ComplaintsforRoto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service

• Initial Complaint

  03/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had some plumbing work done on 4/8/23. They had come out to fix a pipe that had been tapped by the people who owned the house before us. The tapped pipe had fallen in and caused a clog in our system. They had fixed it and charged us over 2000$ in total for all the times they came out. When they got done fixing the pipe, they had left a big hole in our yard and another hole near the end of our road. They said that they would be back Monday , 4/13/23, to fill it in. They never showed up to fill it in. We called their office twice and they told us that they were never going to come out to fill it in and said they would call us back. We waited hours and no call back from them. We are still experiencing problems with it. We are not able to run our dishwasher and washer without it blocking all the pipes and filling the hole with sewer water. While our machines are running we cannot flush our toilets and water wont go down the drain.

  

  Business response

  03/16/2023

  Thank you for reaching out. According to our records, we first came out after hours on 12/20/22 to unclog a sewer line. After the drain cleaning, we recommended a video inspection of the line. On 12/23/22 the camera was sold, and on 12/29/22 the camera was completed. On 12/29/22 We located a break and gave the customer an estimate to fix the located area and install clean out. The work was completed on 3/16/23. While completing the work, we inspected further down line and found an additional area crushed at the road. We were not able to diagnose this the first time as it was past the original break and therefore unreachable by our equipment. We gave an additional estimate to repair that section. We explained to the customer that the break near the road needed to be repaired, otherwise there would be additional issues. As of 3/16 we are waiting on the customer approval. Initial work was inspected 3/15. It passed inspection and was scheduled to be back filled today. They are currently on site.

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The week of January 16th, 2023 I was having new showers installed. When the installer ripped out my old shower in my small bathroom he discovered an issue that I needed to call a plumber for. Roto-rooter was the quickest plumber I could get out. I was in a hurry because my new shower couldn't be installed until the issue was resolved. The technician came and was at my house MAYBE 5 mins. He did NO work and what he told the guy installing my shower to do was completely incorrect. Had he done what the technician said and installed the shower it would've costed me thousands probably within a month. Thank goodness my shower installer was looking out for me! He told me to get a 2nd opinion which I did and sure enough, what the Roto-rooter guy told my shower guy to do was TOTALLY wrong! I contacted Roto-rooter and requested a refund. The man who called me didn't believe a word I said and after I explained to him what transpired he said "let me call the technician and see what was said and I'll get back to you...." That was days ago! I paid $55 on 1/19/23 for totally wrong information and then had to pay $257.50 to the plumber I had come out the next morning to fix what Roto-rooter wouldn't. I just want my money back.

  

  Business response

  02/06/2023

  On 1/19/2023 Ms. ******* contacted our office looking for a technician to respond same day. Ms. ******* informed us that she was having two bathrooms remodeled and wanted to have a drain line and a vent line moved. Upon arrival, our technician was met by Ms. *******'s contractor and was told that he was just looking for professional advice. Our technician was told that she (the customer) did not want an estimate and we would not be allowed to cut into any walls or remove any insualtion to evaluate the situation. Our technician was not able to perform a full diagnosis or able to speak to the customer directly without the contractor present. The technician did not leave an estimate and answered the one question that was asked on the invoice. Can we use the existing vent line? The customer was charged a dispatch fee only as we did not have the ability to perform a full inspection and or make a professional recommendation. 

  I believe the $55.00 fee is more than fair.

  Customer response

  02/06/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. 
  This response is absolutely laughable!!!! And nothing but LIES! First of all they ADMIT that I called wanting to have a drain line and vent line MOVED!! Yes. WHY would I call for that reason and then NOT allow him to do what I called for in the first place?!?! My shower installation COULD NOT continue without that line being MOVED because it was in the way of the shower pan. My shower installer was not comfortable doing any work regarding the vent line himself which is WHY we called for assistance in the first place. The technician took ONE look at it and told my shower installer to just cut and cap the vent pipe and tie it into the one underneath the vanity. The one under the vanity does not lead to the roof like a shower vent pipe must. He wasn't even going to cut and cap it himself...just told my shower installer to do it. Never did we say that he couldn't do what he needed to because the bathroom was already a mess anyway and the wall had been cut into to work on the plumbing for the new shower. This is ridiculousness! It is also untrue that he couldn't speak to me without the contractor present. I spoke to the technician myself and ALONE before he left and I asked him NOW ARE YOU SURE???? He again confirmed the WRONG information. OBVIOUSLY there was no estimate left because he wasn't willing to do any work. I had to call and have a REAL plumber come out the next morning to do what he wouldn't. There was NEVER any QUESTION OR ADVICE being asked...I called to have it MOVED. Plain and simple...it HAD to be moved! And WAS moved the next morning by a different plumber!!! As soon as the Roto Rooter technician left, my shower installer wouldn't do what the technician said because HE KNEW it was WRONG and told me to get a second opinion...which I did. And in the process of trying to find another plumber quickly I spoke to multiple other plumbers who couldn't come out but they told me over the phone that Roto Rooter was wrong. It's disgusting that they won't admit they were wrong and it truly makes me wonder how many other folks they are ripping off! It's not even about the money...it's the PRINCIPLE of it. If they don't want to refund my $55 I will gladly send them the $257.50 bill that I had to pay IN ADDITION to the $55 to get what ACTUALLY needed to be done, done!!! I am LIVID!!!
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They cancelled our appt for no reason when we called they refused to come out we spent over 7000 in two weeks and then when we had a problem they didn’t have time for that. Rude when we called the technician hung on me when I complained I emailed to ask the owner to contact me and to date she has not very poor company after you pay them. They are thrilled with you we have also contacted the manufacturer to report their services. Beware to customers- do not use them

  

  Business response

  09/19/2022

  September 12, 2022
  
  
  Dear Mr. S******,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to communicate why our service did not meet your
  expectations. We have every desire to address your needs and provide the best solution
  available to resolve your issue as soon as possible.
  
  Please accept our sincerest apology for any inconvenience these issues have caused. We
  appreciate you bringing this to our attention and giving us the chance to make it right. Our
  goal is to retain you as a satisfied customer and we hope to resolve this issue and continue
  serving you in the future.
  
  As of September 12, 2022 we have attempted to contact you on three occasions and have
  left a voicemail with Mrs. S******. The phone number we have for you rings to a voicemail
  that is full. If you could please call our office and ask to speak to Robbie or Richard, we would
  like to discuss your services and what we can do to resolve your issues.
  
  Thank You,
  Dustin L*******
  
  
  
  Dustin L*******
  General Manager
  Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service
  ****************** ************
  
  
  
  office number ****************** *** ****** **** ***** ******** ****************** *********** ** *****

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Transaction ocurred on 1/20/2022 The employee who came to preform the service cursed the entire time. Our toliet was snaked and augered. I was told there was not a clog and the septic tank would have to be dug up. The septic tank was dug and the employee informed me it was full and needed to be pumped. They did not refill the hole that was dug. We had another company come out the following day, 1/21/22. They completely dug up the septic tank and found it was not fill. The Roto Rooter employee the previous day did not uncover the septic tank completely. They snaked the drain and discovered it was a clog in the main pipe that they were able to undo. At no point did the septic need to be dug up. The employee of Roto Rooter told us that there was no clog and the septic tank needed to be pumped. The real problem was indeed a clog. I feel that this company has wronged us and scammed us out of money. We paid $285.05 for him to unclog the toliet, which he never did. I have photo proof of the clog, the clog when it was taken out, and the normal level septic tank. I am looking for a full refund from this company. Service was done by Roto Rooter of Anderson, SC. Attached are pictures of the septic tank being at a normal level, the pipe unlcogged, and the septic tank completely dug up. The picture of the small hole is what the Roto Rooter employee dug. All other pictures are from the other company used on 1/21.

  

  Business response

  03/11/2022

  the total amount has been refunded to her credit card.

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June 2020 my 16yrs old sewer pump went off and I've called roto-rooter to replace it, as they have originally installed the pump in 2004. In October, just a year and 3 months after they installed the new pump, it stopped working. I've contacted them again and the technician Cortland B*** shows up on October 7, 2021, and he wants to charge me for a new pump, which I refused because just a year ago I have them replacing a 16yrs pump and it didn't make any sense for the pump to go off just after a year. After hours of back and forth, Joe his manager showed up and said I have to get my sewer pumped or they would not replace my pump. They gave me no other option, but to pay for an unnecessary cleanup and for the labor for the installation of a new pump, which cost me another $818.75 (labor & cleanup), which is basically the cost of a new pump. Courtland installed the new pump before the tank was cleaned as he had suggested. I questioned why he was doing that and he said he would install but would not turn the pump on until after it gets clean. The tank was cleaned 5 days later on October 12 and Courtland never showed up to turn the pump on. On December 15 another technician Joe L********* showed up after I called them, and because I was on vacation and there was nobody in the house, he left without turning the pump on. That was 3 months after they installed the 2nd pump. I called them again and on January 4th the technician Nick M****** showed up to turn the pump on unsuccessfully. They spent about 5hrs trying to figure out the problem. They had no clue what was going on, After another hour, he realized the pump they installed in June 2020 & the 2nd pump installed in October 2021 was 115 volts when they should have been 230volts. I want a refund for what I've paid and the pump replaced. I have docs from 2004 to prove they installed the wrong pump and I shouldn't have to pay for anything. As of today 1/15/2021 the problem has not been resolved and they haven't contac

  

  Business response

  03/04/2022

  Good morning,

   

     Just follow up on this email, we have resolved this issue back in January, we had to order a special size pump which we received and installed for customer on 1/25/22. We refunded her money back for the work that Cortland did on October 7th, she never paid for the pumping so we have removed that charge. Everything is working at her house and last I spoke with her she is good. 

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