeze in the ground over the winter and burst or crack rendering them unusable. However there are many reasons in which a back flow could break. One is just simply wear and tear. Another possibility is that the valve inside the house was accidentally turned back on allowing water to get to the back flow and freeze over the winter time. Another reason would be a leaky valve that allowed water to leak into the back flow and freeze and crack over the winter time. This was explained to *** in a phone conversation. He later wrote a letter claiming that the technician that performed the work was incompetent of doing the work properly which is why his back flow broke. This same technician serviced this same property in the same manner for the last 3 years and our company has serviced this property for the past 7 years, I believe, without any issues. Another interesting fact is that the cost of the back flow is between $130-$250. Even when we have commissioned plumbers to install a new back flow for us and run copper pipe outside and pex pipe inside to the water source, I’ve never received a proposal or bill for anything close to $950.

  It is unfortunate that this has gotten to this point and I do feel badly that ***** back flow broke but there was nothing that we could have done differently to prevent this from occurring and nothing that was done incorrectly to cause this problem. Out of the thousands of systems that we have winterized in the past and this being the only back flow in all of the systems that were winterized by this same technician last year, it’s safe to say that the technician is more than competent. 

  Customer response

  08/11/2022

  
  Complaint: 17671856
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because:

  Thank you for the response to my complaint #17671856 involving Green World Irrigation and the problem that I experienced with their failure to properly prepare my system for the winter. I do not accept their response.

  Jason B****** claims that he had a detailed conversation with me to explain my problem. It wasn't detailed and basically focused on his position that the plumber charged me more for the backflow valve replacement than was appropriate. He promised to further explore my issue and get back to me. He never did, in spite of my repeated attempts to learn where he was with the problem.

  The only time that he responded, beyond that brief conversation, was his reply to the NH Better Business notice to him of my complaint.

  In reviewing his reply, I need to clarify a few things:

  1.   I did not turn the valve back on once it was shut off in October

  2.   The plumber from ******** ********* Plumbing showed me the back flow valve bolt at the bottom of the valve and clearly it wasn't removed to enable the water in the unit to drain. The plumber explained that the remaining water froze over the winter causing the valve to break. I have the original valve and all its parts and the bolt on the valve is still stuck in place, so clearly the unit wasn't properly drained.

  3.   The owner indicates that there was nothing that they could do differently in preventing the problem from developing. It seems to me that if the bolt could not be removed to enable the water to drain, than the owner should have been notified and corrective action taken.

  I'm not happy with the response from Mr. B******. He failed in communicating with me about my concerns. The only communication was my repeated calls to his office and my e-mails and letters to him. His only response has been as a result of my complaint to the NH BBB.

  I look forward to your next step actions because his company still owes me $925.00 for the replacement valve and it's been over three months since my first report to his company.

  Sincerely yours,

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

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