ComplaintsforMr. Electric of Columbus

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On November 19, 2023, the Mr. Electric Company performed electric work in my house for an agreed upon price of $649.99. The electrician, Sean, previously told me that a ceiling fan bracket would add to the price, if one was needed. No price was given. I told Sean I wanted to use a $60 ceiling fan installation discount coupon. He replied, "Nah, I'll give you a better discount." On the day of service, Sean told my wife he'd need to install the ceiling fan bracket (no price given). After a less than 5 minute inspection, Sean told my wife he would need to replace the single pole light switch (no price given). The work was completed. My wife signed paperwork indicating the work was done. When I got home I saw the initial agreed upon price increased by almost $300 dollars. I called Mr. Electric for an itemized invoice. I saw the $5 dollar single pole switch with less than 5 minutes of trouble shooting cost me $93.59! Ridiculous. Even on the itemized invoice, there was no indication of a discount of any kind. I spoke with Sean about the matter. A few days later I spoke with a supervisor. I explained I neither received the $60 dollar discount I asked for, nor any other discount according to the invoice. The supervisor said I got discounts on other services that day, but he understood my perspective. I replied that he could show me inflated price lists, but if a discount is not listed on the invoice, it didn't happen. He asked what my resolution would be, I replied I wanted the $60 discount. He said he'd get back to me right away. He never got back with me. The over-inflated pricing for the extra work was never discussed with my wife prior to her receiving the verbal final cost when Sean was ready to leave. I would have never agreed to a $93 dollar light switch that I could have installed myself for $5. Sean was sneaky and did not give me the discount I requested. This is not how we do business. We were happy with the work product, itself.

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  A $62.00 refund check will be mailed to the customer. 

  Customer response

  12/12/2023

  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.  However, if we do not receive the $62.00 dollar refund in a timely manner we will be submitting an additional complaint.
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  03/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  01/19-01/20/23 Mr. Electric charged us $3492.53 to replace our electric panel. -Before work was begun they were made aware that we had a few unidentified circuits in the existing panel (email 01/12/23). -They replied to that email that per NEC code all circuits would be labeled (email 01/13/23). -NEC 384-13 states “All panelboard circuits and circuit modifications shall be legibly identified as to purpose or use on a circuit directory located on the face or inside of the panel doors” -That statement from their management and their public marketing as a “Neighborly” company that has committed itself to the Done Right Promise, were the deciding factors for us to move forward with this upgrade. "We stand behind our workmanship with a promise it will be done right. If your service was not done right, we promise to make it right." -01/22/23 emailed management that the panel schedule was incomplete, inaccurate and unsatisfactory, and that their electrician told my wife it would cost an additional $350 to have the panel schedule completed. -01/23 or 01/24 received voicemail that they would return to the correct panel schedule without additional charge. -01/25/23 electrician returned to property (without a scheduled appointment or prior notification) to work on panel schedule. -02/02/23 No one from Mr. Electric was present at city permit inspection. Inspector did a limited visual inspection and left. -02/19/23 emailed management that we still had unidentified and now mislabeled circuits in our panel. The reply (02/20/23) was that we would have to pay them an additional $275 to have panel circuits identified. -A few attempts to have work complete, find a compromise or to speak with another manager have all been ignored.

  Business response

  03/11/2023

  Business unit manager left a message for the customer on 3.10.23 at 8:38am...LEFT MESSAGE ON RECORDED LINE, TOLD CUSTOMER THAT WE WILL RETURN TO LABEL THIS PANEL AT NO CHARGE ANYTIME NEXT WEEK THAT WORKS FOR HIM

  Customer response

  03/17/2023

  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.  I would like to thank JAMES & JOE for coming out and taking the extra step to trace the unidentified circuits.  I was a little disappointed that it took a while, and a BBB complaint, to get the items addressed and corrected.  But it has been corrected.
  Thank you to the people at the BBB for helping.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Consumer hired business to install 2 video doorbells (front and side) and to put a light to monitor the backyard. Doorbells work but consumer feels installer took short-cuts and went thru the roof over utility room instead of written in the contract. He was supposed to wire from her thermostat to the furnace up to 50' but this was not done and he falsified it and she signed it b/c she trusted him. He told her he could rewrite the estimate to reflect what he did but price would still be the same. He did not do all the work he said he would do. Consumer paid appx $2321.89.

  Business response

  06/08/2022

  We have had two different managers look into the situation to review. Both managers ended up speaking to this customer and explaining that the pricing was fair and accurate. Our managers offered several reasonable solutions to appease the customer, but customer refused all of them. 

  Customer response

  06/10/2022

  Carbon monoxide alarm took it off when it expire day.  Put a regular alarm beside it didn't cost that much.

  Carbon monoxide box was open.  In the utilities room washer & dryer Mr. Electric, used it.

  Mr. Electric needs to come out to mount transformer to box.

  Hot wires exposed  No grommet on box.

  It can catch fire. 
   

  Business response

  06/16/2022

  As previously stated, we have attempted to resolve this customer's original concerns. This letter from the customer seems to state completely different concerns that were never brought to our attention previously. None of the work performed by Mr. Electric has any risk of danger or harm. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had my initial appt on 12/30. The two technicians were to install switches, some of which were dimmer. Everything went well until I noticed that my outdoor lights (which are connected to one of the switches they “installed”) stopped working. I called and requested a follow-up visit. On 1/3 I had a follow-up visit. The tech assured me that he fixed my issue. I checked the outdoor lights and they were working properly. Shortly after the tech left I noticed that the dimmer switch that was previously installed by the first two techs was not working. I immediately called and the customer service rep informed me that they would send the tech back between 1 and 3pm. I called back around 4pm due to the tech not showing. They then dispatched two different techs (one of which had helped during the first appt). The two techs made comments about the previous tech not being a "real" electrician and that he always messes things up. I ignored their sidebar conversations, though I did think they were very inappropriate and unprofessional. The techs couldn’t figure out the issue so they called their manager ****. **** entered my home and didn't speak, he immediately started trying to whisper to the other tech. Once he realized I was staring at him, he walked over to me to say hello and give me his business card. He noted that his presence was part of the company's routine practice and that everything would get worked out. The 3 techs (**** included) continued to troubleshoot and eventually damaged my dimmer switch, so much so that it started to give off a foul odor and could not be used any longer. **** acknowledged the damage and promised to order a new dimmer and refund me. I followed up with **** via email the next day about the refund and follow-up service and he proceeded to explain that he was not going to honor his word. All in all, i spent nearly $400 and am out of a dimmer switch that is very expensive (****** *** *****) and is now out of stock with the merchant.

  Business response

  01/14/2022

  We are refunding the customer for the initial work and our manager is in contact with the customer regarding the dimmer switch.

  Customer response

  01/18/2022

  The merchant has yet to refund me. I have also incurred additional costs due to the dimmer switch being damaged and needing to be replaced. 

   

  Business response

  01/18/2022

  Before we could proceed with a refund, the customer filed a chargeback dispute on the credit card. So we can no longer issue a refund. Instead, we will let the customer's credit card chargeback process and the customer can work with the financial institute to get the money back. We cannot control how long that may take. We could have controlled the time to process a refund. 

*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. ↩