They responded quickly. Thanks for the prompt response.
Background: I was out of town when my wife called me about an issue. I immediately used the app to find and request a technician. The technician arrived, spoke with my wife, and later with me. He mentioned that the thermostat wire had been damaged, possibly by rats or other animals, which was preventing the HVAC system from turning on and off. He explained that they would need to run a new wire through the attic, which would require two people, and then the issue would be fixed. I asked if he had taken a photo or how he knew the wire was the problem. He said he tested it. I trusted what the technician said since they had around 170 reviews on this platform and focused on my office work. They provided a quote of $400 and said they could do the work the next day.
I texted through the app, and they came to fix it the next morning. I stayed with the technician the entire time to educate myself. I noticed that the drip tray in the cooling unit was full of water. I asked him if he had seen this the previous day, and he said yes. However, he had not mentioned it before. He unclogged the drain and flushed the drip tray water. It should be noted that the drip tray has a water sensor to detect overflow and shut down the HVAC. I asked him why this device was there, and he said it gives an alarm. I asked if the detector had shut off the AC, and he said no. After draining the water, he continued checking the wire issue. I crawled with him, and when he reached the thermostat wire connection, he simply unplugged and rejoined a wire. There were no signs of damage from rats or animals. He said that was the issue. By then, I was completely convinced that the problem was only the water sensor. However, since they had quoted me for running a new wire, he wanted to show me that work.
Later, I asked him if he could reduce the charge since he didn’t run the wire as quoted. There was no wire cost and no additional labor for running the wire. He refused. I also said I was willing to pay the $400, but I wanted to be charged only for the work that was actually done. He then called someone in the office, and they agreed to charge me $350.
Summary: The technician did not report the water problem to me, which he could have fixed during the initial visit. My kids would have slept well that night, and I wouldn’t have had to travel four hours from another town. When I was with him, he seemed to assume I had no understanding of what he was doing and wasn’t entirely truthful.
I wanted to save my time because, like everyone, I have other things to do. But for better service, why can’t people be transparent? My issue is not with the money they charged; my issue is with honesty and transparency.
Despite the many great reviews, unfortunately, I had an unpleasant experience. I spent money, wasted time, and lost trust. The world would be a better place if we all remained transparent.
