Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Empire Tax Reductions continued to send billing/collection notices despite the fee had already been paid.

  Business response

  08/11/2023

  For the past 30 plus years in the tax grievance business, we at Empire are always pleased to inform our clients of tax savings that we successfully secure on their behalf  in *** *********** case, that savings was  over $3,600 for the 3 tax years for which he retained our firm.
  
  Empire never files a grievance for a property without a signed contract from the property owner for each individual tax year.  It should also be noted that the Nassau County **************************** audits all submissions they receive each year for accuracy and validity from all ******* firms.  ************ executed and submitted 3 separate retainers to Empire over the course of 3 years, for the 2019/20, 2021/22 and the 2022/23 tax years in all enjoying a total of $3,654.09 in savings.  Upon receipt of *** ***** retainers each year, a letter of confirmation was mailed and emailed to him.  Our confirmation explains the process, timeline and what to do in case youre selling your home. (3 retainers attached)
  
  ************ was invoiced, and he paid for the 2019/20 and the 2021/22 tax year reductions.  Empire offers a Client Appreciation discount of 40% of the savings for clients making payments in a reasonable timeframe ************ did not take advantage of this discount as his payments were received up to 7 months late.  All of *** ***** payments were posted to his account and no duplicate payments were received (3 statements attached). 
  
  ************ was notified on 9/1/21 that he had a 2022/23 case pending; on 3/16/2022 we notified him of the reduction we obtained on his behalf for the 2022/23 tax year 3 months before listing the home for sale and 7 months prior to selling.  Even though *********** sold the home on October 4, 2022, he did enjoy the benefit of a lower tax bill from the reduction for the 2022/23 tax year.  It should be noted that the retainers ************ submitted, and the numerous correspondence ************ received, all contain the disclosure that should you decide to sell your home it is the clients responsibility to have their buyer take over their contract with Empire or they would remain liable for our fees. Empire, of course, guides the client in obtaining such documentation,even working directly with the clients attorney to help facilitate the process.  Many Long Island attorneys use similar language in their contracts of sale just for this reason.  *** ***** contract of sale may very well have this language in which case his buyer may be responsible to him for their portion of the savings.
  
  We received notification from the post office of change of address for ************ on 8/16/22 and sent all future correspondence to his new address. 

  As we are not privy to *** ***** additional collection issues with another ******* firm, we cannot speak to that portion of his complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  01/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Tax reduction agency received a check for ** from Nassau county treasury department in the middle of November 2022 in the amount of $1,147.57 for school tax refund with interest according to a representative from the county. Empire Tax Reductions processed the check only on December 6, 2022. The explanation they gave ** is they do not have enough people to process refund checks. At the same time they act very fast when it comes to mailing invoices for their work. I spoke to them on December 26, 2022. They promised to mail the check to us, but we still do not have it.

  Customer response

  01/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have repeatedly requested to be taken off this company's mailing list to no avail. They send an application with information about my home, criminals could use this information so i have to take the time to open & shred the letter and application. I have called this company e mailed this company they do not care. It is a real nuisance. I have e mails if needed, one of them is from a ************** who informed me that she removed me from the mailing list back in March but I am still receiving these letters. Please stop sending I am not interested.

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  Our records indicate that ***************, who is not a client and has never had any business dealing with Empire, did request to be removed from our general mailing list.  There is no law requiring us to remove a recipient from our mailing but, that said, we accommodate these requests as expeditiously as possible as we have no reason to waste money on mailing when someone does not want to receive our mail or the services we offer.

  Practically speaking, there is obviously a reasonable lag time between a do not mail request and the logistical implementation at the mail house level.  Mailings can consist of upwards of half a million pieces and is press-prepped, weeks if not months, ahead of the actual post office drop date.  Besides our internal do not mail request list, at additional costs to our company, we run our list thru the National Do Not Mail list in order to capture the do not mail population within our marketing area. *************** was not on this list, which is maintained by a 3rd party provider.  May we suggest *************** register with a national maintainer of a Do not mail list to lessen her unwanted mail.

  Finally, the only information contained in our mailing is readily available public information there was no personal financial, email/phone number type of contact information or otherwise included in our solicitation.

  
  We will do our best to make sure *************** is not included in future mailings during our next marketing season.
  Thank you  

  
  

  Customer response

  12/30/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Empire Tax Reductions trying to steal me and give me hard time for no reason, I signed with them to let them do a grievance for me and they filed with wrong address and i kept telling them why and i made a lot of calls , so they waste my chance for grievance and now they send me a bill ! , I called again and she was very rude to me and she didn't even helped me or offered me to take care of this bill after all this hassle, I have already explained to her with no hope, I want them to take care of this ***** She don't want to share even the application she applied for, she said the tax was gonna go up !! my agreement is if I got reduction I'll pay if there is no reduction no pay, So they want to charge me for something never happened even! like they saying no reduction no fee !! they saying that they made appeal for me and I'm the one who did the appeal not them and if they did it for me why they made it without my approval as they saying they charging $30 for appeal !, so that's frustrating, I would like to take care of this bill please .

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  ************** signed an authorization to have Empire grieve his 2022/23 taxes for his property at ********************************************* (contract attached).  Empire filed an application with the Nassau County **************************** (application # *********)VIA the commissions Representative web portal as we are required to do.  Empire was ultimately successful in obtaining a reduction for this property.  Determination from the **************************** is attached.  As you can see from the determination, the property address and identifier (section, block & lot) are the same as the information on *** ****** application to Empire.

  At some point in time, *** ****** wife received a notification from the **************************** directly regarding an application for a different property which they do not own.  This other application was submitted to the **************************** via an individual account (rather than the Representative portal) created on the Commissions website using personal contact details for *** ****** wife contact details which Empire was not privy to. 

  ************** has insisted that it was Empire who submitted this other application for the wrong address, which we did not.  We tried in vain to explain to ************** how we could not have created that account or filed that application using his wifes contact info that we never had.  We even went as far as to have a representative from the **************************** contact ************* to explain the issue, at which point ************** told them he understood and was ok.  This conversation occurred prior to the submission of this complaint. 

  We never mentioned,requested, or charged  ************** a $30 filing fee as his case did not require an appeal.  The reduction was granted at the Commission level.  ************** has paid his invoice for the services which we provided.
  Thank you

  Customer response

  12/29/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   I did not ask for appeal anyway and you shouldn't do anything without telling me even the way was so bad, anyway I paid what you guys ask for and pushed me for but my wife didn't apply for anything, nothing else is needed from this company, you guys charge people for something you didn't make it clear from the beginning like you said no reduction no deduction it's a big fake advertising anyway because when I sand no reduction you guys said we assuming the tax will go up and we kept it for you as is !! so where is the reduction !! anyway that set 

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had previously utilized company and paid for services promptly They provided a service on a house that was For sale Company Representative indicated that service would be transferrable to new owner and No Cost to me if I did not own home House was sold Company requested all contact information on new owners Company was unable to get new owners to pay for service I received no service and this company continues to contact me for payment They have said they tried collecting from new owners

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  *************** signed a contract with Empire to grieve the 2021/22 property taxes on his home at ********************************************************* less than 2 weeks before he sold the property.  The contract clearly states that the contract is transferrable to a buyer, and that it was up to him to secure the buyers agreement and signature on a transfer document.  Despite us contacting *************** over 20 times, he never provided us with the executed transfer forms, so he remains the only one we can look to for payment.  We never tried collecting from the buyers as they are not our client, **************** is.
  Thank you
  Empire Tax Reductions
  dba of ETR, Inc.

  Customer response

  12/29/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   I was never provided any forms from business the only thing they requested was payment. I informed them that property sold provided contact information to new owners and was informed resolved. In addition representative informed me when I signed up prior to sale that I would not be responsible and they would transfer to new seller. Business has not provided any evidence that they provided anything to me. They have continually hounded me for payment of a service I was not provided or benefited from

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

  Business response

  01/25/2023

  *************** retained Empire to grieve the taxes on his property in Nassau County; Empire did os and earned a fee.  That he sold the house does not relieve him from liability as clearly stated in our retainer agreement.  That obligations is transferrable to a buyer but it was up to him to secure the buyer's agreement and signature on a transfer document.  We contacted him no less than 20 times to obtain the transfer document.  This matter was schedule for an arbitration hearing on 12/27/22.  *************** has since paid his outstanding bill and we consider the matter closed.

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  After doing business with this company for many years even recommending many people to them it turns out they have no respect or compassion for someone going through a difficult time. I was lied to and then taken advantage of. In early 2022 I received a bill in the amount of $444.78. which I'm not disputing, but at this time I'm going through a very difficult divorce. Knowing that my ex would not pay and the account being under my name, I was worried the account would then get fees. I phoned explaining the situation, letting them know the home was being sold in just a few months and if they could wait till then payment will be made at that time.Initially the conversations with the girls I spoke with all had led me to believe that I had nothing to worry about quote, "the owner is very reasonable" Reasonable? A couple of months before the house was sold I received a letter demanding payment wanting to charge me $338.92. in fees threatened a law suite and collections if not paid and reminded me that I am under contract. I guess thats their definition of being reasonable. Mind you, in all the years of doing business I was loyal and never missed a payment to them. In order to close this account they were paid On 7/27/2022 in the amount of $725.00 as $280.22 was in fees $100.00 was an early cancellation fee. I would like to be refunded in the amount of $180.22 or the total of $280.22 for the added stress they have caused. Thank You.

  Business response

  10/28/2022

  As a courtesy to the client * ******* I will refund the $169.02 in attorney fees.  I do not see that we ever charged or collected a cancellation fee of $100 as their buyer took over the pending contract.

  Customer response

  11/02/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because: I was not aware the account was taken over. If I was not charged the $100.00 cancellation fee that means they have over charged me $280.22 in fee's. How is that fair? The original bill was for $444.28 and my final payment was $725.00. I would like to be refunded in the amount of $280.22.  

  [Your Answer Here]

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  ******************* invoice was $555.98.  $444.78 was a discounted fee available to clients who paid their invoices within 60 days of invoicing, which ***************** did not chose to avail herself of.  Again, we never charged a $100 cancelation fee as ******************* buyer took over her open contract with us.

  I have offered to refund the collection fees of $169.02 upon her acceptance of this settlement.
  Please advise.

  Thank you

  Customer response

  01/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

    I am aware of the discount for people who pay on time. Thats my complaint. I was told I would not have to worry about any fees other wise it would have been paid. 
  
  Thats how you run a business by telling the clients not to worry to then be threatened with lawsuits months later. Thats a scam. I want my fees refunded of $280. 
  

  thank you.

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

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

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩