Complaint Review: Mister Sparky

DISSAPOINTED WITH MISTER SPARKY!

My wife contacted the Marietta GA. Office of Mister Sparky on July 20, 2012 regarding a Whole House Surge Protector that they were advertising on sale during the month of July for $199.00. After speaking with the phone receptionist, we decided to set up an appointment the following week, July 27, 2012, between 2 PM and 5 PM to have the surge protector installed at
the sale price. We also requested that the technician look at and give us an estimate on some other electrical work that we might have done.

On July 27th at approximately 3 PM, the technician with Mister Sparky arrived and met with me regarding the surge protector. I made special arrangements to be here in town to have the job performed. He was on time, even though the appointment times they give are not exact times like you would get at most places i.e. doctors offices, dentist offices, salons
etc.   He put his shoe covers on as advertised and entered my home and looked at the breaker box and the other
items we were considering getting repaired. 


Now here is where it goes from good to bad.

I was informed that the Whole House Surge Proctor would only cover the electrical wiring of the house. If I wanted to also cover the landline phone line and the satellite TV cable, I would need to purchase 2 additional surge protectors, one for each line at $199.00 each. He also recommended that all 3 be installed at a cost of $597.00 to be totally protected. We would also need an additional electrical box to enclose the additional two surge protectors at a cost of $99.00.  So now the $199.00 advertised sale has increased to $696.00. When listening to their advertising and their representative on the WSB Radio Home-Fix It Show on Saturday a week or two before, and on the Ask Dale commercials, they led me to believe that one
surge protector would cover it all. He then proceeded to show me his laminated pricing booklet along with all the services and prices they have, along with the discounts that they would provide.

After speaking with my wife, I decided to go ahead and let the technician install all 3 surge protectors and the necessary electrical box for the $696.00.

I was then informed by the technician that he didnt have ANY surge protectors on his truck and that he told the dispatcher that sent him to my house that he didnt have them to install. They sent him anyway! In fact, he came in a pick-up truck that didnt carry any of the necessary electrical items to perform the job we had asked them to do a week earlier when we set up
the appointment. Not one single surge protector on his truck! But if you listen to their recording while on hold, they state that their trucks are equipped with 3400 electrical items. I could understand if he didnt have the 2 additional surge protectors and electrical box that I decided to purchase and have installed after he sold me on the three. But to come to my house to do a
job without even the basic items needed to do the hired job is totally unacceptable.

The technician then contacted his office and set me up a return visit, first on Monday, July 23, 2012 to have the items installed. He would also give me a 10% discount for my inconvenience. When I told him that date wasnt good for me, he got me an appointment for a revisit on Sunday, July 22, 2012 to have the work performed. He would still give me the 10% discount for my inconvenience. We agreed on that date and the technician left.

After much discussion with my wife regarding the actions of Mister Sparky, we decided to cancel the appointment on Sunday, July 22, 2012. I called the office on Saturday, July 21. 2012 and cancelled the return visit. When asked why we were cancelling our appointment by the telephone receptionist, I explained what had happened and decided to contact another
electrical company to perform the job.

On Sunday, July 22, 2012, my wife received a call from Mister Sparky regarding the return visit to my home to install the surge protectors. She informed them that we cancelled the appointment the day before and wouldnt be requiring their service. Why didnt their dispatch office inform the technician of the cancelled appointment?

I e-mailed the Corporate Office of Mister Sparky regarding my experience and asked for a reply. I am still waiting to this date. The e-mail and request was sent almost 3 weeks ago.

Needless to say, my experience with Mister Sparky was much less then desirable and I cant nor I wont recommend them to anyone who is thinking of hiring them for electrical work in their home.