ComplaintsforSmart Choice Heating & Cooling Inc

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  8/9/2024 Hired to fix air conditioning, added a part and air conditioning still did not work. Came out again and ran a line thru the attic, air conditioning still did not work. Requested refund and was told it was work they "had" to do to make it safe. I paid for a repair that I didn't receive, and was told by management that I was "infuriating". We do not want this company to return.

  Business response

  09/05/2024

  Please see attached documents

  1. ******** complaint response

  2. Receipt for goods and services received by ********

  3. Photo of burnt out part that we replaced due to fire hazard liability

  4. 5 star review from customer after our diagnosis and initial repair

  5. No charge invoice for new tstat wire

  Customer response

  09/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 22233893
  
  I am rejecting this response because: vendors representative told us the problem was repaired which was why we paid him.  If vendor would have reviewed Nest issue, which we requested he do, issue would have been resolved.  Instead he went out to air conditioning unit and replaced something that had been working properly for 15 years.  It worked and did not need to be replaced.  Vendor returned and spent hours in our attic replacing the electrical line, which again did not resolve the issue.  Vendor was hired to repair issue, instead they replaced a part that didnt need to be replaced and ran a new power line thru our attic, which didnt need to be replaced either.  In the end technician agreed it was the Nest thermostat.

  1.  They didnt seem to know how to access what was wrong with the air conditioning 

  2.  Replaced item that did not need replacing 

  3.  Job they were hired to do was not repaired

  4. Its 102 and our air conditioning wasnt working

  5.  Funds for work not completed need to be returned to my credit card
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  Response to Complaint: 22233893

  
  I will include customer complaints in quotes and my responses will follow.

  
  Complaint:I am rejecting this response because: vendors representative told us the problem was repaired which was why we paid him.

  
  Our first visit to the customers home was on 8/9/2024 to complete a diagnostic for their system. We follow a procedure to trouble shoot why an HVAC system is failing. This involves looking at the whole system.  The customer was charged a flat rate of $147 plus tax for the diagnostic performed that day.  The customer paid for this diagnostic on 8/9/24 and we are not willing to refund this charge.
  Our technician also replaced a burnt-out contactor on 8/9/24.  I will explain why this was necessary below.
  The charge for the new contactor installation was ****** plus tax.  We are not willing to refund this charge.  The total cost for the 8/9/24 Visit was $431.62. 
  The customer paid for work they received on 8/9/24.  The customer knew their system was NOT fully repaired.They paid for the work we completed and also accepted our new estimate(pdf attached) to come back and do what we thought would be the ultimate repair needed to fix their issue. 

  
  Complaint: 2.  Replaced item that did not need replacing Instead he went out to air conditioning unit and replaced something that had been working properly for 15 years. It worked and did not need to be replaced. 

  
  The customer had bypassed a safety feature to keep their system running.  The coil on the contactor was burnt out but the customer used a pin and clip of some kind to hold in the safety feature to keep it from resetting. This safety feature is like the gfci in an outlet, for your reference. In our earlier response we attached a photo of the burnt-out contactor.
   As a reputable business, we cannot overlook bypassing safety settings. This repair was essential. We would not continue with the diagnostic having such a liability in place. Again, I will reiterate that the customer paid for a diagnostic and the replacement of a broken part where they were bypassing a safety setting and creating a potential fire hazard for their home. Total cost for 8/9/24 visit was $431.62.  We are not willing to refund this charge.
  
  
  Complaint: 3.  Job they were hired to do was not repaired

  
  The customer knew their system was not working on 8/9/24 and agreed to have us come back on 8/12/24
  Estimate # ***** was accepted by the customer on 8/9.  The total cost of the projected work would be $392.02 after tax.
  When this repair did not fix the customers problem on 8/12/24 WE DID NOT CHARGE THEM FOR THIS WORK.
  The screenshot attached documents the activity regarding this estimate for future work.  Estimate was both sent to the customer and approved by them on 8/9/24. The future repair was scheduled for 8/12/24
  
  We returned on 8/12/24. The new wire we installed for the customer did not fix their issue so we did not charge them at all for the new wire installation.
  The only charges the customer paid us for were services they received on 8/9/24
  
  Complaint: 1.  They didnt seem to know how to access what was wrong with the air conditioning 

  
  Our technician found atypical damage to the backplate of the thermostat 8/12/24, which he did not find during our original diagnosis.  Therefore, to be fair with the customer we did not charge them for any of the work on 8/12/24 since it did not fix their issue. 
  
  In conclusion, we have only charged the customer for services they agreed to and received. We understand that the customers issue is not fixed and have attempted to communicate with and assist them further.  Weve demonstrated our desire to deal fairly with the customer by NOT charging them $392.03 for additional time & work we performed when it did not resolve their issue.

  
  

  Customer response

  09/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 22233893
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  OMG....so many lies!

  We did not approve the installation of the new contactor, we were anticipating the initial $147 to tell us what the issue was.  We were not notified that the technician was replacing the part....it did nothing to repair the situation.  Again, if he would have taken a look at the thermostat, he would have been out in 15 minutes.   It did not correct the issue we hired them to repair.  We were not advised he was replacing the contactor.  "After" the work was completed the technician provided us with a statement for the work.  We paid in good faith that our air conditioner would work.  It did not.  The air conditioner had worked perfectly for over 15 years just the way it was. He then said he would return and run the wire in the attic as that was the issue.  He returned and spent two hours running a new line in the attic. Still no working air conditioner.  At that point, he said "well it must be the thermostat".  When he first arrived on 8/9 my husband said I think the thermostat is the issue.  At that time he blew him off.  There was no original diagnosis on 8/9 of the thermostat (as stated above).  Technician didn't even look at it.  When reviewing the estimates they were approved thinking this company knew what it was doing.  We would have never approved the estimates for work that didn't correct the issue we hired them for.  Still no working air condiioner.  

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

  Business response

  09/23/2024

  Complaint ID: ********

   

  The customer, ***** ******** somehow got her credit card company to reverse her legitimate payment to our company.  Here is a screen shot of the reversal.  Please make a note of this in the resolution of the complaint.  Especially since now our company has lost money and have a false claim against us. I can send more info as needed.

• Initial Complaint

  04/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of Transaction: April 15, 2024.Business did not give me a quote prior to working on the system and then the bill came as a surprise. Technician just cited that everything just got more expensive. The part I searched for was less than $200.00. Final Bill was $1154.06. I asked for an explanation of charges and a breakdown. The company was also unable to give me a breakdown of services, parts and labor citing the use of flat pricing. Not sure how the *** would find their books but the *** will be another stop for my complaint later this week.

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  *************************.pdf attached

  Customer response

  04/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21578674
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  1. Please provide a screenshot here of the e-mail you allegedly sent of the estimate. 

      I did not receive this and the work should be confirmed AFTER confirmation of the estimate has been received NOT BEFORE.

      In my opinion, this is a dishonest practice which preys on consumers. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  Please see the attachments

  pdf 5.2.24 response (our written response to the current complaint)

  png ******** activity feed(screenshot proof of estimate sent before the work was completed and the email address to which is was sent)

  pdf Direct email communication (proof that the customer is communicating with us at the email address the estimate was sent to)

   

  Customer response

  05/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21578674
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I never delete any e-mail. I still have an invoice from them from 2020 and looking at my search there is  none in my Inbox on the date they claimed. If this is the case, there have a more deeply rooted issue and can not be trusted, they are assuming that customers have received an e-mail because their system says so and we all know that systems never go wrong. Correct? I have worked IT for 18 years and IT systems are not perfect. This is a perfect example of this company not listening to their customers. Avoid them at all costs.  If the rep at my home just double checked with the customer, an assumption that the customer agrees could have been avoided. This company is also assuming, for all you elderly customers out there, that you are constantly on your Phones or e-mails. Another assumption they have made is that the e-mail was read prior to the rep fixing the issue. I'm pretty sure I read it after. 

  I also find it interesting is that they send a screenshot of the invoice and not the screenshot of the actual pre-service quote. 

  This is a company that makes a lot of assumptions. 

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

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 7/6/2022 Smart Choice Heating and Cooling removed the existing 20 yr old unit and replace with a ****** air conditioner. The owner of Smart Choice, **** sold us the unit. He was all about being a family owned business, that went the extra mile and knew what customer service was all about. Prior to the install, prep work and evaluation of the crawl space were completed, stating everything was excellent, with install booked. Nine months later, April, *********************************** the crawl space. The extermination company confirmed that the sole point of entry was the hose on the air conditioner, which they sealed. We notified Smart Choice and they sent out the owner's son, *******. We believe he was also present during the install. He confirmed that they merely connected the new hose with the existing opening, but thought nothing of either sealing it or letting us know there was a potential problem. He said to email over the bill for extermination and clean up, which was $4,000. Last Monday he sent back an email with no apology, simply stating they weren't responsible. You pay professionals to identity potential problems and solve them. The problem with Smart Choice is they either lack the skill set to identify a potential problem or don't care, and judging from their response, it appears to be the latter, We feel that, were it not for Smart Choices' negligence in not sealing the air conditioning hose, we would not have had a rodent infestation in our crawl space and a $4,000 bill. As such, they should own it, apologize for shoddy install and be responsible for the bill.

  Business response

  07/18/2022

  Re: Better Business Bureau ******** 15 Jul 22

  
  Dear *******,

  We installed an AC unit to include connecting to an existing drain line. All openings (penetrations)
  related to the install were sealed with foam and/or sheet metal per our standard practice. Were happy
  to address additional issues when requested. Please see attached pictures related to both the drain line
  issue and our sealed AC install penetrations.

  As our website proclaims, we desire to provide trustworthy and quality HVAC service. We currently have
  over **** reviews postedof which less than 20 are under 5-stars. We believe that providing exemplary
  work is reflected in these reviews.

  Sincerely yours,
  ****

  
  *******************
  Smart Choice Heating & Cooling
  Owner

  Customer response

  07/19/2022

   
  Complaint: 17451309
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The company attached to the existing drain line as stated in their response.  They did not point out or review with us the gaps around the existing drain line that needed to be sealed.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** And *************************

  Business response

  08/12/2022

  Re: Complaint 17451309
  
  
  Dear Resolutions Specialist,
  
  
  A letter dated 15 Jul 22 was addressed to ******* and described our installation procedure for a new AC. Pictures included show the sealed penetrations as well as a view of the cleared drain line termination (photo #6 dated 2 Jul 21). No evidence of an entry point for rodents appeared at that time.
  
  
  Photos #7 & #8 (dated 5 Jun 22) show the drain line exit through the now exposed foundation vent (not visible at installation) and additional work by the homeowner to better secure the drain termination. 
  
  
  At the time of installation, had the entire foundation vent not been covered by dirt, the vent screen opening around the drain line would have been visible and correction would have been advised.
  
  
  In order to invite a third-party opinion, we requested an evaluation by our insurance carrier and received a copy of the following reply to the homeowner:
  
  
  Based upon our investigation, there has been no evidence provided that proves any legal liability or negligence on the part of Smart Choice Heating & Cooling, **** for your rodent infestation.
  
  As such your claim against Smart Choice Heating & Cooling, **** is hereby denied. If you have additional information that would warrant a change in our liability position, please forward it to us for reconsideration. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  PDF of the letter to ******* (with photos) is attached.

  Customer response

  08/17/2022

   
  Complaint: 17451309
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The vent where the drain pipe exits was completely exposed just as in the attached pictures.  And why would they attach into an existing drain where they couldn't see it exit because it was covered with dirt?  Or is that typical of their caliber of work?
  Sincerely,
  
  *** And *************************

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  Based upon our investigation, there has been no evidence provided that proves any legal liability or negligence on the part of Smart Choice Heating & Cooling, ****
  for your rodent infestation.
  
  As such your claim against Smart Choice Heating & Cooling, **** is hereby denied. If you have additional information that would warrant a change in our liability position, please forward it to us for reconsideration. 
  Thank you,
  
  ***************************
  Litigation Claims Analyst | Claim Department

  We have been absolved of any negligence or liability for your rodent infestation, therefore, there will be no further discussion of this matter with you.

   

*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. ↩