Hi-Tech Plumbing & Leak Detect, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/28) */
We are very careful on out of town service orders to fully explain our charges as a minimum charge and collect payment in full prior to making the trip. We quoted a minimum charge of $450 to travel to locate a leak. When we explained the minimum...

charge Mr. [redacted] used explicit language and said he would not pay a minimum up front charge and hung up. He later called back to apologize and said his wife would drive by and pay by check. Mrs [redacted] instead provided a credit/debit card and agreed to our minimum service charge of $450. We made the trip to chandler and investigated the leak. During our inspection, we discovered the main water line had been trenched through and the water line hastily capped off on one end. The other end needed dug back and good pipe found to connect. To continue our leak detection we would have 1/2 to a full day digging back and reconnecting the line and materials to do so, were not available in their local area. Upon explaining the charges to dig up and install a valve box to connect the service and continue our inspection, Mr.[redacted] told us to leave his property. Mr.[redacted] called our office and at first said he will pay nothing and wanted a full refund. He later said he would pay $150 for our travel charge only. We explained we would not have made the trip to the rural area for less than the $450 minimum quoted and agreed prior to service. When the conversation with my staff was not civil on his end, I suggested they contact me personally by email. After understanding their side of the issue, I responded with our side in that just because they fire us from the job, does not mean we waive the minimum charge as agreed. I was involved with the service and the pricing before we went out as well as while on the site. Further, the manner that Mr [redacted] placed the call and his wife secured payment was crystal clear they fully understood the charges.
As an act of good business, I offered a discount as found on our website that they had not utilized.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/08/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I did not CHOOSE to mot come by and give them a check...Someone from their office called me and told me I had to give a credit or debit card # over the phone before they would come out.Once again, I understood $150.00 Service call and the other $300.00 was for two (2) hours work. Better practice would be to send something in writing, so everyone is on the same page instead of "He Said She said" Also the plumber who showed up only needed to get water to the bathroom where the leak was. A simple $4-5 valve that could have been picked up in our town was all that was needed, so when they told us another $375.00 before anything would be done was not something we wanted to pay. The plumber was here about 10 to 15 minutes.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2015/08/31) */
Our two way travel and time on site totals 3 hours. This was clearly quoted and agreed prior to our being dispatched. They did not inform us the waterline had been trenched through when they placed the call. The claimant is breaking up our $450 minimum in the way they feel best fits them. We find no new information added by the claimant.