Chuck's Refrigeration & Appliance Repair

Review: Ice maker was not working so Chuck replaced the water valve. We did not question why he didn't need to come inspect in person because he replaced the entire ice maker 2 yrs prior and did a decent job. After several phone calls we finally set up an appt which he complained the entire time about being there on a Sat. When finished I was told to give it about an hour for the unit to begin generating ice/water. After about 5 hrs I came home to find the unit wasn't even turned on! An hour later after it was turned on I heard a knocking noise coming from the back of the fridge and no water was dispensing. I called [redacted] and he said he doesn't know what the problem is and repeatedly stated he was not a plumber then also blamed my husband that he must have turned the water off downstairs. RIDICULOUS. I called again a few days later because nothing was working. [redacted] basically stated again he wasn't a plumber so he doesn't know what to tell me. I FINALLY confronted him about his unprofessional attitude and why he assumed the water valve needed replacing when obviously it's a different issue! His reasoning: he's been doing this for 10 yrs and began yelling at me! At the end he claimed he would give me my money back. MONTHS LATER I still received nothing and he hasn't returned my husbands phone calls.Desired Settlement: I paid cash so I would like cash back

Business

Response:

The customer ([redacted]) called my company Chuck’s Refrigeration & Appliance Repair, for a repair on her Whirlpool ice maker on August **, 2013 which was not making any ice.

During our conversation I asked for the model number of the ice maker so I could make sure I had the correct parts to do the repair properly. The parts that could be defective are: Water valve, Ice maker module, Ice Maker Mold and the electric eye on the bin control. I wanted to make sure I did the repair properly as she wasn’t available to be home during normal business hours, so to accommodate the customer I went to her residence on Saturday, September *, 2013, which I normally don’t work on Saturdays.

Upon arriving at her residence I checked the Ice Maker Mold, Modular, and the electric eye and determined they were working correctly. I diagnosed the water valve was defective Once the diagnosis was determined I told the customer that the water must be turned off to replace the valve. The customer replied the plumber was here last week and said he turned the water off to the refrigerator. After the customer told me that, I proceeded to install the new valve. Upon installation I realized that the water was not shut off and she asked her husband to turn of the water. Once he said the water was off I began to replace the water valve.

When I began to do the repair again, the water was still not shut off so I asked the customer if I could go in her basement to shut of the water properly. Once the water was shutoff I installed the valve. I then turned the water back on and checked for leaks. I told the customer to wait 2-3 hours to see if it makes ice and if there was a problem to call and inform me.

The customer called after I was there, and stated he ice maker was not turned on. The customer said she turned on the ice maker (which I already left on once I completed the repair) and stated there was a knocking noise from the back on the refrigerator, when she tried to use the water dispenser. Sometimes when a water line is shut off and worked on air develops in the lines, which are referred to as a water hammer. I told the customer to run the water dispenser and let the water flow to get the air out of the lines. I also told the customer to make sure her husband turned back on any of the valves he turned off, and if there was any more problems to call a licensed plumber, as there could have been a plumbing issue, and I was not a licensed plumber.

I assumed the problem was fixed, as I didn’t receive any phone calls for a couple of days. After 4 or 5 days passes, the customer called to report the ice maker wasn’t working. I asked her if she called a licensed plumber, to my knowledge she didn’t. The customer wanted me to go back to check the ice maker because it wasn’t making any ice. She asked what it could be, I told her the new part could be defective or another part wasn’t working, but I couldn’t determine that over the phone and I would have to go back to check it out.

During our conversation I told the customer that I couldn’t go back on Saturday as I had previous arrangements for 5 weekends in a row. I was willing to come during normal business hours but she could not accommodate me. The customer stated that she didn’t like my professional attitude as I couldn’t accommodate her in which case she became irate and raised her tone of voice, because I could give her a Saturday appointment right away. It seemed to me like it was a inconvenience for her to meet me during the week so I could correct the problem, as I did when I did a repair for her two years prior and there were no problems or complaints from the customer as to the work I did or my professionalism.

The customer wants to be refunded for the work I did, I can refund her with a check minus the $85.13 for the cost of the water valve that I installed and service charge of $59.00 for the diagnosis of the problem plus tax. Therefore the refund would be $37.86 in a check.

In regards to the phone calls from her husband; I was having problems with dropped phone calls from my old phone and have since replaced the phone in the beginning of November 2013. To my knowledge, her husband has never left me any message to return his call or a number where he can be reached.

I have been in business since 1978 (39 years not as 10 as stated by the customer) and I am licensed and insured. I have never had a complaint filed against my professionalism or my company. If she wants me to go back and repair her ice maker I will during my normal business hours, which are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM

If you should have any questions please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

The customer ([redacted]) called my company Chuck’s Refrigeration & Appliance Repair, for a repair on her Whirlpool ice maker on August **, 2013 which was not making any ice.

During our conversation I asked for the model number of the ice maker so I could make sure I had the correct parts to do the repair properly. The parts that could be defective are: Water valve, Ice maker module, Ice Maker Mold and the electric eye on the bin control. I wanted to make sure I did the repair properly as she wasn’t available to be home during normal business hours, so to accommodate the customer I went to her residence on Saturday, September *, 2013, which I normally don’t work on Saturdays.

Upon arriving at her residence I checked the Ice Maker Mold, Modular, and the electric eye and determined they were working correctly. I diagnosed the water valve was defective Once the diagnosis was determined I told the customer that the water must be turned off to replace the valve. The customer replied the plumber was here last week and said he turned the water off to the refrigerator. After the customer told me that, I proceeded to install the new valve. Upon installation I realized that the water was not shut off and she asked her husband to turn of the water. Once he said the water was off I began to replace the water valve.

When I began to do the repair again, the water was still not shut off so I asked the customer if I could go in her basement to shut of the water properly. Once the water was shutoff I installed the valve. I then turned the water back on and checked for leaks. I told the customer to wait 2-3 hours to see if it makes ice and if there was a problem to call and inform me.

The customer called after I was there, and stated he ice maker was not turned on. The customer said she turned on the ice maker (which I already left on once I completed the repair) and stated there was a knocking noise from the back on the refrigerator, when she tried to use the water dispenser. Sometimes when a water line is shut off and worked on air develops in the lines, which are referred to as a water hammer. I told the customer to run the water dispenser and let the water flow to get the air out of the lines. I also told the customer to make sure her husband turned back on any of the valves he turned off, and if there was any more problems to call a licensed plumber, as there could have been a plumbing issue, and I was not a licensed plumber.

I assumed the problem was fixed, as I didn’t receive any phone calls for a couple of days. After 4 or 5 days passes, the customer called to report the ice maker wasn’t working. I asked her if she called a licensed plumber, to my knowledge she didn’t. The customer wanted me to go back to check the ice maker because it wasn’t making any ice. She asked what it could be, I told her the new part could be defective or another part wasn’t working, but I couldn’t determine that over the phone and I would have to go back to check it out.

During our conversation I told the customer that I couldn’t go back on Saturday as I had previous arrangements for 5 weekends in a row. I was willing to come during normal business hours but she could not accommodate me. The customer stated that she didn’t like my professional attitude as I couldn’t accommodate her in which case she became irate and raised her tone of voice, because I could give her a Saturday appointment right away. It seemed to me like it was a inconvenience for her to meet me during the week so I could correct the problem, as I did when I did a repair for her two years prior and there were no problems or complaints from the customer as to the work I did or my professionalism.

The customer wants to be refunded for the work I did, I can refund her with a check minus the $85.13 for the cost of the water valve that I installed and service charge of $59.00 for the diagnosis of the problem plus tax. Therefore the refund would be $37.86 in a check.

In regards to the phone calls from her husband; I was having problems with dropped phone calls from my old phone and have since replaced the phone in the beginning of November 2013. To my knowledge, her husband has never left me any message to return his call or a number where he can be reached.

I have been in business since 1978 (39 years not as 10 as stated by the customer) and I am licensed and insured. I have never had a complaint filed against my professionalism or my company. If she wants me to go back and repair her ice maker I will during my normal business hours, which are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM

If you should have any questions please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I am appalled with [redacted] responses.

Prior to [redacted] coming over he asked for the Model/Serial # so he can purchase the water valve. He didn’t check anything when he arrived.

At NO TIME did he mention his business hours but kept saying I’m not heading to Nassau because it was Labor Day weekend so I said no problem it’s obviously not a rush because it’s ice and to call me when he is available. He is the one who called and said he was coming on the Saturday. Nobody forced him and he did not have to take the job.

I never said there was a plumber at my house – we experienced a puff back from the boiler so there was a cleaning crew a few days earlier who may have shut off water supply. He was furious when he tried to fix and there was some kicking noise meaning the water was on. We ran downstairs to shut off the water main. He began fixing, pushed the fridge back to wall and said give it some time to begin working. He did not turn the ice maker back on!

HE NEVER said a WORD about if there were problems to call a plumber or call him or it was a defective part etc… He just wanted to get out of there.

The last time I spoke with [redacted] when I told him the ice maker was still not working and I confronted him about his response to the issue he said “you know what? Keep the part and I am sending you your money back”.

There was no mention ever about a service charge either so I don’t know how he can throw that in the bill after the fact.

I also think it’s very convenient how is phone wasn’t working when my husband left messages for him.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

I'm sorry [redacted] feels appalled by my response to her first letter, but that is exactly what happened.

I called her to get the model number of the refrigerator so that I had every part with me to do the repair, so I was not inconveniencing her a second time. I did check out the refrigerator and determined the water valve was bad, and proceeded to install the new water valve.

She made a reference to my normal business hours, which I thought most people knew what normal business hours are. Usually they are 8:00 AM to 44:00 PM or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. I tried to accommodate her schedule; she wanted me to come the weekend after the Labor Day Holiday as she was not available Monday to Friday. The reason I accommodated her on Saturday September *, 2013 was, I did a repair on the same refrigerator 2 years prior for her and there was no problems then, and she seemed satisfied with the work I did.

Upon arrival on 9/*/13, before I installed the water valve, I asked if the water was off and she replied I think so. At that time I proceeded to do the repair. The water was not shut off so we went down to shut off the water. Her husband prior to us going down to shut off the water went down to do it, but it wasn't off as when I began the repair, water came out of the lines. I installed the new valve and turned on the Ice Maker I told her it take a couple of hours to make ice.

She called me back on Monday 9/*/13 and told me the Ice Maker was making, but when she tried the water dispenser it made a banging noise in the pipes. I told her there maybe air in the lines, and if it didn't subside, to call a plumber. She called me back me back on Wednesday 9/**/13 and said she has no ice; she wanted me to come back on Saturday 9/**/13. However, I couldn't go back for 5 Saturdays as I had prior commitments. She got very agitated when I told her I couldn’t accommodate her. I had no problem going back during the week (Monday to Friday) to resolve the matter, but she wouldn’t accept any weekday appointments. I offered her a refund, in our prior correspondence, but she still has my part which I paid for.

As for the Service Charge most companies: G.E., Whirlpool, Sears or many independent contractors do charge a Service Charge. (I don't know of anyone who doesn't).

I did lose a lot of message with my old phone, but didn't realize it until a few weeks later. I have no idea when her husband called me or left any message.

It is also amazing when you get a "puff back" in the beginning of September (Labor Day Weekend) when “puff backs" generally occur when you turn on your heat.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]

Chuck will continue lying about EVERYTHING he did to me but it's obvious this is his plan to justify ripping off his clients. He has my $200 & I have a broken ice maker. He is the most unprofessional person I ever dealt with. I guess we will have to take this to court.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,