SOAK Luxury Bath Products (South)

SOAK LUXURY BATH PRODUCTS May 10, [redacted] Subject: Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # [redacted] Regarding the issues ***e [redacted] has had with her Lacrosse Swim Spa we first would like to clarify what the Swim Spa cost which was $20, Delivery of the Swim Spa was arranged with [redacted] , a busy crane company and was supposedly, according to ***e, a straight drop but turned out to be with a roof deck over top of the placement area so we had to call for more help and rolling carts to set it down and roll it under and jack it up to remove the carts at no extra costI dropped everything and drove over to help***e was out of town and we had to wait for final payment before we could schedule deliveryWhen we left after an extra free hour of labor we reminded ***e's very helpful brother that the covers should be put on to prevent any moisture or dirt from getting in the spa and to have it wired and filled as soon as possible We could have delayed the delivery for another time but scheduling of the crane was during a busy time and it would have been delayed further so we both agreed to have [redacted] deliver it on November 3, Chemical kit and cover lifts along with Spa School document outlining delivery and space heater information was dropped for ***e to readI also sent an e-mail reminding ***e to put a space heater under the cabinet***e received a free stereo and i-pod which she did not order for free which retails for over $ When our service personnel went out for spa school (a service we provided) on Nov 20, 2014, which was days later, he noticed the hot tub portion was full of snow with no cover onThe electrician was just hooking it upUnder the cool weather and snow inside of the tub without any heater, could be easily caused many other damaged to the spa No hot tub manufacturer will warranty freeze upsWe delivered another Lacrosse on October 22, which was filled and heated within a few days and has had no issues Wiring and breakers must be done by a qualified electrician and looked after by the home ownerWe provided the breakers and boxes to expedite this We cannot be responsible for the weatherWater in the bottom from snow or rain will freeze and cause cracks in the bottom drain and hose bib ***e has only paid for service calls totaling $and received pumps valued at $ and a new hard cover valued at $and all the labor hours for FREE which the manufacturer takes no responsibility When hot tubs are left for long periods of time without heat in freezing conditions sometimes complete rebuilds are requiredOnce the broken and abused grab bar is replaced the spa should Daily use of the swim spa and wear and tear is what we are used to with our dozens of swim spa owners but warranty is once again in place for any faulty workmanshipPools and [redacted] are an interactive hobby which require some care and common sense from their ownersWe see lots of kids toys at ***e's and we have expressed our concerns with the children taking it easy on the Swim Spa In conclusion we would like to continue service until the warranty is up In November and beyond if ***e is in agreementEven though most of the issues were caused by freezing weather we have provided parts and labor at no charge with only occasions where a $trip charge was applied which is at our discretion If ***e would like to sell her Lacrosse that would be up to her If ***e decides to purchase a new Swim Spa we would never criticize the quality of another product we are called out to service, we consider this to be unprofessionalWe have dozens of happy swim spa customers and our policy is to continue service even if the problem lies in abuse of the product instead of faulty workmanship which is what warranty is for My position with Soak Luxury Bath is that I am a partner in the hot tub and swim spa part of the company and have worked for over manufacturers since who all have similar warranties We feel out experienced hot tub service technician is the very best in the business and we feel that our competitors have great products and reasonable prices [redacted] (Response to Case [redacted] .pdf)

SOAK LUXURY BATH PRODUCTS 184th Street, Edmonton, AB T5S 0KPhone: 780-477-Fax: 780-477-www.soakbath.ca November 5, [redacted] Subject: 2nd Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # [redacted] This letter is the second response to the complaint case received on October 24, First and foremost, thank you for your continued patience throughout this caseWe encourage you to refer to our first response to ***’s complaint, as it not only highlights our company’s standpoint on this matter, but also very clearly addresses several of the issues that [redacted] has revisited in her replySoak does offer a site assessment for our steam showers - it is one of the exclusive services provided to our loyal customersWe ask for a $fee upfront, and this sum is then subtracted off the total cost of purchaseTo reiterate, Soak’s site assessment is a service that we provide exclusively to customers of our steam showersIf the customer decides not to follow through with their purchase after the site assessment has already been conducted, this is perfectly acceptable, and the customer is free to opt-out at any timeHowever, this does unfortunately mean we can no longer refund for the site assessment fee, as this is a courtesy offered exclusively to customers of our steam showersThis condition has always been made very clear to the customer, and I would like to highlight here that in the past years of offering this exact service, we have never had a case wherein a client misunderstood or was uncertain of this factOne claim that [redacted] has insisted towards is that she never intended on purchasing a steam showerIn fact, as mentioned in our previous response, [redacted] and her husband had expressed an interest towards purchasing our “ [redacted] ***” steam shower, the details of which are outlined in the invoicesAs with all of our customers, we did state that the $fee would go as credit to the final purchase of our steam shower, and [redacted] agreed to this conditionOn the topic of Louis, another recurring issue [redacted] tends to raise is the nature of his position within SoakWhile this detail is not necessarily relevant to the underlying case, and despite our addressing of this concern in our previous response already, we will address it once more for added clarityLouis’ position does not pose as any means to manipulate or deceive our customersHis position does not affect his performance as a contractorRegarding the details of the original quote, [redacted] asked Louis for an on-the­spot full quote estimate of the priceUnfortunately, it is very difficult to provide a full quote in this situation, since our steam showers greatly vary in prices depending on which model/series is purchasedAs such, Louis admitted that he would not be able to offer a quote that includes the steam showers - but then went on to say that he would update them with a more accurate quote via email, a commitment that he has also honouredPlease refer to our copy of the email that contains the more accurate quoteRegardless of all of this, it stands that Louis and the rest of our company has still provided all of the services that [redacted] paid us to doShe paid $for a site assessmentWe have honoured that payment in fullThe final issue to address is that neither Louis nor other sale associate can force [redacted] or her husband to scrap their previous renovation plansNo company has the ability to force a consumer into purchasing an unwanted product or performing unwanted renovationsSoak is certainly no exception to this ruleThank you once again for your patience involving this case, and we hope that we have been able to provide you with all of the details needed to resolve this issueRegards, Diana W [redacted] Manager

Subject: Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # [redacted] *** This letter is a response to the complaint case received on September 29, Thank you for providing us an opportunity to present our case.Soak Luxury Bath Products is a retail store of bath productsCustomers visit us when they are interested in renovating or building their bathroom with some luxury bath productsOne of the valuable services we offer is a site assessment to customers to ensure the unit(s) will be suitable for their spaceWe also provide contracting services exclusive to Soak customersFor the past ten years, we have been providing the same site assessment/contracting service exclusively to our customers.In order to pre-qualify our customer, we charge a $site assessment fee that is redeemable when they purchase a steam shower[redacted] and her husband visited our West End store on July They stated their desire to redo their bathroom, and showed great interest in placing a steam shower in itI clearly informed her that we may do a site assessment for $150, which is redeemable towards a steam shower, and to provide a renovation quote from the contractor who service Soak customer onlyAs our West End store was under renovationI recommend the duo visit our Southside locationI also indicated the unit they are interested in is up and running in our Southside location which they can check it out.Soon after, they went to our Southside location, and exemplified enthusiasm towards the functioning steam shower, and also paid $for site assessmentThe invoice for [redacted] is attached to this messageThis invoice clearly listed the model of steam shower and tub that they are interested with ***’s signature on it.Our contractor, Louis, went to their house on July to do a site checkThe initial renovation plan also shifted from a bathroom renovation to be more complicated as [redacted] wanted major renovations in the master bedroomHowever, Louis was still willing to proceed with the projectNot only did he discuss the options of the renovation with her, but he also went to her house again a couple of weeks later to check the site againAfter Louis submitted the quote to ***, she did not accept itShe also changed her mind about the steam shower as she stated that she would prefer a simple glass shower, which is totally understandable and acceptableWe informed her that she is more than welcome to do anything in her own house, but Louis will not be able to proceed with the project as he works exclusively with Soak customersUnfortunately, [redacted] did not agree to the terms, and sent us an email on September to voice her displeasureWe exchanged a few emails back and forth in an attempt to clarify the situation in that the $is redeemable with the purchase of a steam shower, and the price she paid was towards a site assessment in which we honouredWe completely understand that she feels as if the $went towards nothing in the end; however, our time is also as invaluable as hersWe provided our time and effort towards her renovation because she was going to be Soak’s customerUnfortunately, Louis is unable to provide contracting services outside of the Soak customers because they are the priority, and performing more renovations for individuals who are not customers would be unfair to the loyal consumers who require our service and attentionThe email messages are attached to this messageOur response emails clearly indicate the detailsI also attached a few additional invoices to show you the site assessment and renovation services that we provide to our customersI blocked their names for privacy reasonOur customers fully understand what the $stands for as well as the contracting serviceWe have not had one single issue with this site assessment and contracting service in the past decadeFurthermore, [redacted] continually mentions Louis’ position in Soak, and how his position poses as a manipulation/deceiving tactic of salesHowever, for clarification, his position does not disregard nor interfere with the amount of effort/work required of any contractor to provide the best work they can to a customerAdditionally, neither he nor any of our sales team force a customer to purchase any of our products if they show disinterestThere are many professional contractors listed on public sites that are not exclusive to our company, thus she is not forced to purchasing one of our unitsWe fulfilled our part of the duty as outlined on the site assessment serviceThe service fee is $150, which is redeemable towards to purchasing steam showers/tubsIf a customer changes their mind and decides not to purchase an unit, they will not be able to obtain the site assessment fee back as our time are valuable as wellWe greatly appreciate your time in allowing us to present our case, and we hope the matter may be resolved.Regards,

Second respond letter To continue with our response to ***e [redacted] , we begin by mentioning that the sales person she purchased her Lacrosse Swim Spa from was [redacted] , who is no longer with Soak Luxury Bath Products [redacted] is one of the partners in the Hot tub/Swim Spa division of Soak Luxury Bath Products and the person responsible for these issues The other Spa Company ***e was dealing with was [redacted] ***, which is no longer in business and certainly well known to the Revdex.com At Soak, we keep records of all transactions and service calls to keep professional, accurate details of what was charged and the exact item costWe do not exaggerate figures, and we charge the same fees to all of our customers such as a $call-out fee, not $We also know for a fact that only call-out fees were charged to ***e [redacted] , and her Spa cost her $20,not $23,Please check the invoice and receipts as referenceWe do suggest that the customers should keep their receipts Warranty includes parts and labour unless the damage is the customer's responsibility such as chemical abuse or freeze upsNo hot tub manufacturer's warranty freeze up as mentioned in our previous letter, but we have not charged the $3000+ worth of parts given to Ms [redacted] or the hours of labour at $per hourAll of our competitors charge call-out fees to prevent their services from being abused and taken advantage of by consumers that are inappropriately handling productsIt is the responsibility of all product owners to go outside to clean their hot tubs and hot tub covers on cold daysSome hot tub covers last longer depending on regular maintenance, but most last a few winters depending on how extreme the winters areI have sold over hot tub covers, and some owners misuse them, resulting in a lifespan of one year while others last an average of three winters In reference to case point number of my first response, the electrician was hooking up the spa on November 20th which was days later, meaning that no heat was applied until that dayNo space heater was put under the cabinet as suggested in our Spa School form that was given to Ms [redacted] at least onceMs [redacted] did not decline the need for Spa SchoolIn fact, our service personnel, ***, gave her the Spa School on that date; she took notes and also learnt how to open and close the cover properly without breaking the support bar or slamming down the coverHowever, the service calls we received appeared to have some correlation to the children's visits: the grab bar was pulled out hard enough to strip the threads; the filter baskets were pulled out and were at the bottom of the pool when [redacted] went on another service call at Ms [redacted] 's house, etc Although Ms [redacted] mentions that she has not kept a tally of the number of service calls, it seems off that there are statements that allude to exaggerated numbers We still believe that when the new grab bar is installed, she will have a great product that will work for years to comeIt is unfortunate that Ms [redacted] remains critical of our staff and owners as we have done our best to be accommodating: replacing pumps for free, providing a free $cover, and the additional hours of labour as well as the $call out feeAs the issue with the Swim Spa is due to freeze up to begin with, it is not even under warrantyWe can continue to provide service under warranty until November 2017, or you can certainly use another service company of your own choiceAs is our company policy, we are not interested in buying any used hot tubs of any kind Regards, [redacted] (Business response)

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2015/11/17) */
Subject: Re: Complaint Activity Report Case# XXXXXXX *** ***
This letter is to response the email I received on November regarding the complaint from *** ***
MsAnd Mr*** put a deposit on a steam shower on August 8,
We did not have this product in stock at the timeOur sales informed them it would take approximately days for the shipment to arrivePlease check the signed invoice attached which clearly states "days" on the invoice
However, they called in late September/early October to book the delivery and assembly service, but was told the shipment was not in yetMs*** was very upsetOur salesperson explained to her that this was still within the days period, but they were in a rush to get itIn response, we offered them the same unit in a different color and without the *** feature, which is in stockWe also offered them an extra $discount for not having the *** featureThey finally accepted the offer instead of waiting the shipment
Ms*** called on October and spoke to our salesperson and left her credit card for a total refund of $($for extra service they cancelled and $for no *** feature discount plus GST)We processed this refunded on October Ms*** called the store on the morning of October and checked for the refundI spoke to her personally and told her I would check if the refund has been done yetI called her back the same day and confirmed the refund has been processed on that dayPlease check the same invoice with her refund receipt
What I do not understand is that she still filed a complaint on the same day and stated, "there was no response"I am surprised that someone would state such a statement, which is incorrect*** Regardless, we have fulfilled our promise and gave her the refund
Thank you for providing this opportunity for us to clear the matter and present our side of the story
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns
Regards,
*** ***
Manager
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 11, 2015/11/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
That is not at all the situation, when we purchased the unit we put half down as a deposit, We went back to the store 3-weeks before we wanted to schedule the shipment and we were told yes your unit is here and we need full paymentWe made the full payment and asked if the we could schedule delivery for our date to work around our contractors who were going to hook up the unit100% not a problem lets get it booked is what we were told as the unit was thereOne and a half weeks before our delivery date we get a call saying our unit is not there and won't be for another 3-weeksWe said how can this be you said it was in you said not a problem, we scheduled all our trades around them? We were then told, "well read your contract this is not our problem these things happen." We then said, "well what can you do for us how can we get this fixed?" We were offered a lesser unit (no *** no aroma therapy, fairly certain is was the floor model and was not the color we ordered) I said wow what is SOAK prepared to do for us we think $off is fair (remember this is around a $unit)I was laughed at on the phone and told best we are willing to offer you is $(Fairly certain $doesn't cover all those downgrades)My husband then took the phone and then asked if we can just cancel the order as that is not acceptableHe was promptly told check your contract we have daysHe said but you told us it was in and good to go two weeks agoAll he got was well it isn't so you can take this other unit or wait for yoursAs I mentioned before they had already taken full payment so we were too investedWe took the lesser unit and also cancelled the tinting of the unit as it was black and the one we had ordered was white so we didn't want it too dark with the tintSo over a week goes by and we still had not received the creditMy husband called the store and they told him they needed a reference number off the debit slip***
We also purchased a vanity unit from the store with a sink and tap which was a floor modelWhen installing, the inside of the tap snapped very easily on the inside*** I tried to take it back to see what SOAK would say,*** we never got a response; ***
***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2016/02/23) */
Subject: Re: Case # ***
This letter is in response to the complaint case received on February 21,
Ms*** placed a deposit of $on a hot tub on June 7, We specifically mentioned the product was on
order for 60-daysPlease check the attached invoice signed by Ms***Additionally, the terms and conditions of the purchase are located on the back the invoice, which clearly states on point #7: Delivery information provided is estimated only as we have no control over the actual delivery time
The shipment arrived in October and the hot tub was delivered to Ms ***'s house
We received a call from Ms*** in June regarding the LED light and informed that it was not workingWe went out for the service call for Ms *** in September 8, as soon as we received the spare parts' shipmentOur service team changed out the light control as well as the light lenses, and the lights were working afterwardsWe did not charge any call-out fee, labor charge, nor did the parts cost as it is part of the warranty issuePlease check the work order by our hot tub service technician
However, we received another service request from Ms*** two weeks later, and we went out again on September 30, Our service technicians changed out the light control againThey noticed most of the hot tub jets were closed (all water jets are supposed to be opened to prevent water backflow) which caused leaks inside of the cabinets and shorted the lightsNormally, if the issue is caused by inappropriate operation by the customer, a service fee will be occurredHowever, we did not charge Ms *** anything this time eitherPlease check the other work orderFurthermore, there is a large, heavy rock right in front of a control panel, which our service personnel could not get access inside to repair the other lightsOur service personnel informed Ms***'s boyfriend who was on site at the time about the closed jets issue and the rock has to be removed so that we can get access
Afterwards, we finally got a chance to service Ms***'s light issue after she removed the rockWe asked for a call out fee of $as it is an extra trip for us to go out again due to inaccessible situation on the last service callIn fact, the $trip charges
are indicated on our warranty documentsPlease check the attached warranty documentsIt is a mandatory cost for all service calls regardless if it is under warranty or not, which we waived twice on Ms***'s service calls
We informed Ms*** that we will cover other labor cost (which is $135/HR) and parts costThe only charge is applied is $trip charges
***
However, I believe we did our very best to help this customerAs I mentioned, we charged $trip charge and will cover the labor and parts cost if the part is a manufacture defect and not caused by inappropriate operation
***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 11, 2016/03/05) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes Soak is correct we did go put a deposit down of $in June of and we were well aware of the 30-day delivery policy unfortunately our hot tub took days to be delivered which doubles the amount of delivery time, not to mention didn't come in the colour we ordered but were willing to accept it as is***There for they were not able to show us proper care or instruction how how to maintain the tub properly which was and extra $that was basically a waistUpon delivery Dave the installer had mentioned that some of the lights were not working properly and they would have it fixed when new parts came inWe waited till June of to have this light issue dealt withLights worked for about a week *** *** I absolutely refuse to pay for this service since the tub was not in proper working order at the time of deliverySince the first letter I wrote now the pump has gone in the tub*** ***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2016/03/29) */
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # *** *** ***
This letter is the 2nd response letter for the complaint from *** *** I received on March 20,
In regards to the colour of the tub, please note that the invoice attached along this response indicates the order as "Black shell and Grey cabinet" (please check the attached invoice)Please have Ms*** provide you a picture of the hot tub and confirm if that is the exact colour she ordered
In regards to the delivery issue, we have explained in our last letter that all deliveries are estimated as our company does not have control over the shipping and Canadian custom processing timeHowever, the tub was delivered to Ms***'s house on November 10, 2014, which is not the end of November
In her response, Ms*** mentioned the weather being around -degrees Celsius, which is inaccurate as the temperature on November 10, was about -degrees CelsiusFurthermore, the hot tub was made for Canadian weather, and can also be used outdoorsThere are not any installations that are needed to be done other than hooking up the electricity and filling up the water so that the hot tub start to warm upDave, our service personnel, was on-site for two hours, and also provided Ms*** with spa school to educate her on how to properly operate the hot tub as well as regular maintenance of the hot tub chemicalThe $was the service charge for all of the above services
In early September of 2015, we received a phone call from Ms***, which is about months after the hot tub was running smoothly, complained that the lights burnt outDave went out and exchanged it on September 8, (please check the work order #1)Please
note that we did not charge for any service or call-out fee for this service
However, the lights did go out again between a week to two weeks laterDave informed Ms*** that the parts are shipping, and would call her when the spare parts arrivedWe went out again on September 30, to repair the lights again (please check the work order #2)Firstly, Dave noticed all the hot tub jets were closed which caused a leak inside and burnt the light wiresHe further indicated the cause of the problem to Ms***'s boyfriend who was present at the time (Ms*** was not on the site)In our company's
terms and conditions, if the cause of the problem is due to improper operation, it is not covered under warrantyHowever, despite the issue, we still did not charge any service and call-out fee to Ms***Dave explained again how the hot tub should be operated correctly: the jets have to be opened, etc
Next, there was also a large rock in front of the panel, which hindered Dave as he could not get to repair the other side of the lightDave informed her boyfriend that we would have to come back when the rock is moved out of the way
Afterwards, we finally got a chance to service Ms***'s light issue after she removed the rockWe asked for a call-out fee of $as it is an extra trip for us to go out again due to the inaccessible situation on the last service callIn fact, the $trip charges are indicated on our warranty documentsPlease check the attached warranty documentsIt is a mandatory cost for all service calls regardless if it is under warranty or not, to which we waived twice on
Ms***'s service calls
As for the pump issue, this is the first time we have heard of this problemAs mentioned before, there are many issues could cause this problem such as incorrect operation of the hot tubs, chemical imbalance, etc, which we have no control overIt is up to the customers to take care of the hot tub correctly
***
***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: As mentioned in my initial responses Soak had never advised that the $was specifically redeemable in their steam showers It was specified to Diana as well as Kim the sales associate that we were doing a reno and in the process of looking for a contractor It was Diana who suggested they had an "excellent contractor" who for $would do an estimate on our bathroom and that amount would be redeemable in "Soak product" As Louis dictates in the email he sent me he knew I was not sold on a steam shower The $invoice never mentions the word steam shower and instead specifies numbers that a customer would have no knowledge as to what they correspond to It does however mention a bath tub If steam showers are the sole purpose of the visit it would/should be clear on the invoice as well as specified to myself and my husband Clearly neither was documented or expressed Nobody would pay $for a steam shower installation visit when they were not interested in purchasing a steam shower It doesn't make sense and if it doesn't make sense it isn't true ** *** ** ** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ** * *** *** *** *** ** *** ** *** *** ** *** ** *** *** *** I again am concerned that the co-owner of the company; Louis who strung us along for many months has removed himself from this conversation Please refer to his emails They tell the story Diana expresses that Soak has not had any complaints regarding misleading customers and manipulations in the past They do have on the Revdex.com site many complaints over the past few years in different areas Many of these areas are in the lack of communication and service level they provide Others refer to the poor quality of product they are selling I would think that the percentage of customers that would go to the trouble of registering a complaint would be extremely small Few people will take the trouble to enlighten others to the experience they received no matter how poor and manipulative it was I want to make sure that anyone that signs up and pays $to have a "renovation" done by Louis and the Soak organization has their eye wide open If they are willing to go to this extent of deception for $I cannot imagine what they would do in a contract in the tens of thousands Thankfully we are not one of the other Revdex.com customers that are out $20,000+!
Sincerely,
*** ***

May 19, 2017Re: Complaint activity report Case # [redacted] made a show deposit of $500 on March 21, 2017. This deposit both secures the...

show price of our products, and also becomes a part of the purchase deposit for any future order. It is clearly stated in our terms and conditions that "Deposit is fully refundable within 15 days of purchase" behind his signature and on the back of the invoice. Please check the attached invoice.Mr. [redacted] intended to pick one of the units listed on his invoice. He also requested a site assessment so that he can make the final decision for the unit he wants to order. The site assessment was performed on May 11, 2017 between 7:00-8:00pm. The contractor confirmed either unit can fit into his bathroom. Mr. [redacted] told the contractor he would go to the store and pick out a unit the next day.However, Mr. [redacted] came to the store on May 12, 2017 and requested a refund. We explained to him that the refund is only available within 15 days of the deposit purchase. We can only provide him with store credit, which is listed on the Terms and Conditions. Mr. [redacted] refused to take it [redacted].We are still willing to offer the store credit to Mr. [redacted] as stated on our company policy on the invoice.Thank you again for this opportunity to present our side of the case. [redacted]Regards,Diana W[redacted]Manager

Subject: Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # [redacted] This letter is a response to the complaint case received on September 29, 2016. Thank you for providing us an opportunity to present our case.Soak Luxury Bath Products is a retail store of bath products. Customers visit us when...

they are interested in renovating or building their bathroom with some luxury bath products. One of the valuable services we offer is a site assessment to customers to ensure the unit(s) will be suitable for their space. We also provide contracting services exclusive to Soak customers. For the past ten years, we have been providing the same site assessment/contracting service exclusively to our customers.In order to pre-qualify our customer, we charge a $150 site assessment fee that is redeemable when they purchase a steam shower.[redacted] and her husband visited our West End store on July 16. They stated their desire to redo their bathroom, and showed great interest in placing a steam shower in it. I clearly informed her that we may do a site assessment for $150, which is redeemable towards a steam shower, and to provide a renovation quote from the contractor who service Soak customer only. As our West End store was under renovation. I recommend the duo visit our Southside location. I also indicated the unit they are interested in is up and running in our Southside location which they can check it out.Soon after, they went to our Southside location, and exemplified enthusiasm towards the functioning steam shower, and also paid $150 for site assessment. The invoice for [redacted] is attached to this message. This invoice clearly listed the model of steam shower and tub that they are interested with [redacted]’s signature on it.Our contractor, Louis, went to their house on July 22 to do a site check. The initial renovation plan also shifted from a bathroom renovation to be more complicated as [redacted] wanted major renovations in the master bedroom. However, Louis was still willing to proceed with the project. Not only did he discuss the options of the renovation with her, but he also went to her house again a couple of weeks later to check the site again. After Louis submitted the quote to [redacted], she did not accept it. She also changed her mind about the steam shower as she stated that she would prefer a simple glass shower, which is totally understandable and acceptable. We informed her that she is more than welcome to do anything in her own house, but Louis will not be able to proceed with the project as he works exclusively with Soak customers. Unfortunately, [redacted] did not agree to the terms, and sent us an email on September 22 to voice her displeasure. We exchanged a few emails back and forth in an attempt to clarify the situation in that the $150 is redeemable with the purchase of a steam shower, and the price she paid was towards a site assessment in which we honoured. We completely understand that she feels as if the $150 went towards nothing in the end; however, our time is also as invaluable as hers. We provided our time and effort towards her renovation because she was going to be Soak’s customer. Unfortunately, Louis is unable to provide contracting services outside of the Soak customers because they are the priority, and performing more renovations for individuals who are not customers would be unfair to the loyal consumers who require our service and attention. The email messages are attached to this message. Our response emails clearly indicate the details. I also attached a few additional invoices to show you the site assessment and renovation services that we provide to our customers. I blocked their names for privacy reason. Our customers fully understand what the $150 stands for as well as the contracting service. We have not had one single issue with this site assessment and contracting service in the past decade. Furthermore, [redacted] continually mentions Louis’ position in Soak, and how his position poses as a manipulation/deceiving tactic of sales. However, for clarification, his position does not disregard nor interfere with the amount of effort/work required of any contractor to provide the best work they can to a customer. Additionally, neither he nor any of our sales team force a customer to purchase any of our products if they show disinterest. There are many professional contractors listed on public sites that are not exclusive to our company, thus she is not forced to purchasing one of our units. We fulfilled our part of the duty as outlined on the site assessment service. The service fee is $150, which is redeemable towards to purchasing steam showers/tubs. If a customer changes their mind and decides not to purchase an unit, they will not be able to obtain the site assessment fee back as our time are valuable as well. We greatly appreciate your time in allowing us to present our case, and we hope the matter may be resolved.Regards,

SOAK LUXURY BATH PRODUCTS 10414 184th Street, Edmonton, AB T5S 0K3 Phone: 780-477-8695 Fax: 780-477-8698 www.soakbath.ca November 5, 2016 [redacted]
[redacted] Subject: 2nd Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # [redacted] This letter is the second response to the complaint case received on October 24, 2016. First and foremost, thank you for your continued patience throughout this case. We encourage you to refer to our first response to [redacted]’s complaint, as it not only highlights our company’s standpoint on this matter, but also very clearly addresses several of the issues that [redacted] has revisited in her reply. Soak does offer a site assessment for our steam showers - it is one of the exclusive services provided to our loyal customers. We ask for a $150 fee upfront, and this sum is then subtracted off the total cost of purchase. To reiterate, Soak’s site assessment is a service that we provide exclusively to customers of our steam showers. If the customer decides not to follow through with their purchase after the site assessment has already been conducted, this is perfectly acceptable, and the customer is free to opt-out at any time. However, this does unfortunately mean we can no longer refund for the site assessment fee, as this is a courtesy offered exclusively to customers of our steam showers. This condition has always been made very clear to the customer, and I would like to highlight here that in the past 10 years of offering this exact service, we have never had a case wherein a client misunderstood or was uncertain of this fact. One claim that [redacted] has insisted towards is that she never intended on purchasing a steam shower. In fact, as mentioned in our previous response, [redacted] and her husband had expressed an interest towards purchasing our “[redacted]” steam shower, the details of which are outlined in the invoices. As with all of our customers, we did state that the $150 fee would go as credit to the final purchase of our steam shower, and [redacted] agreed to this condition. On the topic of Louis, another recurring issue [redacted] tends to raise is the nature of his position within Soak. While this detail is not necessarily relevant to the underlying case, and despite our addressing of this concern in our previous response already, we will address it once more for added clarity. Louis’ position does not pose as any means to manipulate or deceive our customers. His position does not affect his performance as a contractor. Regarding the details of the original quote, [redacted] asked Louis for an on-the­spot full quote estimate of the price. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to provide a full quote in this situation, since our steam showers greatly vary in prices depending on which model/series is purchased. As such, Louis admitted that he would not be able to offer a quote that includes the steam showers - but then went on to say that he would update them with a more accurate quote via email, a commitment that he has also honoured. Please refer to our copy of the email that contains the more accurate quote. Regardless of all of this, it stands that Louis and the rest of our company has still provided all of the services that [redacted] paid us to do. She paid $150 for a site assessment. We have honoured that payment in full. The final issue to address is that neither Louis nor other sale associate can force [redacted] or her husband to scrap their previous renovation plans. No company has the ability to force a consumer into purchasing an unwanted product or performing unwanted renovations. Soak is certainly no exception to this rule. Thank you once again for your patience involving this case, and we hope that we have been able to provide you with all of the details needed to resolve this issue. Regards, Diana W[redacted] Manager

Complaint: [redacted]
Thank you for speaking with me today and clarifying the Revdex.com process of mediation of my complaint.  I have reviewed the 13/6/2016 response from Soak and I would like to clarify the errors and inaccuracies, and provide further substance to my complaint.  Firstly, I have never ‘dealt’ with [redacted].   This was one of the four companies in Edmonton that sold swim [redacted] and theirs was one of the products that I considered before making my decision to purchase from Soak.  My choice has proven to be detrimental; although the product offered by Soak was half the price of their competitors, I now know the reason for that price differential is the inferiority of the product.  In his response, [redacted] references that the Revdex.com is familiar with [redacted].  In fact, neither [redacted] nor Soak is a Revdex.com accredited business.  However, unlike the resolution outlined on the Revdex.com website with regards to the consumers’ complaints for the product and service from [redacted], Soak has been unwilling to discuss resolution of my complaint of the inferior product and service.I have received copies of the financial records from my bank.  The purchase cost of the swim spa from Soak was $21,847.50, paid in three installments ($1000 paid 3/7/2013, $10 420 paid 25/3/2014 and $10 427.50 paid 3/11/2014).  I have also found three records of the service fee charged to my visa.  It is gracious of Soak to have waived the service charge for the multitude of other service calls that have needed to be made.  However this action was extended only after I expressed dissatisfaction with having to pay for problems that are supposed to be covered under warranty.  [redacted] has identified that warranty includes parts and labor unless the damage is the consumers’ responsibility.  On every occasion they have found reason to fault me for the products failure.  He continues to maintain that the endless problems I have had with this unit are because it was allowed to freeze up.  He may be correct in this regard, however the fault of the freezing is not mine.  I have already outlined in my two previous letters to the Revdex.com that this tub was delivered first to the wrong address and allowed to sit outside, exposed to the elements with dirt and water gaining access to the pipes.  It is this action that resulted in the water being in the pipes to freeze, not any fault of my own.  I find it rather telling that in none of the response from Soak has the erroneous action/delivery been acknowledged.  This is something that [redacted] ([redacted], [redacted]) can attest to.  In my conversation with me he remembers well the erroneous delivery to an address in Devon, and his need to retrieve the spa to deliver it to my property weeks later.  Upon first filling the tub at my house, one of the pipes was completely disconnected from the system.  No doubt the repeated lifting and settling of this unit prior to its installation on my concrete patio led to the pipes breaking.[redacted]’s suggestion that I have inappropriately handled the tub and components, including the cover, is ludicrous.  I am an educated, intelligent person.  Hot tub use and maintenance is not rocket science nor does it require an advanced chemistry degree.  I have previously owned two hot tubs for 15 years.  I am well versed in the care needs of a spa.  The unit at my house is covered, under a deck and not exposed to snow and rain, and therefore there is no need for snow removal from the cover.  The only moisture exposure to the covers is from the humidity/condensation from the water in the tub and the water-logged nature of the covers in less than a year was from the inside, due to faulty product.  Of my two previous tubs, one was also under a deck and not exposed to snow/water and in the 10 years I owned that tub, the cover was replaced only once.  The tub at the lake cabin is only used seasonally in the summer but it is outside, exposed to the sun, rain and snow year round and the cover on it has never been replaced.  Furthermore, [redacted]’s admonition that the multitude of problems that I have experienced with this spa is due to my misuse is further testament to my complaint that it is the practice of Soak to blame the owner for the problems, thereby obviating them of any responsibility to provide parts and service under warranty.I will reiterate herein that I have never been provided with ‘spa school’.  When I spoke with [redacted] about this offer, I was advised of a $200 cost for instruction of how to operate the pumps and balance the water.  Because I am quite experienced in this process this was an unnecessary expense that I declined.  The only ‘schooling’ I was given by [redacted] is to clarify the discrepancy between the names on the product/chemical labels from Soak and the instructions on the sheet of paper that was provided with the first set of start-up chemicals.  The instructions provided were inconsistent with the product labels. On this occasion I did have to ask [redacted] for instruction for how to program the timer and controls on the unit as nothing was provided to me with regards to a manual or handbook for the spa.  [redacted] did take all of about 1 minute to show me how to program the filter schedule and upon his next service call provided me with a single page of instruction for the process he demonstrated.  This was the extent of the ‘spa school’ provided, and certainly was not a $200 service.[redacted]’s suggestion that service has correlated to my niece and nephew being in the spa is ludicrous.  He could have absolutely no idea of the times they were in the tub.  However, to provide further clarification on that matter, my niece and nephew are in the spa infrequently, at most once every 6 weeks.  I know this to be a fact because I don’t see them more frequently than this because of the contrary travel commitments that their father and I share.  And at no time are the children unsupervised in the tub.  When I am home, I use the swim spa and hot tub 2-3 times a week.  The vast majority of use of this unit is my personal use.  [redacted]’s comment that the filter baskets have been loose and floating in the tubs is a complete fallacy.  The covers for the filter compartments do come off frequently.  There are many occasions when I have removed the covers to use the tub and the basket covers are floating.  However the filter baskets have never been out.  In fact, I find the baskets extremely difficult to remove when I am trying to get them out to replace the filters.  The baskets have never been lose and floating in the tub.From the extensive work that has needed to be done on this unit, I have no doubt that it has been rebuilt.  When the grab bar is finally replaced (I have been waiting for this since March 29), a part I have had to pay for because Soak found reason/excuse to blame me for its failure, I have no expectation that this will be a product that will work for years to come.  I have no faith in the product, service or business practices of Soak.  Their failure to take any responsibility in the failure of this unit speaks to this concern.At this time, I would like to request that the Revdex.com initiate efforts to assist in resolution of this complaint.  I do not believe that further back-and-forth between Soak and myself will be productive.  I was pleased to read the resolution that the Revdex.com was able to obtain for the three customers that had trouble with [redacted] Spa.  I trust that we can arrive at a similar resolution to this complaint.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Second respond letter
To continue with our response to [redacted], we begin by mentioning that the sales person she purchased her Lacrosse Swim Spa from was [redacted], who is no longer with Soak Luxury Bath Products.
[redacted] is one of the partners in the Hot tub/Swim Spa division of Soak Luxury Bath Products and the person responsible for these issues.
The other Spa Company [redacted]e was dealing with was [redacted], which is no longer in business and certainly well known to the Revdex.com.
At Soak, we keep records of all transactions and service calls to keep professional, accurate details of what was charged and the exact item cost. We do not exaggerate figures, and we charge the same fees to all of our customers such as a $100 call-out fee, not $125. We also know for a fact that only 2 call-out fees were charged to [redacted], and her Spa cost her $20,000 not $23,000. Please check the invoice and receipts as reference. We do suggest that the customers should keep their receipts.
Warranty includes parts and labour unless the damage is the customer's responsibility such as chemical abuse or freeze ups. No hot tub manufacturer's warranty freeze up as mentioned in our previous letter, but we have not charged the $3000+ worth of parts given to Ms. [redacted] or the hours of labour at $135 per hour. All of our competitors charge call-out fees to prevent their services from being abused and taken advantage of by consumers that are inappropriately handling products. It is the responsibility of all product owners to go outside to clean their hot tubs and hot tub covers on cold days. Some hot tub covers last longer depending on regular maintenance, but most last a few winters depending on how extreme the winters are. I have sold over 2000 hot tub covers, and some owners misuse them, resulting in a lifespan of one year while others last an average of three winters.
In reference to case point number 4 of my first response, the electrician was hooking up the spa on November 20th which was 17 days later, meaning that no heat was applied until that day. No space heater was put under the cabinet as suggested in our Spa School form that was given to Ms. [redacted] at least once. Ms. [redacted] did not decline the need for Spa School. In fact, our service personnel, [redacted], gave her the Spa School on that date; she took notes and also learnt how to open and close the cover properly without breaking the support bar or slamming down the cover. However, the service calls we received appeared to have some correlation to the children's visits: the grab bar was pulled out hard enough to strip the threads; the filter baskets were pulled out and were at the bottom of the pool when [redacted] went on another service call at Ms. [redacted]'s house, etc.
Although Ms. [redacted] mentions that she has not kept a tally of the number of service calls, it seems off that there are statements that allude to exaggerated numbers.
We still believe that when the new grab bar is installed, she will have a great product that will work for years to come. It is unfortunate that Ms. [redacted] remains critical of our staff and owners as we have done our best to be accommodating: replacing 2 pumps for free, providing a free $1800 cover, and the additional hours of labour as well as the $100 call out fee. As the issue with the Swim Spa is due to freeze up to begin with, it is not even under warranty. We can continue to provide service under warranty until November 2017, or you can certainly use another service company of your own choice. As is our company policy, we are not interested in buying any used hot tubs of any kind.
Regards,
[redacted]
(Business response)

SOAK LUXURY BATH PRODUCTS
May 10, 2016
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case #[redacted]
Regarding the issues [redacted]e [redacted] has had with her Lacrosse Swim Spa we first would like...

to
clarify what the Swim Spa cost which was $20,000.
1. Delivery of the Swim Spa was arranged with [redacted], a busy crane company and was
supposedly, according to [redacted]e, a straight drop but turned out to be with a roof deck over top of
the placement area so we had to call for more help and rolling carts to set it down and roll it under
and jack it up to remove the carts at no extra cost. I dropped everything and drove over to
help. [redacted]e was out of town and we had to wait for final payment before we could schedule
delivery. When we left after an extra free hour of labor we reminded [redacted]e's very helpful
brother that the covers should be put on to prevent any moisture or dirt from getting in the spa
and to have it wired and filled as soon as possible.
2. We could have delayed the delivery for another time but scheduling of the crane was during a
busy time and it would have been delayed further so we both agreed to have [redacted] deliver
it on November 3, 2014.
3. Chemical kit and cover lifts along with Spa School document outlining delivery and space
heater information was dropped for [redacted]e to read. I also sent an e-mail reminding [redacted]e to put
a space heater under the cabinet. [redacted]e received a free stereo and i-pod which she did not order
for free which retails for over $1500.
4. When our service personnel went out for spa school (a service we provided) on Nov 20, 2014,
which was 17 days later, he noticed the hot tub portion was full of snow with no cover on. The
electrician was just hooking it up. Under the cool weather and snow inside of the tub without any
heater, could be easily caused many other damaged to the spa.
5. No hot tub manufacturer will warranty freeze ups. We delivered another Lacrosse on October
22, 2014 which was filled and heated within a few days and has had no issues.
6. Wiring and breakers must be done by a qualified electrician and looked after by the home
owner. We provided the breakers and boxes to expedite this.
7. We cannot be responsible for the weather. Water in the bottom from snow or rain will freeze
and cause cracks in the bottom drain and hose bib.
8. [redacted]e has only paid for 2 service calls totaling $200 and received 2 pumps valued at $1220
and a new hard cover valued at $1800 and all the labor hours for FREE which the manufacturer
takes no responsibility.
9. When hot tubs are left for long periods of time without heat in freezing conditions sometimes
complete rebuilds are required. Once the broken and abused grab bar is replaced the spa should
10. Daily use of the swim spa and normal wear and tear is what we are used to with our dozens of
swim spa owners but warranty is once again in place for any faulty workmanship. Pools and [redacted]
are an interactive hobby which require some care and common sense from their owners. We see
lots of kids toys at [redacted]e's and we have expressed our concerns with the children taking it easy
on the Swim Spa.
In conclusion we would like to continue service until the warranty is up In November 2017 and
beyond if [redacted]e is in agreement. Even though most of the issues were caused by freezing
weather we have provided parts and labor at no charge with only 2 occasions where a $100 trip
charge was applied which is at our discretion.
If [redacted]e would like to sell her Lacrosse that would be up to her.
If [redacted]e decides to purchase a new Swim Spa we would never criticize the quality of another
product we are called out to service, we consider this to be unprofessional. We have dozens of
happy swim spa customers and our policy is to continue service even if the problem lies in abuse
of the product instead of faulty workmanship which is what warranty is for.
My position with Soak Luxury Bath is that I am a partner in the hot tub and swim spa part of the
company and have worked for over 20 manufacturers since 1992 who all have similar warranties.
We feel out experienced hot tub service technician is the very best in the business and we feel that
our competitors have great products and reasonable prices.
[redacted] (Response to Case [redacted].pdf)

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: [redacted] Soak may choose to refund my deposit, less $150.00 +  GST, for a refund of $342.50. I reiterate - I have placed no order, I have made no purchase. I am willing to compensate Soak for the site assessment. [redacted] I requested the return of my deposit, I do not wish to patronize this business. Should Soak choose to retain my deposit, I may consider other options.
Sincerely,
[redacted]