Dar's Clock Service

Brought in a working Howard Miller wall clock to be cleaned in May of 2018. After repeated calls to find out the status of our clock throughout September, October, November, and finally today, December 29, 2018, it has been taken apart, and not even working...all this for a simple cleaning and oiling...

Review: On Sunday, Februray 24 we purchased a used Grandfather clock from a friend. [redacted] and family members went to hall this clock back from Seymour, WI in our van and carefully set the clock back up. The clock was chimming and keeping the correct time on that day once everything was done. We decided and found out that the clock wasn't cleaned in over years and we decided to get it cleaned professional. [redacted] looked up many businesses in our area and found one that was close to our home. We made an appointment with that company, which was Dar's Clock Service and that day was Monday, March 4, 2013. On that day about 10AM, a gentlemen came to look at the clock. [redacted]'s wife, [redacted], was home at the time and let the gentlemen in by the name of [redacted]. He told [redacted] that he will take all the clock parts back with him to clean at his place. He also told [redacted] that it will be about 4-6 weeks before he can bring it back since he likes to have the clock running for about 2 weeks to make sure everything is working fine. He also told [redacted] that he has no other clocks being worked on so he would be able to work on our right away. He did not ask for any money down for the job or have her sign anything. The clock was working correctly for one week before he took the working parts. After 6 weeks we gave him a call to see where he is sitting with our clock. At that time, he said he did not start on our clock and was sitting in the same box. We started making phone calls to him about once a week to know what is going on with our clock. Some time when we called he won't answer, or his answering machine was full and not taking anymore messages, or a couple times the phone was busy like off the hook. We couldn't understand how he could run a business like this. By Tuesday, June 4, we finally heard from him and he said he has our clock cleaned and would like to bring it back. That would be 18 weeks that he had the clock. By this time we were not trusting him. Then on Friday, June 7 at about 1PM he came out with the clock and started setting it back up. At this time we are hoping that the clock was the same clock he took back in February. We did have a picture of the whole clock before he took the parts. After setting up the pendalum, he noticed he forgot the face of the clock. He had to make a trip back to his shop and about one hour later he showed back up. Before he left that day, he set the time and got the pendalum swinging. He told us before he left to keep a watch on it to make sure the time was going and was still swinging. About an hour after he left, [redacted] had to call him to let Dar know that everything stopped. He told [redacted] how to start it back up and keep track how long it run and then stops. That day we started it back up 4 times. We called Dar back and he said he would come back out to look at it. He came back out on Monday, June 10 at 1PM. He was here for an hour and he couldn't figure out what was going on with it. He told [redacted] that the best way to fix the clock would be to bring it back to his shop. We called him again once a week to see what was going on with it and if it was fixed yet. Each time he said he was still struggling on what was causing it not to work. We asked to get the clock back by July 12 for a big party we were having and wanted to show it off. By August, he said he got the pendalum to keep swinging but not the face for the time. On, Friday, August 23 [redacted] left him a voice mail to find out where he is sitting with the clock and he did not return the call. Today is Thursday, September 5 and he had our clock 13 weeks since he brought it back to his shop and 31 weeks since he first came to clean the clock. We are very frustrated on why he is not being up front with us and keeping up posted on what is going on with our clock. Is he not working on it? Has it be sitting all these 13 weeks? We will not be suggesting him for any clock service. We are very afraid of what is happening to our clock.Desired Settlement: We want our functioning clock back like it was at the end of February. He did do a nice job cleaning the clock but something happened when he cleaned it. We want our clock back by the end of September.

Business

Response:

Mr. [redacted]