I want to let others know of the bad service I received from a Calgary
Based plumbing company called Clearview Plumbing.
In the fall of 2005 Clearview Plumbing staff working at my home doing
rough-in work for my basement development discovered that the existing
reverse osmosis water purification system that had been in the home
when we purchased it was cracked and leaking. He recommended the
replacement of the unit and I approved it.
The new unit was installed November 30, 2005. by this time I had paid
Clearview Plumbing more than $21, 000.00 for work done at my home,
including $900.00 for this RO system.
The new R/O unit did not work well on the day it was installed,
producing very little water and the installer told me it would take
time to build up pressure before it would work properly. In the next
few days this unit did not produce water at the rate that the previous
unit had and then stopped producing any water at all by the end of one
week.
In December the service technician returned to my home to examine this
unit and said he did not have required parts to repair it and we
agreed that he would return in January 2006 to conduct repairs.
In January 2006 I contact Clearview Plumbing as I had not heard from
them. And they said they would send out a technician
On January 10, the same technician attended my home but was unable to
repair the unit as he said that he needed additional parts that he did
not have with him and he would re-schedule the repairs.
January 11, I receive a call from office staff at Clearview who
schedules the technicians return visit for January 12.
January 12 I receive a call from Clearview Plumbing to say they do not
have the required parts and reschedule for January 18
January 18 Clearview calls to says that the assigned technician was
"not in" today and reschedules for January 19
January 19, Clearview calls and says that the technician is "still not
in" and reschedules for January 25
January 30 a different technician attends my home and informs me that
the original technician is no longer with the company but he examines
the malfunctioning R/O system and told me that it is not the right
type or size for this home. He told me that he would investigate
getting the correct system for my home and his employer Kyle Lumsden
and Clearview Plumbing will give a complete credit for the cost of
this unit towards a new one. He also finds other problems with our
boiler heating system and takes photos of the mechanical room. When he
leaves I ask him to return with three things:
Records / invoices of all work done
Estimate for R/O replacement
Estimate for boiler replacement
February 17 met both Mr. Han*** and Mr. Joe Crisara attend my home
representing Clearview Plumbing to discuss problems with R/O system
and boiler plans. Mr. Crissara is an international HVAC expert and
sells his services to companies to help them improve their businesses.
He introduces himself as "the problem solver" and leaves my a business
card from Clearview Plumbing with a phone number form Michigan which
is out of service. It turns out he is based in Michigan.
February 23, I have not heard form Clearview Plumbing so I call and
speak to the technician who says he is working on estimates and will
call me back.
March 2, speak to Mr. Crisara when I find his correct Michigan phone
number on his web site. He is unable to explain why estimates have not
been produced by Clearview Plumbing. I inform him that because I have
no potable water in my home for last 3 months and no useful efforts by
Clearview Plumbing that I have had the R/O system replaced by another
firm and seek a refund he assures me this will be done.
March 3, 1145 hours I deliver non-functioning R/O system to Clearview
Plumbing office with letter requesting refund. Ask to speak to owner,
Kyle Lumsden, and am told he is present but does not want to speak to
me. The Same service technician is present and assures my I will get a
full refund.
April 10 I contact Clearview Plumbing with a reminder message about
refund which prompts a series of emails from Clearview Plumbing with a
discussion about the refund. In those emails with Clearview Plumbing
they acknowledge the "problems" with the unit. But fail to produce
refund and refuse my suggestions of mediation or arbitration to settle
this matter.
I file a law suit against Clearview Plumbing and wanted to call Joe
Crissara as a witness but he had relocated to Los Angeles California
and would not return my calls or emails. It was prohibitively
expensive to subpoena him for trial.
Mr. Lumsden agrees to court recommended mediation but is hostile when
he attends and unwilling to negotiate a settlement.
At trial, Mr Lumsden produces no evidence, admits under oath that the
unit was damaged and that his company agreed to remedy the problem but
has no excuse for not doing so except to blame me for being difficult.
The judge found in my favor and Clearview Plumbing paid the entire
amount I was seeking, $900.00, plus my court costs.
Summation
Clearview Plumbing and Heating LTD, sold me, and installed in my home,
a reverse osmosis water purification unit that never worked properly
and that they have made it difficult for me to obtain a refund.
They have not been punctual in their appearances as their motto "the
punctual plumber" guarantees and have provided very poor service on
this one small issue while conducting a much larger job at my home.
When I needed safe drinking water for my family I asked Clearview
Plumbing to install a water purification system in my home.
When the r/o system they installed did not work I asked for repairs
When they did not repair it I asked for it's replacement
When they did not replace it I asked for a refund
When they did not give me a refund I asked them to attend mediation/
arbitration
When they refused to attend mediation I filed a claim which lead to
mediation
Only When we were unable to come to an agreement at mediation did I
proceeded to a hearing
I won this matter because they had no defense and offered none, they
were simply difficult.
WWW.CLEARVIEWPLUMBING.CA