Culligan of West Bend

Culligan Account # [redacted] This is in regards to the complaint filed by [redacted] :The rental agreement was signed on 5-1-not in 2009.Customer was billed for the first month rent – May at $plus sales tax The way our system works is the first months bill was generated for the month of May but we only send out month end statements so he did not receive his first bill until June 1st 2011.On June 1st he was billed $plus sales tax for the rental for the month of June So his first statement did reflected the billing for the month of May and the month of June We invoice the first day of the month for the new month with our statements due by the 20th of that month.The standard terms of our rental agreement are net due the 20th of the month.Our signed rental agreement is attached as proof of when the customer signed the agreement which also states “Billing will begin 5-1-11”In reviewing the account the first time this customer questioned being double billed was on 1-10-at which time he requested that the softener be removed – we did comply with his requested date of removal Our notes on his account go back to May and there are no notes on his account regarding any type of complaint on the service provided or any mention of questioning being double billed.When *** called and requested a removal date of February 19th he did state he will not be paying any more rent for the month of February because he thought he was double billed when he first started renting the unit – again this is the first conversation or note on his account questioning being double billed.Jamie’s statement that we “Hide” the fact that we charge a full month of service for a day or two or rental is completely incorrect – if you review the signed date of the contract that clearly states he was billed for the full month of May as the terms stated billing will begin 5-1-The statement “They charge for services right up until the equipment is removed” is correct – again according to the signed rental agreement it is clearly stated that it is the renters responsibility to contact Culligan prior to vacating the property or if they want the services removed from their property Again we have a system that prorates rental rates giving customers the proper credit for unused dates of service if the unit is removed prior to the end of a monthCulligan standard rental begins on the day the contract is signed or the unit is installed, we do prorate our rent for partial months – this is our standard policy which is stated on our contractsLet me know if you have any questions or concerns Thanks [redacted] Operations ManagerCulligan of West BendStockhausen LaneWest Bend, WI

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.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]The first attachment is to correct the timing on when my account started. The install was May 2009, not 2011. The second attachment shows the first bill I received and the double billing.It is not terribly unusual for a customer to be paid ahead on a service contract. There are two things about this situation that are unusual. First, I was told verbally by a Culligan employee that I was charged a full month for 3 days of rental. Second, I was told verbally by the same employee that I would not be reimbursed for any period for which I am paid ahead.In short, I was told that I would be cheated in two unique ways. This is unacceptable. I need to be made whole on both ways. In one case, Culligan cheated in the past, in another, Culligan is planning to cheat me in the future.
Regards,
[redacted]

Culligan Account #[redacted] This is in regards to the complaint filed by [redacted]:The rental agreement was signed on 5-1-11 not in 2009.Customer was billed for the first month rent – May 2011 at $51.00 plus sales tax.  The way our system works is the first months bill was generated for...

the month of May but we only send out month end statements so he did not receive his first bill until June 1st 2011.On June 1st he was billed $51.00 plus sales tax for the rental for the month of June.  So his first statement did reflected the billing for the month of May and the month of June.  We invoice the first day of the month for the new month with our statements due by the 20th of that month.The standard terms of our rental agreement are net due the 20th of the month.Our signed rental agreement is attached as proof of when the customer signed the agreement which also states “Billing will begin 5-1-11”In reviewing the account the first time this customer questioned being double billed was on 1-10-18 at which time he requested that the softener be removed – we did comply with his requested date of removal.  Our notes on his account go back to May 2011 and there are no notes on his account regarding any type of complaint on the service provided or any mention of questioning being double billed.When [redacted] called and requested a removal date of February 19th he did state he will not be paying any more rent for the month of February because he thought he was double billed when he first started renting the unit – again this is the first conversation or note on his account questioning being double billed.Jamie’s statement that we “Hide” the fact that we charge a full month of service for a day or two or rental is completely incorrect – if you review the signed date of the contract that clearly states he was billed for the full month of May 2011 as the terms stated billing will begin 5-1-11. The statement “They charge for services right up until the equipment is removed” is correct – again according to the signed rental agreement it is clearly stated that it is the renters responsibility to contact Culligan prior to vacating the property or if they want the services removed from their property.  Again we have a system that prorates rental rates giving customers the proper credit for unused dates of service if the unit is removed prior to the end of a month. Culligan standard rental begins on the day the contract is signed or the unit is installed, we do prorate our rent for partial months – this is our standard policy which is stated on our contracts. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Thanks [redacted]Operations ManagerCulligan of West Bend251 Stockhausen LaneWest Bend, WI  53095

Culligan was purchased by a different franchise on May 1, 2011.  That is why our original records showed the unit installed then.  Also the customer was apparently married at the time and the account was set up in the wife’s name.  In April of 2011 we were informed that the old account should become inactive and the new account set up under the husband’s name.  The unit was installed on May 4, 2009 by [redacted] and filled with 8 bags of salt. There was a service call on the unit on May 29, 2009.  A different sized flow restrictor was put in place at that point.  Probably because the unit was set up as a commercial unit. Customer invoice number [redacted].  Invoice is for rental charges for 5/4/2009 through 5/30/2009.  (The rental rate was prorated minus three days)  Customer was also invoiced from 6/1/2009 through 6/30/2009. Bill was due 6/14/2009.  At the time the bill was due the customer would have paid for May and June rent on the unit. The customer was not double billed.  The customer was billed for May (minus three days) and June.  Whoever told the customer he was billed for the entire Month of May was incorrect.  You can clearly see the month of May was charged at a .9 factor.  This means out of 30 days the customer started billing on the 4th of May.  Three days divided by 30 days is .1.  May was not billed full but prorated.  Then we billed the customer for June as well because the current invoice was not due until June 14, 2009.  On June 25, 2009 another invoice would have been generated for July and due July 14. I don’t understand where the disconnect is here.  Not to mention that this all happened over 8  ½ years ago.  This invoice only shows the correct billing.  Where did Culligan charge rent for the same month twice? Culligan does have the ability to prorate the last bill so we can only charge the customer the amount of time the customer had the unit. This is Culligan’s final response to the complaint listed above.    [redacted]
Operations ManagerCulligan of West Bend251 Stockhausen LaneWest Bend, WI  53095(262) 384-3449 ph(262)375-4529 fx(262) 613-5683 cell