I regards to this complaint: We have a 100% Satisfaction guaranteeWe have refunded him his entire $not $ We are a professional home repair company and do not price match TV loss leader ads intended to drum up extra business This complaint was filed at 1pm Monday July 14th Our office received this customer’s letter at noon of Friday July 11thI intended to contact this customer after I reviewed the facts of the call We did not receive any other communication prior to or after, except for this Revdex.com complaint filed exactly business hours after our receipt of the only communication he provided us of his dissatisfaction I looked at the notes on this job: We arrived at his home hour after he called us about his clogged toilet His technician was there for ½ hours not minutesHowever his technician is an efficient workerI suppose in some circles, there is more value in paying someone who is slow The bathroom was so disgusting that the customer refused to enter the bathroom We are a serious home repair company and do not normally market with loss leaders on TV to drive business such as a $ drain special I seriously doubt the $drain special includes removing and resetting the toiletThis customer would have called the $drain special and probably would have been charged extra to remove and replace the toilet This customer has received a free toilet unclogHe will need to wait up to days for his Credit card statement to reflect the return Thank You for your attention
IN reference to Revdex.com complaint This customer did call us out for burned outletsAfter that there are several statements that need some additional facts 07/31/after we came out and met with them, we knew they had suffered from a lightning surgeWe have encountered dozens of homes with lightning surge damage from the summer storm seasonDamage from lightning surge is very common in the Houston areaThe [redacted] estimates over million lightning strikes a year in the Houston area Lightning strikes are one of the few insured claims that a homeowner can make against their homeowners’ insurance for damage to the electrical systemLightning surge damage indications include: non working lights and outlets, burned outlets, burned breakers or panels,; also damaged garage door opener motors, AC motors, appliance motors, smoke detectors, light dimmers, alarm controls, etc The original technician educated them on the procedure to work with their insurance companyHe gave them an option to change their main breaker, which was burning hot and perform an insulation [redacted] test on their internal wiringThis [redacted] test is what is used by insurance companies to determine which circuits appear damaged form surge On a second visit, 8/7/our tech replaced the main breaker and left with the new main breaker in working orderAt that time the homeowner still did not want to pursue the insurance claim because of lack of funds to pay for the deductible The next day 8/08/the homeowner called stating their ac stopped working The tech came out, checked the main breaker and found it to be functioningHe checked the service disconnect at the ac unit and found power thereBut someone else (not from our company) had bypassed the safety features of the disconnectFinding that power was correct at the ac unit, this tech informed the homeowner that an AC technician was needed and that the miss-wired disconnect could have been the cause of the failed compressor motorHe never said to the homeowner that it was the main breaker installed incorrectlyThis tech was also informed by the homeowner that another ac company had been out to work on the AC recently(Again, Not our AC company) 8/08/that afternoon our AC tech went to the home to check the ac compressor and found that it had shorted internallyThe homeowner then decided that it was when we changed the main breaker that the compressor was damaged Our AC Manager, ***, on the same day, decided to take pity on this homeowner based on their statement that they could not afford the deductible of their insurance 8/11/and 8/12/on the following Monday He replaced the compressor as part of the manufactures warrantyWe then discovered that the internal evaporator coil was damaged by particles released into the ac system when the compressor blewWe spent the next day working on thatHe informed this homeowner that the entire system could be compromised and our free repair may not lastHe informed them that in no way could the volt system have damaged the compressor motor that it would take thousands of volts to do such damage such as with a lightning surgeAs a Master Electrician with over years of experience, I can attest that had the electricians direct shorted the wires together that the compressor would not have noticed Understanding all of this, the homeowners signed our agreement with no labor warranty for our repair and acknowledging that we were not at fault for the compressor but were helping them anyway Now it turns out, which the AC Manager had warned them of the possibility, that when the compressor blew, particles were carried though out the ac system and has re entered the warranty compressor and damaged it This is a perfect example of no good deed goes unpunished So here are some important facts: We have put the homeowner on notice that they have been surged by lightning and have substantial electrical damage throughout their home They have refused to file a claim with their homeowner’s policy regarding thisThey will continue to have problems with their AC system, electrical system, appliances, etc, for years to come Our electrician informed them that someone had bypassed the safety feature of the AC disconnect and made no mention of the main breaker(See attached invoice signed by customer) The homeowner informed the electrician that another person had been working on their ac system As a Master Electrician, not only did we not do anything that harmed their ac compressor, the other person working on their ac did not eitherIt is apparent that the compressor was damaged by high voltage greater than what they could experience by the volt system even at a peak moment We have gone above and beyond for this customer already by fixing things that were not our faultHad the damage from the lightning been not so severe, our free repairs for the ac system that we did not damage, would have been enough
We try to take care of the customer Even to the detriment of our company We empower our people to take care of the customer; sometimes they go overboard and their reflex action is to take care of the customer regardless of the facts This is why we have been in business for over years and have many thousands of customers Replacing ac equipment that we did not damage was the result of this zealous customer care However looking at the facts, We have replaced thousands of Main breakers, Never has a volt motor been damaged Replacing a main breaker will not damage a Volt compressor motor You can short the wires at the main breaker and blow it up and it will not damage the volt compressor motor High voltage impulse surge from lightning is what did thisWe informed you that your home had been hit by lighting surge the first visit As a company we work on homes suffering from lightning surge damage multiple times a month The damage caused by lightning is not only immediate but can compromise the integrity of the electrical wiring and apparatus to the point of eventual failure This homeowner will continue to have electrical, electronics, appliance and equipment issues of this nature throughout the entire house for years to come Not all insurance companies pay on diagnostic work such as [redacted] tests, but most will cover the repairs The issue is that the insurance company will not acknowledge a lightning surge has occurred without a [redacted] test diagnosticWe present meg test results to insurance companies on behalf of our customers many times a year I strongly suggest you find another licensed electrical contractor or electrical engineer who understands this lighting issue and get the [redacted] test performed so that you can pursue a claim with your homeowners insurance
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response If you wish, you may update it before sending it.] Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me I would like to add (just for your reference) that the tech was NOT there for 1/hours..if he told you that...well ....I'll let you be the judge of that
Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint The purpose of the main breaker is to prevent damage from a surge by shutting off all of the other breakers, is it not? Not having a background in electricity, we rely on what our Service Providers tell us The lingo used is very confusing All I know is that [redacted] came out to our house on 8/8/14, after we had the main breaker replaced, and he determined that the lead line and load line were mis-connected I have no idea if these are at the main breaker panel or at the ac unit itself He did, however, call the original technician, while sitting at my kitchen counter, and tell him that he had wired them incorrectly He specifically stated to him that the lines were "clearly marked" but were connected incorrectly Why would he do that if the lines were mixed up by someone else? That makes no sense He was the one that explained to me that having the volts trying to hit my compressor all weekend long may have caused major damage to the entire system, and explained that he would have to get someone else that specialized in AC units to come out and look I would have NO WAY of knowing that unless he told me that I told him then that I was not willing to pay for repairs to my system that the technician caused, and he agreed that there would be no charge He then referred us to *** I do not see how [redacted] could have or would have spent entire days working on my system, at no charge, including several hours with additional technicians, if he did not feel that in some way Universal Home Experts was at fault That is one expensive pity party As a business owner, I would never authorize that kind of expense if I did not feel that it was the "right" thing to do based on a mistake by one of my staff On August 12, [redacted] flat out told me that this technician had cost him over $the previous month from mistakes [redacted] was an excellent technician and is an excellent representative of your company I did not feel at any time that he was 'taking pity" on me, but rather trying to fix a problem that was caused by someone from your company Again, he did all of that work at no cost If he truly felt that Universal was not responsible, why would he do that? He was at my house until 8:30pm on a Friday night- no one does that out of "pity" I believe that he knew the first technician messed up, and was trying to fix it as cheaply as possible and get out of there to mitigate any additional costs Probably under your direction We did, in fact, file a claim with our insurance company However, they did not approve the [redacted] test as something they would be willing to pay for The replacement of the main breaker has been applied to our deductible However, it was never discussed with me at any time that anything other than the [redacted] test needed to be filed with the insurance We do have a high deductible, and after consulting with other electricians, decided against having the [redacted] test based upon their advice However, if filing the claim to repair the AC unit is what is needed, we certainly have no problem doing that There has not been an electrician working on our AC or any part of our home for over years [redacted] is an old friend and electrician, and I asked him to come and tell me what was wrong with the AC the second time it went out, but he did not work on it or repair it in any way I needed a second opinion as I had lost trust in your company Your statements that someone else has been working on our system are flat out untrue In fact, the AC is STILL not working in my home The last time [redacted] came out, he refused to replace the compressor the second time until we could confirm that the lines were clear of debris He indicated that [redacted] would have to do this, but again, [redacted] does not work on my system I called [redacted] later that afternoon and asked him, would he have not been the one to perform that service if the lines needed to be cleared/ replaced? I asked him to call [redacted] so that I could understand from a layman's perpective exactly what was needed According to ***, [redacted] never called him, and [redacted] never called me with a solution All of my statements and beliefs as to what has happened to my AC unit are based upon statements made to me by your team I have thanked [redacted] profusely for all the time and effort he spent trying to fix my unit However, the problem still remains that the unit is not working It was working totally fine, for years, up until the day the main breaker was replaced I believe that had we not replaced the main breaker, it would still be working to this day I have lived in [redacted] for over years, as has all of my family, and we have never had or known of anyone who has had this kind of damage from a lightening strike The outlets that burned out happened in June If the power surge from the storm happened that long ago, why did my AC go out from "high voltage" only after your technician performed work? It just does not make any sense, with all due respect I would like to know at this point what is your proposed solution, if any Regards, [redacted]
I regards to this complaint:
We have a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. We
have refunded him his entire $695 not $500.
We are a professional home repair company
and do not price match TV loss leader ads intended to drum up extra business.
This complaint was filed at 1pm Monday July
14th.
Our...
office received this customer’s letter at
noon of Friday July 11th. I intended to contact this customer after I reviewed
the facts of the call.
We did not receive any other
communication prior to or after, except for this Revdex.com complaint filed exactly 26
business hours after our receipt of the only communication he provided us of
his dissatisfaction.
I looked at the notes on this job:
We arrived at his home 1 hour after he called
us about his clogged toilet.
His technician was there for 1 ½ hours not
30 minutes. However his technician is an efficient worker. I suppose in some
circles, there is more value in paying someone who is slow.
The bathroom was so
disgusting that the customer refused to enter the bathroom.
We are a serious home repair company and do
not normally market with loss leaders on TV to drive business such as a $123
drain special.
I seriously doubt the
$123 drain special includes removing and resetting the toilet. This customer
would have called the $123 drain special and probably would have been charged extra
to remove and replace the toilet.
This customer has received a free toilet
unclog. He will need to wait up to 5 days for his Credit card statement to
reflect the return.
IN reference to Revdex.com complaint
This customer did call us out for burned outlets. After that
there are several statements that need some additional facts
07/31/14 after we came out and met with them, we knew they
had suffered from a lightning surge. We have encountered dozens of homes...
with
lightning surge damage from the summer storm season. Damage from lightning
surge is very common in the Houston area. The [redacted] estimates over 1 million lightning strikes a year in the Houston area.
Lightning strikes are one of the few insured claims that a homeowner can make against their homeowners’ insurance for damage to the
electrical system. Lightning surge damage indications include: non working lights and outlets, burned
outlets, burned breakers or panels,;
also damaged garage door opener motors, AC motors, appliance motors, smoke
detectors, light dimmers, alarm controls, etc…
The original technician educated them on the procedure to
work with their insurance company. He gave them an option to change their main breaker,
which was burning hot and perform an insulation [redacted] test on their internal
wiring. This [redacted] test is what is used by insurance companies to determine which
circuits appear damaged form surge.
On a second visit, 8/7/14 our tech replaced the main breaker
and left with the new main breaker in working order. At that time the homeowner
still did not want to pursue the insurance claim because of lack of funds to
pay for the deductible.
The next day 8/08/14 the homeowner called stating their ac
stopped working. The tech came out, checked the main breaker
and found it to be functioning. He checked the service disconnect at the ac
unit and found power there. But someone else (not from our company) had
bypassed the safety features of the disconnect. Finding that power was correct
at the ac unit, this tech informed the homeowner that an AC technician was
needed and that the miss-wired disconnect could have been the cause of the
failed compressor motor. He never said to the homeowner that it was the main
breaker installed incorrectly. This tech was also informed by the homeowner
that another ac company had been out to work on the AC recently. (Again, Not
our AC company)
8/08/14 that afternoon our AC tech went to the home to check
the ac compressor and found that it had shorted internally. The homeowner then
decided that it was when we changed the main breaker that the compressor was
damaged. Our AC Manager, [redacted], on the
same day, decided to take pity on this homeowner based on their statement that
they could not afford the deductible of their insurance.
8/11/14 and 8/12/14 on the following Monday He replaced the compressor
as part of the manufactures warranty. We then discovered that the internal
evaporator coil was damaged by particles released into the ac system when the
compressor blew. We spent the next day working on that. He informed this
homeowner that the entire system could be compromised and our free repair may
not last. He informed them that in no way could the 240 volt system have
damaged the compressor motor that it would take thousands of volts to do such
damage such as with a lightning surge. As a Master Electrician with over 25
years of experience, I can attest that had the electricians direct shorted the
2 wires together that the compressor would not have noticed. Understanding all of this, the homeowners
signed our agreement with no labor warranty for our repair and acknowledging
that we were not at fault for the compressor but were helping them anyway.
Now it turns out, which the AC Manager had warned them of
the possibility, that when the compressor blew, particles were carried though
out the ac system and has re entered the warranty compressor and damaged it.
This is a perfect example of no good deed goes unpunished.
So here are some important facts:
We have put the homeowner on notice that they have been
surged by lightning and have substantial electrical damage throughout their
home.
They have refused to file a claim with their homeowner’s
policy regarding this. They will continue to have problems with their AC
system, electrical system, appliances, etc, for years to come.
Our electrician informed them that someone had bypassed the
safety feature of the AC disconnect and made no mention of the main breaker. (See attached invoice signed by customer)
The homeowner informed the electrician that another person
had been working on their ac system.
As a Master Electrician, not only did we not do anything
that harmed their ac compressor, the other person working on their ac did not
either. It is apparent that the compressor was damaged by high voltage greater
than what they could experience by the normal 240 volt system even at a peak
moment.
We have gone above and beyond for this customer already by
fixing things that were not our fault. Had the damage from the lightning been
not so severe, our free repairs for the ac system that we did not damage, would
have been enough.
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.
I would like to add (just for your reference) that the tech was NOT there for 1 1/2 hours..if he told you that...well ....I'll let you be the judge of that.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.
The purpose of the main breaker is to prevent damage from a surge by shutting off all of the other breakers, is it not? Not having a background in electricity, we rely on what our Service Providers tell us. The lingo used is very confusing. All I know is that [redacted] came out to our house on 8/8/14, after we had the main breaker replaced, and he determined that the lead line and load line were mis-connected. I have no idea if these are at the main breaker panel or at the ac unit itself. He did, however, call the original technician, while sitting at my kitchen counter, and tell him that he had wired them incorrectly. He specifically stated to him that the lines were "clearly marked" but were connected incorrectly. Why would he do that if the lines were mixed up by someone else? That makes no sense. He was the one that explained to me that having the 240 volts trying to hit my compressor all weekend long may have caused major damage to the entire system, and explained that he would have to get someone else that specialized in AC units to come out and look. I would have NO WAY of knowing that unless he told me that. I told him then that I was not willing to pay for repairs to my system that the technician caused, and he agreed that there would be no charge.
He then referred us to [redacted]. I do not see how [redacted] could have or would have spent 2 entire days working on my system, at no charge, including several hours with additional technicians, if he did not feel that in some way Universal Home Experts was at fault. That is one expensive pity party. As a business owner, I would never authorize that kind of expense if I did not feel that it was the "right" thing to do based on a mistake by one of my staff.
On August 12, [redacted] flat out told me that this technician had cost him over $3000 the previous month from mistakes.
[redacted] was an excellent technician and is an excellent representative of your company. I did not feel at any time that he was 'taking pity" on me, but rather trying to fix a problem that was caused by someone from your company. Again, he did all of that work at no cost. If he truly felt that Universal was not responsible, why would he do that? He was at my house until 8:30pm on a Friday night- no one does that out of "pity". I believe that he knew the first technician messed up, and was trying to fix it as cheaply as possible and get out of there to mitigate any additional costs. Probably under your direction.
We did, in fact, file a claim with our insurance company. However, they did not approve the [redacted] test as something they would be willing to pay for. The replacement of the main breaker has been applied to our deductible. However, it was never discussed with me at any time that anything other than the [redacted] test needed to be filed with the insurance. We do have a high deductible, and after consulting with 2 other electricians, decided against having the [redacted] test based upon their advice. However, if filing the claim to repair the AC unit is what is needed, we certainly have no problem doing that.
There has not been an electrician working on our AC or any part of our home for over 4 years. [redacted] is an old friend and electrician, and I asked him to come and tell me what was wrong with the AC the second time it went out, but he did not work on it or repair it in any way. I needed a second opinion as I had lost trust in your company. Your statements that someone else has been working on our system are flat out untrue. In fact, the AC is STILL not working in my home. The last time [redacted] came out, he refused to replace the compressor the second time until we could confirm that the lines were clear of debris. He indicated that [redacted] would have to do this, but again, [redacted] does not work on my system. I called [redacted] later that afternoon and asked him, would he have not been the one to perform that service if the lines needed to be cleared/ replaced? I asked him to call [redacted] so that I could understand from a layman's perpective exactly what was needed. According to [redacted], [redacted] never called him, and [redacted] never called me with a solution.
All of my statements and beliefs as to what has happened to my AC unit are based upon statements made to me by your team. I have thanked [redacted] profusely for all the time and effort he spent trying to fix my unit. However, the problem still remains that the unit is not working. It was working totally fine, for years, up until the day the main breaker was replaced. I believe that had we not replaced the main breaker, it would still be working to this day. I have lived in [redacted] for over 35 years, as has all of my family, and we have never had or known of anyone who has had this kind of damage from a lightening strike. The outlets that burned out happened in June. If the power surge from the storm happened that long ago, why did my AC go out from "high voltage" only after your technician performed work? It just does not make any sense, with all due respect.
I would like to know at this point what is your proposed solution, if any.
Regards,
[redacted]
We try to take care of the customer.
Even to the detriment of our company.
We empower our people to take care of the customer; sometimes
they go overboard and their reflex action is to take care of the customer regardless
of the facts.
This is why we have been in business for over 20 years and have
many thousands of customers.
Replacing ac equipment that we did not damage was the result of this zealous customer
care.
However looking at the facts,
We have replaced thousands of Main breakers, Never has a 240 volt motor been damaged.
Replacing a main breaker will not damage a 240 Volt
compressor motor. You can short the wires
at the main breaker and blow it up and it will not damage the 240 volt
compressor motor
High voltage impulse surge from lightning is what did this. We informed you that your home had been hit by lighting surge the first visit.
As a company
we work on homes suffering from lightning surge damage multiple times a month.
The damage
caused by lightning is not only immediate but can compromise the integrity of
the electrical wiring and apparatus to the point of eventual failure.
This homeowner will continue to have electrical, electronics,
appliance and equipment issues of this nature throughout the entire house for
years to come.
Not all insurance companies pay on diagnostic work such as
[redacted] tests, but most will cover the repairs.
The issue is that the insurance company will not acknowledge
a lightning surge has occurred without a [redacted] test diagnostic. We present meg
test results to insurance companies on behalf of our customers many times a
year
I strongly suggest you find another licensed electrical contractor
or electrical engineer who understands this lighting issue and get the [redacted] test performed
so that you can pursue a claim with your homeowners insurance.
I regards to this complaint: We have a 100% Satisfaction guaranteeWe have refunded him his entire $not $ We are a professional home repair company and do not price match TV loss leader ads intended to drum up extra business This complaint was filed at 1pm Monday July 14th Our office received this customer’s letter at noon of Friday July 11thI intended to contact this customer after I reviewed the facts of the call We did not receive any other communication prior to or after, except for this Revdex.com complaint filed exactly business hours after our receipt of the only communication he provided us of his dissatisfaction I looked at the notes on this job: We arrived at his home hour after he called us about his clogged toilet His technician was there for ½ hours not minutesHowever his technician is an efficient workerI suppose in some circles, there is more value in paying someone who is slow The bathroom was so disgusting that the customer refused to enter the bathroom We are a serious home repair company and do not normally market with loss leaders on TV to drive business such as a $ drain special I seriously doubt the $drain special includes removing and resetting the toiletThis customer would have called the $drain special and probably would have been charged extra to remove and replace the toilet This customer has received a free toilet unclogHe will need to wait up to days for his Credit card statement to reflect the return Thank You for your attention
IN reference to Revdex.com complaint This customer did call us out for burned outletsAfter that there are several statements that need some additional facts 07/31/after we came out and met with them, we knew they had suffered from a lightning surgeWe have encountered dozens of homes with lightning surge damage from the summer storm seasonDamage from lightning surge is very common in the Houston areaThe [redacted] estimates over million lightning strikes a year in the Houston area Lightning strikes are one of the few insured claims that a homeowner can make against their homeowners’ insurance for damage to the electrical systemLightning surge damage indications include: non working lights and outlets, burned outlets, burned breakers or panels,; also damaged garage door opener motors, AC motors, appliance motors, smoke detectors, light dimmers, alarm controls, etc The original technician educated them on the procedure to work with their insurance companyHe gave them an option to change their main breaker, which was burning hot and perform an insulation [redacted] test on their internal wiringThis [redacted] test is what is used by insurance companies to determine which circuits appear damaged form surge On a second visit, 8/7/our tech replaced the main breaker and left with the new main breaker in working orderAt that time the homeowner still did not want to pursue the insurance claim because of lack of funds to pay for the deductible The next day 8/08/the homeowner called stating their ac stopped working The tech came out, checked the main breaker and found it to be functioningHe checked the service disconnect at the ac unit and found power thereBut someone else (not from our company) had bypassed the safety features of the disconnectFinding that power was correct at the ac unit, this tech informed the homeowner that an AC technician was needed and that the miss-wired disconnect could have been the cause of the failed compressor motorHe never said to the homeowner that it was the main breaker installed incorrectlyThis tech was also informed by the homeowner that another ac company had been out to work on the AC recently(Again, Not our AC company) 8/08/that afternoon our AC tech went to the home to check the ac compressor and found that it had shorted internallyThe homeowner then decided that it was when we changed the main breaker that the compressor was damaged Our AC Manager, ***, on the same day, decided to take pity on this homeowner based on their statement that they could not afford the deductible of their insurance 8/11/and 8/12/on the following Monday He replaced the compressor as part of the manufactures warrantyWe then discovered that the internal evaporator coil was damaged by particles released into the ac system when the compressor blewWe spent the next day working on thatHe informed this homeowner that the entire system could be compromised and our free repair may not lastHe informed them that in no way could the volt system have damaged the compressor motor that it would take thousands of volts to do such damage such as with a lightning surgeAs a Master Electrician with over years of experience, I can attest that had the electricians direct shorted the wires together that the compressor would not have noticed Understanding all of this, the homeowners signed our agreement with no labor warranty for our repair and acknowledging that we were not at fault for the compressor but were helping them anyway Now it turns out, which the AC Manager had warned them of the possibility, that when the compressor blew, particles were carried though out the ac system and has re entered the warranty compressor and damaged it This is a perfect example of no good deed goes unpunished So here are some important facts: We have put the homeowner on notice that they have been surged by lightning and have substantial electrical damage throughout their home They have refused to file a claim with their homeowner’s policy regarding thisThey will continue to have problems with their AC system, electrical system, appliances, etc, for years to come Our electrician informed them that someone had bypassed the safety feature of the AC disconnect and made no mention of the main breaker(See attached invoice signed by customer) The homeowner informed the electrician that another person had been working on their ac system As a Master Electrician, not only did we not do anything that harmed their ac compressor, the other person working on their ac did not eitherIt is apparent that the compressor was damaged by high voltage greater than what they could experience by the volt system even at a peak moment We have gone above and beyond for this customer already by fixing things that were not our faultHad the damage from the lightning been not so severe, our free repairs for the ac system that we did not damage, would have been enough
We try to take care of the customer Even to the detriment of our company We empower our people to take care of the customer; sometimes they go overboard and their reflex action is to take care of the customer regardless of the facts This is why we have been in business for over years and have many thousands of customers Replacing ac equipment that we did not damage was the result of this zealous customer care However looking at the facts, We have replaced thousands of Main breakers, Never has a volt motor been damaged Replacing a main breaker will not damage a Volt compressor motor You can short the wires at the main breaker and blow it up and it will not damage the volt compressor motor High voltage impulse surge from lightning is what did thisWe informed you that your home had been hit by lighting surge the first visit As a company we work on homes suffering from lightning surge damage multiple times a month The damage caused by lightning is not only immediate but can compromise the integrity of the electrical wiring and apparatus to the point of eventual failure This homeowner will continue to have electrical, electronics, appliance and equipment issues of this nature throughout the entire house for years to come Not all insurance companies pay on diagnostic work such as [redacted] tests, but most will cover the repairs The issue is that the insurance company will not acknowledge a lightning surge has occurred without a [redacted] test diagnosticWe present meg test results to insurance companies on behalf of our customers many times a year I strongly suggest you find another licensed electrical contractor or electrical engineer who understands this lighting issue and get the [redacted] test performed so that you can pursue a claim with your homeowners insurance
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response If you wish, you may update it before sending it.] Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me I would like to add (just for your reference) that the tech was NOT there for 1/hours..if he told you that...well ....I'll let you be the judge of that
Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint The purpose of the main breaker is to prevent damage from a surge by shutting off all of the other breakers, is it not? Not having a background in electricity, we rely on what our Service Providers tell us The lingo used is very confusing All I know is that [redacted] came out to our house on 8/8/14, after we had the main breaker replaced, and he determined that the lead line and load line were mis-connected I have no idea if these are at the main breaker panel or at the ac unit itself He did, however, call the original technician, while sitting at my kitchen counter, and tell him that he had wired them incorrectly He specifically stated to him that the lines were "clearly marked" but were connected incorrectly Why would he do that if the lines were mixed up by someone else? That makes no sense He was the one that explained to me that having the volts trying to hit my compressor all weekend long may have caused major damage to the entire system, and explained that he would have to get someone else that specialized in AC units to come out and look I would have NO WAY of knowing that unless he told me that I told him then that I was not willing to pay for repairs to my system that the technician caused, and he agreed that there would be no charge He then referred us to *** I do not see how [redacted] could have or would have spent entire days working on my system, at no charge, including several hours with additional technicians, if he did not feel that in some way Universal Home Experts was at fault That is one expensive pity party As a business owner, I would never authorize that kind of expense if I did not feel that it was the "right" thing to do based on a mistake by one of my staff On August 12, [redacted] flat out told me that this technician had cost him over $the previous month from mistakes [redacted] was an excellent technician and is an excellent representative of your company I did not feel at any time that he was 'taking pity" on me, but rather trying to fix a problem that was caused by someone from your company Again, he did all of that work at no cost If he truly felt that Universal was not responsible, why would he do that? He was at my house until 8:30pm on a Friday night- no one does that out of "pity" I believe that he knew the first technician messed up, and was trying to fix it as cheaply as possible and get out of there to mitigate any additional costs Probably under your direction We did, in fact, file a claim with our insurance company However, they did not approve the [redacted] test as something they would be willing to pay for The replacement of the main breaker has been applied to our deductible However, it was never discussed with me at any time that anything other than the [redacted] test needed to be filed with the insurance We do have a high deductible, and after consulting with other electricians, decided against having the [redacted] test based upon their advice However, if filing the claim to repair the AC unit is what is needed, we certainly have no problem doing that There has not been an electrician working on our AC or any part of our home for over years [redacted] is an old friend and electrician, and I asked him to come and tell me what was wrong with the AC the second time it went out, but he did not work on it or repair it in any way I needed a second opinion as I had lost trust in your company Your statements that someone else has been working on our system are flat out untrue In fact, the AC is STILL not working in my home The last time [redacted] came out, he refused to replace the compressor the second time until we could confirm that the lines were clear of debris He indicated that [redacted] would have to do this, but again, [redacted] does not work on my system I called [redacted] later that afternoon and asked him, would he have not been the one to perform that service if the lines needed to be cleared/ replaced? I asked him to call [redacted] so that I could understand from a layman's perpective exactly what was needed According to ***, [redacted] never called him, and [redacted] never called me with a solution All of my statements and beliefs as to what has happened to my AC unit are based upon statements made to me by your team I have thanked [redacted] profusely for all the time and effort he spent trying to fix my unit However, the problem still remains that the unit is not working It was working totally fine, for years, up until the day the main breaker was replaced I believe that had we not replaced the main breaker, it would still be working to this day I have lived in [redacted] for over years, as has all of my family, and we have never had or known of anyone who has had this kind of damage from a lightening strike The outlets that burned out happened in June If the power surge from the storm happened that long ago, why did my AC go out from "high voltage" only after your technician performed work? It just does not make any sense, with all due respect I would like to know at this point what is your proposed solution, if any Regards, [redacted]
I regards to this complaint:
We have a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. We
have refunded him his entire $695 not $500.
We are a professional home repair company
and do not price match TV loss leader ads intended to drum up extra business.
This complaint was filed at 1pm Monday July
14th.
Our...
office received this customer’s letter at
noon of Friday July 11th. I intended to contact this customer after I reviewed
the facts of the call.
We did not receive any other
communication prior to or after, except for this Revdex.com complaint filed exactly 26
business hours after our receipt of the only communication he provided us of
his dissatisfaction.
I looked at the notes on this job:
We arrived at his home 1 hour after he called
us about his clogged toilet.
His technician was there for 1 ½ hours not
30 minutes. However his technician is an efficient worker. I suppose in some
circles, there is more value in paying someone who is slow.
The bathroom was so
disgusting that the customer refused to enter the bathroom.
We are a serious home repair company and do
not normally market with loss leaders on TV to drive business such as a $123
drain special.
I seriously doubt the
$123 drain special includes removing and resetting the toilet. This customer
would have called the $123 drain special and probably would have been charged extra
to remove and replace the toilet.
This customer has received a free toilet
unclog. He will need to wait up to 5 days for his Credit card statement to
reflect the return.
Thank You for your attention.
IN reference to Revdex.com complaint
This customer did call us out for burned outlets. After that
there are several statements that need some additional facts
07/31/14 after we came out and met with them, we knew they
had suffered from a lightning surge. We have encountered dozens of homes...
with
lightning surge damage from the summer storm season. Damage from lightning
surge is very common in the Houston area. The [redacted] estimates over 1 million lightning strikes a year in the Houston area.
Lightning strikes are one of the few insured claims that a homeowner can make against their homeowners’ insurance for damage to the
electrical system. Lightning surge damage indications include: non working lights and outlets, burned
outlets, burned breakers or panels,;
also damaged garage door opener motors, AC motors, appliance motors, smoke
detectors, light dimmers, alarm controls, etc…
The original technician educated them on the procedure to
work with their insurance company. He gave them an option to change their main breaker,
which was burning hot and perform an insulation [redacted] test on their internal
wiring. This [redacted] test is what is used by insurance companies to determine which
circuits appear damaged form surge.
On a second visit, 8/7/14 our tech replaced the main breaker
and left with the new main breaker in working order. At that time the homeowner
still did not want to pursue the insurance claim because of lack of funds to
pay for the deductible.
The next day 8/08/14 the homeowner called stating their ac
stopped working. The tech came out, checked the main breaker
and found it to be functioning. He checked the service disconnect at the ac
unit and found power there. But someone else (not from our company) had
bypassed the safety features of the disconnect. Finding that power was correct
at the ac unit, this tech informed the homeowner that an AC technician was
needed and that the miss-wired disconnect could have been the cause of the
failed compressor motor. He never said to the homeowner that it was the main
breaker installed incorrectly. This tech was also informed by the homeowner
that another ac company had been out to work on the AC recently. (Again, Not
our AC company)
8/08/14 that afternoon our AC tech went to the home to check
the ac compressor and found that it had shorted internally. The homeowner then
decided that it was when we changed the main breaker that the compressor was
damaged. Our AC Manager, [redacted], on the
same day, decided to take pity on this homeowner based on their statement that
they could not afford the deductible of their insurance.
8/11/14 and 8/12/14 on the following Monday He replaced the compressor
as part of the manufactures warranty. We then discovered that the internal
evaporator coil was damaged by particles released into the ac system when the
compressor blew. We spent the next day working on that. He informed this
homeowner that the entire system could be compromised and our free repair may
not last. He informed them that in no way could the 240 volt system have
damaged the compressor motor that it would take thousands of volts to do such
damage such as with a lightning surge. As a Master Electrician with over 25
years of experience, I can attest that had the electricians direct shorted the
2 wires together that the compressor would not have noticed. Understanding all of this, the homeowners
signed our agreement with no labor warranty for our repair and acknowledging
that we were not at fault for the compressor but were helping them anyway.
Now it turns out, which the AC Manager had warned them of
the possibility, that when the compressor blew, particles were carried though
out the ac system and has re entered the warranty compressor and damaged it.
This is a perfect example of no good deed goes unpunished.
So here are some important facts:
We have put the homeowner on notice that they have been
surged by lightning and have substantial electrical damage throughout their
home.
They have refused to file a claim with their homeowner’s
policy regarding this. They will continue to have problems with their AC
system, electrical system, appliances, etc, for years to come.
Our electrician informed them that someone had bypassed the
safety feature of the AC disconnect and made no mention of the main breaker. (See attached invoice signed by customer)
The homeowner informed the electrician that another person
had been working on their ac system.
As a Master Electrician, not only did we not do anything
that harmed their ac compressor, the other person working on their ac did not
either. It is apparent that the compressor was damaged by high voltage greater
than what they could experience by the normal 240 volt system even at a peak
moment.
We have gone above and beyond for this customer already by
fixing things that were not our fault. Had the damage from the lightning been
not so severe, our free repairs for the ac system that we did not damage, would
have been enough.
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.
I would like to add (just for your reference) that the tech was NOT there for 1 1/2 hours..if he told you that...well ....I'll let you be the judge of that.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.
The purpose of the main breaker is to prevent damage from a surge by shutting off all of the other breakers, is it not? Not having a background in electricity, we rely on what our Service Providers tell us. The lingo used is very confusing. All I know is that [redacted] came out to our house on 8/8/14, after we had the main breaker replaced, and he determined that the lead line and load line were mis-connected. I have no idea if these are at the main breaker panel or at the ac unit itself. He did, however, call the original technician, while sitting at my kitchen counter, and tell him that he had wired them incorrectly. He specifically stated to him that the lines were "clearly marked" but were connected incorrectly. Why would he do that if the lines were mixed up by someone else? That makes no sense. He was the one that explained to me that having the 240 volts trying to hit my compressor all weekend long may have caused major damage to the entire system, and explained that he would have to get someone else that specialized in AC units to come out and look. I would have NO WAY of knowing that unless he told me that. I told him then that I was not willing to pay for repairs to my system that the technician caused, and he agreed that there would be no charge.
He then referred us to [redacted]. I do not see how [redacted] could have or would have spent 2 entire days working on my system, at no charge, including several hours with additional technicians, if he did not feel that in some way Universal Home Experts was at fault. That is one expensive pity party. As a business owner, I would never authorize that kind of expense if I did not feel that it was the "right" thing to do based on a mistake by one of my staff.
On August 12, [redacted] flat out told me that this technician had cost him over $3000 the previous month from mistakes.
[redacted] was an excellent technician and is an excellent representative of your company. I did not feel at any time that he was 'taking pity" on me, but rather trying to fix a problem that was caused by someone from your company. Again, he did all of that work at no cost. If he truly felt that Universal was not responsible, why would he do that? He was at my house until 8:30pm on a Friday night- no one does that out of "pity". I believe that he knew the first technician messed up, and was trying to fix it as cheaply as possible and get out of there to mitigate any additional costs. Probably under your direction.
We did, in fact, file a claim with our insurance company. However, they did not approve the [redacted] test as something they would be willing to pay for. The replacement of the main breaker has been applied to our deductible. However, it was never discussed with me at any time that anything other than the [redacted] test needed to be filed with the insurance. We do have a high deductible, and after consulting with 2 other electricians, decided against having the [redacted] test based upon their advice. However, if filing the claim to repair the AC unit is what is needed, we certainly have no problem doing that.
There has not been an electrician working on our AC or any part of our home for over 4 years. [redacted] is an old friend and electrician, and I asked him to come and tell me what was wrong with the AC the second time it went out, but he did not work on it or repair it in any way. I needed a second opinion as I had lost trust in your company. Your statements that someone else has been working on our system are flat out untrue. In fact, the AC is STILL not working in my home. The last time [redacted] came out, he refused to replace the compressor the second time until we could confirm that the lines were clear of debris. He indicated that [redacted] would have to do this, but again, [redacted] does not work on my system. I called [redacted] later that afternoon and asked him, would he have not been the one to perform that service if the lines needed to be cleared/ replaced? I asked him to call [redacted] so that I could understand from a layman's perpective exactly what was needed. According to [redacted], [redacted] never called him, and [redacted] never called me with a solution.
All of my statements and beliefs as to what has happened to my AC unit are based upon statements made to me by your team. I have thanked [redacted] profusely for all the time and effort he spent trying to fix my unit. However, the problem still remains that the unit is not working. It was working totally fine, for years, up until the day the main breaker was replaced. I believe that had we not replaced the main breaker, it would still be working to this day. I have lived in [redacted] for over 35 years, as has all of my family, and we have never had or known of anyone who has had this kind of damage from a lightening strike. The outlets that burned out happened in June. If the power surge from the storm happened that long ago, why did my AC go out from "high voltage" only after your technician performed work? It just does not make any sense, with all due respect.
I would like to know at this point what is your proposed solution, if any.
Regards,
[redacted]
We try to take care of the customer.
Even to the detriment of our company.
We empower our people to take care of the customer; sometimes
they go overboard and their reflex action is to take care of the customer regardless
of the facts.
This is why we have been in business for over 20 years and have
many thousands of customers.
Replacing ac equipment that we did not damage was the result of this zealous customer
care.
However looking at the facts,
We have replaced thousands of Main breakers, Never has a 240 volt motor been damaged.
Replacing a main breaker will not damage a 240 Volt
compressor motor. You can short the wires
at the main breaker and blow it up and it will not damage the 240 volt
compressor motor
High voltage impulse surge from lightning is what did this. We informed you that your home had been hit by lighting surge the first visit.
As a company
we work on homes suffering from lightning surge damage multiple times a month.
The damage
caused by lightning is not only immediate but can compromise the integrity of
the electrical wiring and apparatus to the point of eventual failure.
This homeowner will continue to have electrical, electronics,
appliance and equipment issues of this nature throughout the entire house for
years to come.
Not all insurance companies pay on diagnostic work such as
[redacted] tests, but most will cover the repairs.
The issue is that the insurance company will not acknowledge
a lightning surge has occurred without a [redacted] test diagnostic. We present meg
test results to insurance companies on behalf of our customers many times a
year
I strongly suggest you find another licensed electrical contractor
or electrical engineer who understands this lighting issue and get the [redacted] test performed
so that you can pursue a claim with your homeowners insurance.