Boulden Brothers

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below The message from the business is incorrect in many ways This complaint has not been reviewed by the Revdex.com before, and thus hasn’t been closed The credit card claim was never closed in favor of Boulden I never had another company previously perform work on the systemIt was that way when I moved in the house I called the OEM and they told me the part needed was available, and even I double checked and found multiple vendors with it in stock at competitive prices I never signed the work order stating that the pump installation was to my satisfactionThey got my roommate to sign it because I never did I never asked for a new toilet systemI asked for them to honor their 100% Satisfaction Guarantees which says that “If you are not 100% satisfied with the service we provided, we will refund all of your money If our plumbers smoke or swear in your home; are not drug-free; do not wear shoe covers or leave your home without cleaning up, you do not pay for the service” because I was not satisfied and the plumber did not clean upIt was actually the Boulden management who tried to upsell and charge me thousands of dollars more for something that their plumber never recommended The appeal process for my credit card has already ended Boulden’s response also did not address how the work done was deficient and incompleteI even had their work professionally inspected and the report showed how it was unsafe and not up to industry standards I would like Boulden to acknowledge their statements and low quality work, and also to honor their warranty

This complaint has already been reviewed once by Revdex.com and closed
Client has also reported this claim to his credit card company, the credit card company opened an investigation and closed the case in Boulden's favor Client then appealed that decision, and reopened the case
/>
The client had another company previously perform work on the system, the job was not done correctly and resulted in the sewage pump failing We gave the client options, and the client chose to just replace the pump The OEM pump was not available, but a replacement was that required modification to the installation
After the pump was install and working, the client signed the work order stating everything was installed to their satisfaction
The client complained the pump replacement was not what he was expecting and wanted a new toilet system Boulden Plumbing offered to apply the cost of replacing the pump towards the install of a new system, or remove the pump and refund the money paid Client did not want to do either option, stating he just wanted his money back
At this point in time, the credit card company has refunded his payment while we are going through the appeal process

The client has already been refunded by the credit card merchant The 100% guarantee was offered to the client, but he refused to allow us to remove our parts to issue his refund We also offered to credit the amount towards the replacement Client declined both offers and went through his credit card merchant

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
The message from the business is incorrect in many
ways.
This complaint has not been reviewed by the Revdex.com before,
and thus hasn’t been closed.
The credit card claim was never closed in favor of
Boulden.
I never had another company previously perform work on
the system. It was that way when I moved in the house.
I called the OEM and they told me the part needed was
available, and even I double checked and found multiple vendors with it in
stock at competitive prices.
I never signed the work order stating that the pump
installation was to my satisfaction. They got my roommate to sign it because I
never did.
I never asked for a new toilet system. I asked for them
to honor their 100% Satisfaction Guarantees which says that “If you are not
100% satisfied with the service we provided, we will refund all of your money.
If our plumbers smoke or swear in your home; are not drug-free; do not wear
shoe covers or leave your home without cleaning up, you do not pay for the
service” because I was not satisfied and the plumber did not clean up. It was actually
the Boulden management who tried to upsell and charge me thousands of dollars
more for something that their plumber never recommended.
The appeal process for my credit card has already ended.
Boulden’s response also did not address how the work
done was deficient and incomplete. I even had their work professionally
inspected and the report showed how it was unsafe and not up to industry
standards.
I would like Boulden to acknowledge their false
statements and low quality work, and also to honor their warranty.

Review: Lived here for 17 years and Boulden installed the tank when we first moved in. Several years ago my husband and I divorced. Problems started with Boulden. Lots of "misunderstandings". Last winter they agreed to deliver on an as needed basis. The last few times they delivered they asked me to sign an updated contract since my ex husbands name wasn't on anything. I asked repeatedly for a version of the contract that did NOT commit me in writing to another 5 years of service. I kept asking and none was never provided. Last fill was around January. Again the discussion was that they wanted a signed updated contract before they'd fill again. I asked for the version that had that clause removed. It was NEVER provided.

Propane is an essential utility and provides all of my family's heat and hot water.

The last week of June 2015 I was away on vacation. I come home to one voice mail and one letter stating they were scheduling to remove the tank, which meant my family would have no propane. It was after their business hours so I emailed them to state they did not have permission to remove the tank. Since I've been here for 17 years with their tank already, I want a contract they did not lock me into a long term commitment. On Aug 3 someone named [redacted] called me. He reassured me this was their standard contract and he promised I would not be locked into a long term commitment. I agree to send in the contract, which I do with a cover letter repeating what I thought he said. On Aug 5 he left me a voicemail saying he wanted the contract immediately and told me to fax. I called him back, got his voicemail, and asked for email address instead of fax. He NEVER called me back.

On the morning of Friday August 7th I didn't hear my phone ring but I found a voice mail from [redacted] at Boulden: she stated they didn't see my paperwork come in yet, so they were sending out a truck THIS AFTERNOON to disconnect my propane and take the tank. I called back immediately. I had to cancel my morning plans and return to my home office desk to email over another copy, now that I had the email address. This was a huge inconvenience. I attached the cover letter. NO REPLY. I emailed asking if she got it. I spent Friday worrying if my family would lose our propane service. Keep in mind we do NOT owe Boulden any money and we have always paid on time.

On Monday I still had not heard anything from anyone at Boulden, so I emailed [redacted] again. She stated owner was out of town for a few days, and once she had a chance to talk to him someone would contact me back "within 2 business days". So far we still have NOT heard back regarding that.

At this point I asked we sever our business relationship. Their contract offers the option of customer buying out the tank. I asked if this was an option. My tank is 17 years old, and my research shows they're only good for 20-25 years. Buying the tank would save Boulden money and me a lot of hassle. She insisted she send a tech out to check my yard to make sure the fencing and trees planted since 1997 wouldn't interfere with removal.

Today the technical Wayne arrived. His primary purpose was NOT to survey to see how difficult removal would be. He was sent out "to install a lock on the tank so nobody else could fill it". I felt lied to because this was never mentioned to me, and I never suggested I'd have another company fill their tank.

So as soon as he left, I write her another email. To date I have NOT heard back from [redacted] or the owner. I have not gotten an answer on if we can buy the tank. I've never gotten an apology for the threat of removal without notice. And I don't understand why my tank was locked when all I want to do is legitimately pay them for it -or- schedule them to remove it.

They have a signed contract on file for me. I feel they are not living up to their end of the contract. It isn't acceptable to lie about the purpose of a visit, threaten to cut off a family's utility with a few hours notice & no money owed, forget to return phone calls and letters, and generally not take responsibility for the situation.Desired Settlement: 1. I need to know a price to buy out the value of this old tank. I need to know this immediately because if Boulden refuses to sell it to me, I must order a replacement tank in advance. I will pay fair market price for a tank that's 17-18 years old, Boulden will issue me paperwork showing ownership & will remove their fill lock.

2. OR: If Boulden refuses to sell me the old tank, I need assurances Boulden will remove the tank in a professional manner. I want the yard restored to how it looked before they begin digging. I want their assurances no damage will occur to my fencing or landscaping. I will not be left with an empty hole or a sinkhole. I will empty the tank and notify them when they can schedule the removal, which should be in the next 1-2 months I'd expect.

3. I need Boulden to return phone calls and/or letters in a timely manner and to give me consistent answers. It would be nice if they apologized for what I believe has been unprofessional treatment. It's not ok to leave a voicemail threatening someone at 10am that their home will have no propane at 5pm, especially when I called 2 days before asking how to send it faster and NOBODY replied. Or their intentional misrepresentation today about having a tech look at my yard when he was actually here to lock my tank.

4. Boulden should agree they will not cut off any of their customer's propane utility service when no money is owed and no advance written notice is provided. Their contract mandates customers give 30 days written notice to schedule termination. They should be held to the same 30 day rule they demand their customers follow.

Either way I believe it's in everyone's best interest if I no longer do business with Boulden. I'm sorry I had to do this complaint, but I've spent hours emailing and calling, and I just cannot get this resolved any other way.

Business

Response:

[redacted] is no longer employed by us and his last day was August 6th which caused a gap in communication on our part and we apologize for that. Our responses to the Desired Settlement are:1) Our current insurance company does not allow us to sell tanks so we cannot give Ms. [redacted] a price on the tank.2) We will remove the tank in a professional manner upon notice from Ms. [redacted] that the tank is empty in a period not to exceed 90 days. We will require up to two weeks notice to schedule the removal and will need the ground to be dry and firm to minimize the impact to the property. Ms. [redacted] will need to move her truck and trailer so we can access the yard through the gate and avoid damaging the fence. We will back fill the hole and any other areas disturbed during the removal and put down grass seed. We will contact Miss Utility to mark any public utilities on the property but will require a hold harmless agreement signed to release us from liability in the event of damage to any private (homeowner) owned utilities. (IE. sprinklers, private electric lines, etc.) Copy attached.3) Ms. [redacted] has been in email contact with Stephanie in our office. At this point we believe email is the best form of communication for both parties to avoid further miscommunication. If Ms. [redacted] would feel more comfortable she can cc: [redacted] which will forward to [redacted]4) We will consider this.If this is acceptable to Ms. [redacted] we ask that she email [redacted] with her approval.

Review: I had a yearly Total Care Plan with Boulden to service my AC, propane heating system, hot water system and circuit box. A technician certified the propane system in November (2012) as excellent, yet failed to detect the corroding pipe on the airscoop. A technician certified the hot water system on May 23 2013 yet he failed to see a corroded pipe above the air scoop that failed on 3 August 2013 resulting in water draining over the propane heater leaving rust and water damage in the basement. A tech responded in a timely manner on 5 August, but estimated the cost a $1000-$1500 claiming he might have to bled the radiators of air in every room of the house. Another company came in a repaired the plumbing work for $360. That price included work unrelated to the failed pipe and air scoop. I contacted a supervisor to ask why my system had been certified in working order in Novermber 2012 as excellent and the hot water (I have hot water heat and hot water together) as recently as May 2013. The pipe did not fail in a month and a half. He did not respond with an answer for 4 days, 6 days after the initial failure. I had no hot water during this time.

This supervisor[redacted] told me I had refused an inspection of pipes in my upstairs bathroom and under the sink in the kitchen, which is true. But the pipe failure was part of both the heating system and hot water in the basement both certified in November 2012 and in May 2013.

I contacted the supervisor of the supervisor [redacted] and was told he was in a meeting. I left a voicemail asking for an explanation of a certification that missed a corroded part of the system resulting in failure and water damage. I also asked him to cancel my service contract. That was August 19th. I have not received an answer from him and my contract was not cancelled until I had to make yet another call and talked to [redacted] today, Sept. 4.

I do not know the extent of potential damage to my propane heater. I also had water cleanup in the basement.Desired Settlement: .would like to be refunded the cost of the service contract I have been paying monthly since October 23, 2012

Business

Response:

Customer was quoted repairs on visit, client declined. Client also decline to have the inspection of the plumbing.

Under our 100% satisfaction guarantee, we will refund the customer's request.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. If

as part of their 100% guarantee,” all money back from the date they came to service your system and didn’t flag the issue with the tank and all monthly fees charged since.

Review: On 8/18/15, [redacted], a technician for Boulden Brothers was sent to my home to address an issue with my air conditioning unit. It was not producing cool air. After assessing the situation and performing a leak search, he informed me that it was three insignificant leaks in the coils and that the refrigerant was low. He said the leaks would amount t to less than a half an ounce of Freon loss over a year's time and my unit would require 7-8 pounds of Freon. I agreed to replace the Freon which ended up being 7.5 lbs. The total for the leak search and the Freon was $794.00. At no time did [redacted] mention replacing the coils because at the time my unit was and is still under warranty and if he had mentioned the coils, I would have contacted the company with whom I originally purchased the unit. On 8/21/15, I had the original installer of the unit come out to assess why the Freon had leaked from the unit and showed him the invoice from Boulden Brothers for the amount of Freon purchased. After assessing the inside and outside portion of the unit, he informed me that there were three major leaks in the coils and that a large portion of the Freon input on 8/18/15 was lost. In addition, he stated that Freon should never have been placed in the unit on 8/18/15 with the severity of the leaks in the coils. The original installer replaced the coil and Freon under the warranty. I contacted Boulden Brothers on 8/22/15 and spoke with [redacted]. I informed him of what the original installer stated about his technician [redacted] should not have replaced the Freon and that I felt it was misrepresentation on his technician, [redacted]'s part. I would not have paid over $500 for Freon knowing the coils had a major leak and Freon would just leak back out. I was informed by [redacted] that [redacted], the manager would call me back on Monday 8/24/15. [redacted] did not return the call. However, on Tuesday 8/25/15, [redacted] called back and stated there was nothing Boulden Brothers would do for me since I signed the invoice.Desired Settlement: I would like either all or a portion of the money that I paid for Freon refunded due to deceit.

Business

Response:

Our technician found the system low on refrigerant and gave an estimate for adding refrigerant and performing a leak search. The client approved the estimate and the work was completed.The result of the leak search found the coil was leaking, our technician then recommended that the coil be replaced, at that time the client declined to have the coil replaced.We have attached the approved estimate to add the refrigerant and perform the leak search, and also the invoice stating the work was completed and we recommended replacing the coil.

Consumer

Response:

Review: The scheduling of the work and the quality of the work was very good. I accept responsibility for not requesting an estimate up front, however, when I was told the amount to pay I was surprised and asked for the itemized costs. The technician kept saying wait I have go back to another screen on his devise and then provided limited information. Rather than provide the amounts he stated, "let me see what I can do." I paid the full amount and told him to leave. I called Boulden Brothers and spoke to a supervisor and [redacted], who identified himself as the Operations Manager. At NO point did I ask for a discount but only expressed my concern regarding the pricing and the lack of communication so that I as a consumer could make an informed choice. I asked [redacted] again for an itemized bill and he said he could not because I was given bundled pricing, even though I had already been told that the company charges by each repair separately. I was also informed that should I choose to do business with them again I would have to get a quote up front and pay in advance. I found this insulting as I had already paid in full and was not asking for any refund but questioning the pricing as I had received neither a quote or itemized bill. I asked to speak with an owner and was too I would be transferred to voicemail but was disconnected.Desired Settlement: Quotes / estimates should be given in advance of work regardless of whether the customer asks. And an itemized bill should be readily available to support work completed. Lastly, a customer should never be disrespected just because they ask for explanation of the charges and made to feel like they are doing something wrong.

Business

Response:

We do not give itemized invoices or breakdowns for time and material. Our pricing is by the job, and the tasks required to complete the job.The client spoke with multiple people in our organization expressing her concerns on the price, and that she feels that we were taking advantage of her with the price. She stated she expected the bill to be a couple hundred dollars, after explaining how our pricing works we offered a one time discounted price to satisfy a customer. The client still was not happy and wanted to speak with the managers supervisor. During that discussion the client stated how she felt about every person she has talked with, and that we were taking advantage of her. We explained the technician should have had written authorization prior to performing any work, but because she was so verbally adamant that he “just do the work”, he completed the work without written authorization and just the verbal authorization. We advised the client that in the future we will require that all work be authorized in writing, and payment authorized prior to any work is performed to protect her and the company and to insure there is no miscommunication.We have processed a refund for the discounted amount and the client should be receiving it in the mail in 7-14 days. [redacted]Boulden Brothers Plumbing, HVAC, & ElectricOperations Manager

Review: Boulden Brothers Plumbing was scheduled to come to the house on 06.12.2015 to complete three tasks: 1-fix tub faucet in master bathroom, 2-fix master bathroom sink pop-up and 3-install kitchen faucet (already purchased by homeowner). Verbal pricing was provided for each job by the plumber ([redacted]): 1-$205 bathroom faucet, 2-$124 bathroom pop-up and 3-$281 kitchen faucet install. Total being $610, minus a $50 coupon that the homeowner had, which totals the work at $560. Homeowners agreed to the work and requested financing--forms were initiated on this date. On this first visit the bathroom items were completed and completed to customer satisfaction. The kitchen faucet install was not completed, nor was the work done to customer satisfaction. First, the plumber stated that the would not be able to mount the isolation plate (included within the faucet components) and that it was ok because this piece is not necessary, it only is there to make screwing the faucet in easier for him. After the plumber installed the faucet and 3 hole plate (but not the isolation plate) he reported to the homeowner that not all of the pieces were included in the box to complete the faucet assembly. The homeowner contacted [redacted] to have the extra pieces sent and then discussed with the plumber the plan to come back to the house to complete installation. This rendered the faucet unusable. Moments after the plumber left, the homeowner located the two faucet pieces that the plumber stated were 'missing'. They were next to the sink, under a kitchen towel. The homeowners called the plumber back---he arrived later that day to complete the job. Both pieces were installed which allowed water to run. However, the faucet also has Touch Technology (Delta Touch 2o), which was not working correctly. It was inconsistently working and only at the base of the faucet, not at the spout. The plumber stated to the homeowner that he had installed these faucets before and that it only works at the bottom. The homeowner disputed this, and stated that the Touch feature should work everywhere with the exception of the pull down. The plumber then stated that he felt that the Touch feature components (battery housing and wires) were "touchy" and he thinks the solenoid is "bad". The homeowner contacted [redacted] again and requested to have this component sent. Please note: original invoice states that the kitchen faucet was not working properly.

[redacted] stated that this component would take a while to receive from the manufacturer and the fastest way to get it would be to send back the original faucet and they would send us a new faucet (same as before but with all working components). This required the homeowner to re-purchase a second faucet with the agreement that the first faucet would be returned and reimbursed being that it was not working correctly. Further, in this conversation, [redacted] reported that this faucet does not work with a 3-hole top plate, as that can impact the Touch feature. The homeowner now had to purchase two caps to cover the two holes in the 3 hole sink as the faucet only uses one hole.

The second faucet and caps were received and the plumber ([redacted]) returned on 06.17.2015. On this visit, the plumber removed the initial faucet and top plate and replaced with the second faucet (again, same as the first but this one has working components). During this install the plumber once again did not install the isolation plate (which is to be installed underneath the sink and faucet). The water was running, but once again, the touch feature was not working consistently, nor was it working throughout the entire faucet, with the exception of the pull down. The plumber once again stated to the homeowner that he had installed these faucets before and that it only works at the bottom. The homeowner disputed this, and stated that the Touch feature should work everywhere with the exception of the pull down. The homeowner then contacted [redacted] while the plumber was present. [redacted] reported to this homeowner that 1-the touch feature should work everywhere with the exception of the pull down and 2-the isolation plate is needed in order to ground the faucet and allow the touch feature to work correctly. This homeowner handed the phone to the plumber to discuss this with the [redacted] company. The [redacted] company reported to this homeowner that it was an installation issue and that if the plumber was having difficulty to contact Delta technical assistance. The plumber did not contact Delta technical assistance on this date. The plumber stated to the homeowner that in order to install the isolation plate, he would need to remove the sink, remove the sink clips and move the underneath back sink bracket out of the way to allow for enough space for the isolation plate and then reinstall the faucet and sink. He further verbally quoted the homeowner that this would cost an additional $300. Further, the plumber stated to the homeowner that he would 'return the faucet' and purchase a different one since there has been so much trouble with it. Further, the plumber stated that the faucet was not made well to begin with, citing the example of where the touch feature components are located under the sink, that if the sink were too leak the components would 'get fried'. Thus, he further recommended returning the faucet and buying a different one. This homeowner reported to [redacted] that there is no interest in a different faucet at this time. The homeowner stated that it is not their responsibility to pay for an installation mistake and/or to pay for a wrong quote for a job that was already agreed upon. The homeowner stated that they would be in contact with Boulden shortly.

The homeowner then contacted DELTA technical assistance. Per DELTA technical assistance (spoke to Shante), 1-the faucet can be installed with a 3 hole top plate---(this was incorrect information received from [redacted]), 2-the faucet needs to be installed with the isolation plate (this is incorrect installation by Boulden Plumbing) and that the touch feature will not work without it, as it is the main insulator for the faucet.

The homeowner contacted Boulden Plumbing with the request to complete the installation of the faucet, per the manufacturers specifications. The homeowners made multiple phone calls to Boulden Plumbing to resolve the issue with minimal contact back. On 06.23.2015, Boulden Plumbing spoke with the homeowner and originally said they would send out a different plumber to look at [redacted]'s work. Instead, [redacted] came out to the house and said that in order to complete the job the homeowner needed to pay additional for the installation. This is not what was originally quoted, and the homeowner should not have to pay for installation mistakes and/or quote mistakes. The plumber stated that he does not "work for free" and said he would give a refund. The homeowner wants the job completed. One homeowner contacted Boulden Plumbing while the other spoke with [redacted] at the house. [redacted] stated the install for the sink cost $155. This was disputed by the homeowner as the verbal agreement was $281. When the homeowner spoke with [redacted], he said the install of the kitchen faucet was $205. The homeowner disputed again stating the verbal agreement made on 06.12.2015 an asked for an itemized bill versus the invoice received. [redacted] reported that he can't provide the homeowner with an itemized invoice and refused to do so. [redacted] further reported that Boudlen Plumbing is "declining" to serve the homeowner. Thus, Boulden Plumbing is attempting to not provide a full refund by rearranging the quotes amounts and is not resolving an incorrect installation and not finishing the job.

The homeowner has put the $281 on dispute on the credit card as this work was not done correctly, nor was it completed. Boulden Plumbing not only did not provide good service, they did not provide accurate billing nor did they provide any semblance of customer service and complaint resolution. Boulden Plumbing has not followed the manufacturers recommended installation for this faucet. Further, when the homeowner brought information forward from both DELTA and [redacted] with regard to the installation of this faucet, [redacted] and [redacted] both stated that they did not agree that using the isolation plate would fix the issue of the faucet, therefore disputing the manufacture's recommended installation of this product.Desired Settlement: The initial desired outcome is to finish the job. The homeowner has concern that if any damage was done by Boulden Plumbing on the initial incorrect install of the faucet that it would render the homeowners with potential future problems with the faucet and no recourse. Boulden Plumbing is 'declining' to complete service on this faucet.

The homeowner has discussed the option of a refund with Boulden Plumbing of the $281 for the kitchen faucet install (amidst the above-mentioned concern). However, Boulden Plumbing is now manipulating the quote for the faucet install which further demonstrates poor customer service and overall bad business.

The homeowner has considered hiring a new plumber to complete the botched installation completed by Boulden Brothers Plumbing, however, this also does not come without risk to the homeowner, as typically a second contractor will not guarantee work when a first contractor has already started a job. None of the options are a win for the homeowner and Boulden Brothers is not providing a fair resolution for their incorrect installation and manipulated billing procedures. The homeowner wishes to be able to have the faucet completed and be able to hold Boulden Brothers accountable for their work, both now and in the future. One of the safeguards with paying for a contracted service is to have a way to hold the party accountable for their work. Boulden's decline to complete the work impacts the homeowners ability to have recourse.

Business

Response:

The customer supplied faucet does not fit correctly in the customer's sink and we were not able to install it properly for all functions to work. The client was upset that we could not install it and insisted that we continue to try to get it to work. Since we were unable to install it properly or guarantee that we could install it properly we offered a 100% refund of the amount to install the customer supplied faucet. Our computer system does not allow us to itemize our invoices to the clients, but I have attached a screen shot of our system where you can see the tasks and the costs associated with them. You can see that the charge was $205 to install the customer supplied faucet and we will refund that amount to the client. The client should receive the refund 7-14 days.

Consumer

Response:

Review: I am currently living in an apartment and have constantly had problems with Boulden brothers gas company. Our bills have been over two hundred dollars a month when we are barely ever home to be using that much gas usage. When we do receive the bills there are always late fees because they don't sent the bills out on time to allow us to pay them on time. after paying the bill the next bill is never updated and its hard to determine as a customer what is truly owed at the time. we did not receive a gas bill in the last month and a half and I came home with a door hanger on May 19, 2015 saying there has been an interruption of service. I then called and the lady who I spoke with was extremely rude and said you need to pay what you owe or it doesn't get turned back on. she then proceeded to lie and say the company left a notification on May 7, 2015 that they will

be cutting our gas off. we never received a notification or else we would have paid it. my roommate called this morning May 21. 2105 and tried to talk to someone and they said we needed to pay the $110 remaining balance of what we owe, so we went to pay it and it said we owe $198 to get the gas turned back on. on every gas bill it states "for any reals not there is an interruption of service its $150 to get it turned back on." this company is an absolute scam and needs to be looked into. there is no way our gas bills should be that high. people have houses with gas bills lower then that. we have dealt with this company for too long and something needs to be done. rude customer service. I have a bigger issue that we were not informed someone was coming into our apartment when my girlfriend or I are not home let alone never being notified there was a problem or our service was going to be interrupted. this company will lie to you and say one thing and act on another just to cover their butts and I've had it. I need my gas turned back on without any type of charge.Desired Settlement: my gas needs to be turned on without a single charge and I would greatly appreciate an apology from this company and also this company needs to be investigated throughly because they are a rip off and a scam.

Business

Response:

Boulden Brothers does not own the propane system at [redacted]. We simply provide gas to the tank, read the meters, and bill for the gas that the meters show has been used. If Mr. [redacted] has concerns abouthow much gas he is using he needs to direct that concern to the apartment complex. If they agree that the usage is not in line with other apartments they will direct us to change out the meter.We read meters on or about the 28th of each month and statements are printed and mailed within 3 business days of the end of the month. April’s statement, a copy of which is attached, was mailed May 5th. Payments are due in full the 20th of each month. Mr. [redacted] and his roommate had not made a payment since 4/2/15 which was for February’s meter reading and were over two months in arrears. Before we disconnect service we hand deliver a door hanger notification, which was done on 5/7/15. Since we did not hear from Mr. [redacted] or his roommate the gas was turned off on 5/19/15. Mr. [redacted] called in on 5/19and was belligerent to our staff and used some foul language which we will not tolerate. We don’t know where Mr. [redacted] claims he saw a charge of $150 to restore service. Attached are copies of the intro letter to all tenants showing our billing policies which clearly states $198. We have also attached a copyof a disconnect notice which again shows $198. We are willing to split the $198 lock out fee which would leave a current balance due of $116.39, which would need to be paid prior to us restoring gas service. Mr. [redacted] can call [redacted] at [redacted] to make payment and arrange for his service to be restored.

Review: The company has failed to provide warranty service. Twice rescheduling service dates or time or arrival.In both instances there were misrepresentations concerning failure to arrive.Desired Settlement: Replace defective parts and provide an extended warranty. The heat pump system installed has been shown to be prone to failure due to defective parts. In lieu of an extended warranty and service, refund the purchase price of the unit.

Business

Response:

The client has had a failure that was covered under the manufactures warranty. The repairs have been completed and the unit is working properly. Both Boulden's One hour and the manufacture have honored the warranty the client purchased. The installation of the failed part was rescheduled due to rain, as the repair could not be completed without the possibility of causing further damage to outside unit.

Review: Boulden Propane refilled my tank at 45 percent.I am on budget billing and was paying $130.00per month. My billing went from $130.00 to $565.00 per month because their computer kicked out my address too early at 45 percent and not at the usual 25 percent.Reminder that I am on budget billing for a reason!! How can you budget for $565.00 from $130.00. When I called and asked about it I was told I would have until the end of July to pay my bill off in full and then and only then I could have more propane delivered.This early delivery is not any fault of my own! So now I am suppose to go without no hot water or heat until I can get my bill payed off in full which is by the way now $2000.00.Desired Settlement: I would like Boulden to siphon out the amount of propane to take my bill back to $130.00 where it normally is. Second option would be to write off the dollar amount for the last delivery of propane.

Business

Response:

Our monthly budget program starts in August. In July, we estimate a customer’s propane purchases for the coming twelve months, multiply that times what we think the price will be over the next year, and then divide by twelve, to come up with a monthly payment. We review all budgets in January and again in April with the goal of having all plans as close to zero as possible by the end of July.

There are two things that can cause a change in the monthly budget payment: 1) the weather is warmer or colder than average causing an increase or decrease in propane usage, and 2) the price of propane goes higher or lower than

we estimated. This year was dramatically colder than average, and there was a spike in wholesale propane costs, causing most of our customer’s budget payments to increase. Most did not go up as much as [redacted]’s but the increased payment was based on what she had used and what we estimated she would use by the end of July.

An automatic delivery was made on 3/4/14, at which time our system was estimating [redacted]’s tank to be at our trigger point of 25%. These estimates are made using historical usage. And while we strive to deliver at 25%, we have never guaranteed that delivery point. [redacted] has now gone on will-call for future deliveries so she will have the responsibility of monitoring the tank level and call us when she feels she needs a delivery.

We will gladly send a technician to pump out the gallons that were delivered on 3/4/14 and credit that full amount back to [redacted]’s account. Our credit manager reviewed [redacted]’s monthly budget after crediting that delivery back to her account, and calculated her monthly payment at $200/month to pay off the current balance by the end of July, assuming no more deliveries.

We apologize for any hardship to [redacted]. We do our best to calculate the monthly budget payments but predicting the weather and energy prices a year in advance is not an exact science.

We currently have the job scheduled for the morning of Thursday 3/27. If that time does not work for [redacted] she should contact our dispatcher, [redacted]

Review: I called Boulden to fix my ejection pump and it's plumbing. Boulden took an excessive amount of time to complete the repair, didn't fix the plumbing, used improper parts, didn't properly seal the housing, and left trash and debris all around the area. The system immediately started leaking sewer gases, and I contacted Boulden to have them fix it or refund my money in accordance with the guarantee. Boulden refused to honor their guarantee so I filed a dispute with my credit card company. Boulden then lied to my credit card company.Desired Settlement: I would like Boulden to honor their guarantee and refund my refund all of my money.

Business

Response:

This complaint has already been reviewed once by Revdex.com and closed.

Client has also reported this claim to his credit card company, the credit card company opened an investigation and closed the case in Boulden's favor. Client then appealed that decision, and reopened the case.

The client had another company previously perform work on the system, the job was not done correctly and resulted in the sewage pump failing. We gave the client options, and the client chose to just replace the pump. The OEM pump was not available, but a replacement was that required modification to the installation.

After the pump was install and working, the client signed the work order stating everything was installed to their satisfaction.

The client complained the pump replacement was not what he was expecting and wanted a new toilet system. Boulden Plumbing offered to apply the cost of replacing the pump towards the install of a new system, or remove the pump and refund the money paid. Client did not want to do either option, stating he just wanted his money back.

At this point in time, the credit card company has refunded his payment while we are going through the appeal process.

Consumer

Response:

Review: On February 10, 2014 I received a letter from Boulden Propane notifying me that they put a hold on my automatic delivery due to a missing payment. The letter was dated February 6, 2014 and this was the first and only notification that I received telling me that they had not received my payment which was due January 21 or there about. When I got home from work on February 10th I noticed the house was very cold and I had no heat as my tank had run too low for adequate pressure to run the furnace. At this point I hadn't even been home long enough to open the mail and had yet to see the letter. I called Boulden who sent out a delivery and paid the driver with a check for $587, the total amount of the bill despite the amount past due on my budget billing plan was only around $260. The next day I called Boulden to address the letter they had sent and was told that my delivery was originally scheduled for January 28th and that according to their records and calculations my propane tank had enough propane to last until February 20th. Obviously there was a huge miscalculation as to the amount of propane in my tank and for whatever reason they did not feel the need to contact me regarding payment BEFORE they canceled my scheduled delivery. Since the tank had run too low Boulden added an additional $149 charge for the emergency delivery. If Boulden would have either calculated the amount of propane accurately or enacted common, ethical business practices by notifying me that there was a payment issue PRIOR to canceling service and sending a letter after the fact, there would have been no need for an emergency delivery. Until I opened that letter I had no idea that a problem with my account existed. Therefore I shouldn't be responsible for the extra charge. In addition when I respectfully asked that they waive that fee I was rudely told that the fee would not be waived and if I would've paid my bill on time this would not have happened. Basically the woman (her first name was Pam or Pat) made me feel like a dead beat who doesn't want to pay her bills and I deserved to be punished. Naturally I was extremely offended at her rude attitude and lack of understanding and became highly upset and angry.

This was and is a huge inconvenience for me but I am also concerned that if they continue these business practices the effects could be far more severe and dangerous if an ill or elderly person looses heat with sub-freezing temps.Desired Settlement: Based on Boulden's miscalculation in the amount of propane in the tank and their failure to timely notify me of a payment issue I want the $149 after hours delivery fee removed from my account.

Business

Response:

[redacted] contacted our office on 12/16/13 to make payment on a delivery from 10/9/13. Our credit terms for non-budget customers are net 20. At that time our credit manager agreed to set the customer up for monthly budget payments. All budget payments are required by the 20th of the month and customer was informed of this requirement. No payments were received by the customer prior to her running out of propane on 2/10/14. During our conversation on 5/7/14, Ms. Feliciano stated that she knew the payment was due by January 20th and that she knew she was unable to make that payment by the due date. However she did not call our office to let us know.

We did have her account forecast for delivery on or about 1/28/14 and if a payment had been made, or if the customer had contacted our office about a late or partial payment, the delivery would have been released. As it was, since no payment or phone call was made, on 1/28 the account went on delivery hold and the notification letter was sent on 2/6. The original forecast run-out date was 2/20, which would have allowed for more time, but our forecast was off a bit due to the colder than normal weather. However, I stand by the fact that, if the customer knew she was unable to make the required January payment it was her responsibility to notify us of the issue, especially since she has a history of late payments with our company (a 4/14/12 delivery paid for on 8/8/12 and a 3/27/13 delivery paid for on 7/3/13). Based on this history we are unwilling to refund the $149 after hours charge.

Consumer

Response:

Review: I received a propane delivery on January 28th, 2014. The invoice stated a delivery of 154 gallons with a balance due of 372.50. I received a bill in the mail for 531.88. When I contacted Boulden they said they would look into it and call me back. I received a call and they stated the invoice was an error and I would have to pay the 531.88. If I walk into a store and a price is on that item that company must sell that item for that price. I don't understand why my invoice from the truck that delivered the propane should not stand. If there is an error in their system that is not my fault. I had prepurchased propane and they said I was given that rate when I shouldn't have because I used all I had pre-purchased. I believe the invoice a contract and I do not feel they are honoring what their driver stated I owed. I don't think it is fair to come back weeks later and say no the rate is not 2.39 a gallon but 3.44. I feel they should honor the invoice.Desired Settlement: I have been a great customer and always paid my bill for 11 years. I feel this is poor customer service and they should at least take responsibility for their mistake.

Business

Response:

[redacted] pre-purchased 525 gallons of propane on 7/9/13 at a rate of $2.39 per gallon. The letter outlining the price protection plans for the 2013/14 heating season outline the requirements and restrictions of the plans. The fourth bullet point clearly states that “Any delivery required outside of this time frame, or in excess of the prepaid gallons, will be delivered at our regular-posted price under our regular terms of sale.”

Normally the delivery tickets for customers who pre-paid for their propane only show the gallons pumped and a statement is mailed from the office outlining the costs of the delivery. Due to an error with our on-truck computers the [redacted] delivery ticket extended the entire delivery at the pre-buy price of $2.39 per gallon even though they only had 2 gallons left of the original 525 they had purchased (A delivery of 523 gallons had been made on 10/31/13). When the deliveries were uploaded, the error was corrected and the Smiths were invoiced for 2 gallons at $2.39 per gallon and 152 gallons at the market rate of $3.44 per gallon.

We do not consider a delivery ticket a contract, especially when the terms of the agreement are clearly outlined, and do not believe we owe the disputed amount.

Consumer

Response:

Review: Boulden's came out to repair my water heater. We had purchased 3-4 yrs ago. I smelled gas so I contacted y gas company . they came out found a leak. I then called bouldens , they came and was supposssed to fix. I still still smelled gas twicwe after this. They told me to call gas company. I did. I then called bouldens spoke with customer service. They had previously sent 2 tech's out problem still not resolved. I then called fire dept. they came out smelled leak told me to call boulden's. I did. so here I am telling boulden's gas co. plus fire dept said they smelt gas. gas. small amounts. gas company video showed leak. I called bnoulden's they said we would have to pay to have propane tech come out. I said fine and he came out. sure enough he found the leak. however did not charge for coming out.I asked why the other 2 tech's did not. He then sent out another tech to fix. He recommended replacing part's I called customer service she said she would get back to me. I still have not heard anything. I do not smell gas at this time but am very nervous. When propane tech came out I was told could of catch . and another tech said he would recommend replacing. All total 4 techs from bouldens came out. 2 found leak, 2 said no leak. sure enough leak was found. Now we have to pay gas company 100.00 for coming out the 3rd time. for boulden's error. In my mind this could have become a very serious problem if I hadn't listened to my gas co. and listened to bouldens 1st 2 tech.s. I asked how they missed it. propane tech., said I don't know. Gas company had locked my gas off as well while all of this was going on. 2nd time just water tank.Desired Settlement: we spent 900.00 to have it fixed properly with no worrie's. Yet I was worried enough to call the fire dept. After I told them I called fire dept they sent out propane tech's.

Business

Response:

Client had a called for a gas leak, a leak was found behind the stove and was repaired. The client then called back and said they smelled gas again, no other leaks were found. After multiple trips an intermittent leak was found on the water heater, and was corrected. The client has not called us stating they smell gas since.If the client feels uncomfortable with the repair that is working, we can replace the gas valve for them at no charge. We will contact the client to see if they would like to have that done.

Consumer

Response:

Review: My 85 year old mother, [redacted], purchased a new air conditioning unit from Boulden Brothers, 714 Interchange Blvd., Newark, Delaware 19711, which was installed on 6/15/15 and paid in full for $6400. There were errors made during the installation causing extensive water damage.

The company came to repair the unit on 6/18/15, but left the water in place in the ceiling, attic, floors and carpet. They were called again on 6/22/15 to report continued water damage to the ceiling, walls, floor and furniture. Boulden Brothers returned on 6/23/15 to repair the air conditioning unit. Several phone calls later, the mold was addressed and carpeting was removed. On 6/25/15, [redacted] Professional Mold Evacuations created an 8' x 12' hole in the ceiling so that the attic was open to the living room. Fans were used, causing loose insulation to be blown throughout the house.

On 6/26/15, I traveled from my home in New York State to assist. My mother had a rash covering her face and eyes and was very agitated. I spent several days cleaning dust within the house. During this time, I discovered that water was still dripping from the air conditioning unit and that further repairs were still needed. Boulden Brothers came to perform service on 6/30/15 and informed me that the unit was not wired properly, and that the water sensor was improperly installed. Also the unit required more sealing.

Over the next few days, several calls were made to ask when the hole in the ceiling would be repaired. Also at this time my mother was distraught over the situation as well as experiencing continued suffering from the rash on her face and eyes.

On 7/5/15, my mother was involved in a car accident due to her inability to see a car. We believe this was caused from the rash due to the dust and mold. On 7/6/15 I spoke to [redacted] from Boulden Brothers who said nothing further could be done until their insurance company made an inspection. On 7/7/15 I left several messages to the owner, none of which have been returned.Desired Settlement: I am requesting the following compensation:

1. $1000 - refinishing of floor

2. $2500 - carpet replacement (custom edged bound)

3. $1500 - replacement of dry wall, spakle and painting of ceiling

4. $4000 - Refund from initial cost of AC unit ($6400) for compensation of faulty services, time and travel expenses, health issues from mold and dust.

Business

Response:

We are aware of the issue at the client home and have submitted an insurance claim to our insurance company.The insurance company should be contacting the client to schedule a time for the adjuster to inspect the damage and approve the claim. This must be done before any work can be completed. We apologize for the situation and will repair any damages from our mistakes.After the adjuster inspects the home we will have more details of the plan to correct the issues and satisfy the customer.

Review: We have a water filtration system in our home that was purchased/leased from this company. The agreement calls for regular service at yearly intervals and upon notification of defect. This company failed to deliver timely service resulting in the failure of the system. The company refused to change the chemicals required to make the system functional and simply informed us that we would have to upgrade to a more expensive system. We refused to upgrade to a more expensive system and be stuck with another 5 year agreement since our community was to be receiving a public water system in the coming year. Their technician simply left the system unplugged and non-functioning. We had another company look at the system and told us that they simply needed to upgrade the chemicals. We informed Boulden of this but they refused to do so. Boulden continued to collect a monthly fee for several months after they left the system unplugged in addition to the several months before hand, a period during which the system was non-functioning. We finally had to have our bank refuse any further payments pending proper service from Boulden.

Boulden refuses to refund the money that they collected from us and continues to bill us monthly for this system that has not worked for more than three years. They are demanding that we allow them to enter out house and extract "their" system and that we pay all fees billed to date. Their customer service representatives (call takers) have always been very nice. Their "supervisors" have been nothing but arrogant and threatening.Desired Settlement: We want all money returned to us that had been collected during the period that the system was non-functioning. We want relief from the invoiced amount that has been accruing since that time, as well as any fees and "late" penalties.

We then want the system properly serviced or replaced with a functioning system without an extension to the contract. We agree to make monthly payments for a fully functioning system.

Business

Response:

[redacted] has been under a rental agreement since 9/1/2000. Per the client the system stopped working in September of 2011. The unit was had its maintenance completed and was refilled in Aug of 2011, and was inspected to be found working correctly. The client did not call us back in reference to the water conditioner until 4/2012, customer requested that we install a new water conditioner and he was informed that we no longer rent water conditioning equipment, and if he would like to purchase a new system he could, or we could remove the current system ending his current rental agreement.

Client did not schedule the removal of the equipment or return our phone calls to schedule. Client did stop payment on the rental although the equipment was still not turned in. Client was sent to collections for the balance and finance charges associated with not allowing us to remove our equipment.

Today the client called into to complain about the collection letters. Client was advised that we will remove our equipment and disregard the collections case. We also offered to refund any money that may have been paid since the 4/2012 request by us to remove the system and end the rental agreement. Client stated he will not allow us to remove our system and end the rental agreement, unless we install a new system and refund his money.

Our offer to remove the equipment, cancel the rental agreement , and disregard the collections case was our attempt at resolving the clients concern and allowing them to seek another company for their water conditioning needs.