ComplaintsforSwimming Pool Services, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Paid to have a pool opening from the same company that also closed our pool. We paid over $800.00 for a pool opening and nothing was done correctly. They did not attached the hose to drain instead they ripped off our gutter and connected it to our tube. They did not add Chlorine tablets, check the system (that they also closed in the winter) to make sure that it was working correctly. The pool was not cleaned dirt all on the sides and skimmers not working. So even after they vacuumed for more than an hour instead of making sure equipment is running they leave and do not properly leave the pool. I called and spoke to the office and a rude gentleman who was very much debating my complaints finally agreed to send a tech back and said they fixed this and that but come to find out the system is still not working. I called back again and he now wants to charge me when if they did all of this CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME we would not be in this situation as now our pool is not working and we cannot have a graduation party as planned. We want a full refund of all of the services

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  This is ***************************** responding on behalf of Swimming Pool Services. Apologies for the lengthy reply - there are a slew of discrepancies and misunderstandings in the customer's complaint, and I am happy to shed light on each of those. Their assertion that "nothing was done correctly" is a patently false statement. The first of two correct things stated in their complaint is that we "did not attach the hose to the drain". This was a simple oversight by our team, and one that took 30 seconds to resolve in our return visit. We are humans, after all, and it was no trouble to fix this very simple misstep. Their claim that we "ripped off the gutter" is false, never touched it and had no reason to. The second correct statement they made is that we "did not add chlorine tablets". That is not part of a pool opening. Our technician was happy to do so when asked, but this is not part of our standard operating procedure. Our pool opening agreement, which the customer agreed to via email, states that we will add "2 lbs. shock, 1 qt. algaecide and 1 qt. scale inhibitor. We cannot guarantee swimmable water". The customer contradicts themselves when stating "The pool was not cleaned dirt on all sides" and then in the very next sentence state "even after they vacuumed for more than an hour..." - our opening agreement does not mention a "clean pool", as that is a vague expectation that cannot be measured. When a customer hires us to vacuum, we commit to one hour of vacuuming with no assurance that the pool will be free of debris when complete (again, it is relative to the condition of the pool). The customer acknowledges that we vacuumed for over an hour, they simply have an unreasonable expectation of the result. The customer claimed the "skimmers not working". When we vacuum a pool, a lot of water is removed from the pool during this process, which leaves the water level in the pool too low for the skimmers to operate. The customer was told this by our service technician, and informed to fill the pool and shown how to open the skimmers.

  We open 700+ pools, and we follow a regimented procedure to deliver consistent, quality results each time. We are not perfect - our failure to connect the hose to the drain is the only shortcoming we had in this transaction, and that is extremely minor. We sent a team back out to not only connect the hose, but to go far beyond what is typically included for a pool opening. During the second visit, the technician added more chemicals, brushed the pool, replaced a broken pressure gauge, and verified that everything else was done correctly the first time - all at no charge. I have two ************** Technicians who have been to this pool, and other than a drain hose, both concluded everything was done properly. The customer does not understand that two of the photos attached prove that the pool is currently working properly. They do not want to take our advice about very simple next steps, which is to backwash their filter (which is dirty, because it's been grabbing stuff in the pool) and fill the pool to open the skimmers. We could perform these services at a cost, but any pool owner is perfectly capable of completing if they would listen. These are normal "next steps" once a pool is open, not part of the opening as the customer believes.

  I am more than happy to refund the money the customer prepaid for us to close their pool, but I will not refund for the services rendered. The pool opening has been completed, in full, well above and beyond what we would normally do. Everything the customer agreed to has been fulfilled. We recognize that we cannot please everyone, and have already invited the customer to find a new provider for their pool services.

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Scheduled SPS to look at the malfunctioning pool heater of my elderly parents swimming pool, for 8/3/22. The heater would start but then quickly shut off. Two technicians arrived. They spent a lot of time trying to diagnose the problem, including, I am told by office staff *****, calling a diagnosis center which is protocol, if they can not diagnose the issue themselves. We were told by SPS technicians the heater would need a brand new ************ at a cost of $1,200 plus installation. My parents declined to order the part. They were charged $300 for the diagnosis.When I discussed that my parents would not have a working heater this summer, with a friend of mine, my friend took a look at the heater and told me right away that the inlet and outlet hoses were hooked up backwards. Apparently this is a very basic troubleshooting point. It was overlooked by the "professionals" from Swimming Pool Services, that charged my parents $300 for their misdiagnosis. Once the hoses were switched the heater didn't shut off like it did before we called SPS, it worked great! It is still working great!Imagine if my folks would have spent $1200 plus installation for the new board and the heater still didn't work! And it would not have worked unless the inlet and outlet hoses were switched to the proper position.I made contact with SPS office staff on 8/4/22, 8/10/22 and 8/16/22 requesting a refund for the misdiagnosis. I was told by ***** who had consulted with the supervisor and then the owner, that because the technicians followed protocol, by calling the diagnostic 'hotline' that my folks would not be getting any kind of refund. What kind of integrity is that? It is not very responsible to be wrong but still take the money for the expert service you offer but the customer did not receive. I feel like they stole $300 from my elderly parents. My dad is 98 and my mom has vascular dementia.My mother paid by Credit card that I gave office staff over the phone.

  Business response

  10/18/2022

  To whom it may concern,

   

  I am willing to execute a refund in full. I do want to clear up a few details that were missing from the complaint. We specialize in providing service for inground swimming pools, and informed the customer of that when the service inquiry was made on 7/29/22. When arriving at the property, our technicians immediately discovered that the customer owns an above ground pool, which we do not service. This fact is what leads me to say that this customer is deserving of a refund, simply because our service technicians did not follow our protocol. They should have informed the customer that we would be unable to make this repair. However, due to their helpful nature in wanting to assist the customer, they proceeded with attempting to diagnose the heater. Where we fell short in misdiagnosing the heater issue is due to the fact that, since we do not service above ground pools, checking to ensure the plumbing is correct is not part of our standard operating procedure. With inground pools, the equipment is never disconnected from the plumbing, and therefore would never be plumbed in backwards. With above ground pools, in which the plumbing is routinely disconnected for winterization and then reconnected in the spring, this makes sense that it would be the first thing to check. An above ground service provider would undoubtedly check that first, but alas, we do not service above ground pools. This provides one more example that we will provide to our team when they ask "why not".

   

  Let me know how to proceed with the refund. The customer paid us $328.13. We can send them a check or refund to a credit card, whichever they prefer.

   

  Thank you for the feedback, and for helping us to get better.

  --

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

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

*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. ↩