Roland J Down Send me to collection for refusing to pay $766 for services they misdiagnosed and never fixed or deliver Scotia New York
RJ Down charged me for a diagnostic fee of approximatly $80 + , which I paid when they came to fix my Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning. They told me that the work to fix my system would cost me $766. The next day the technician came, he installed a new compressor in the outside unit which was under warranty and spent almost half a day trying to fix the problem but in vain. At the end of the day the system wasn't fixed, however they demanded that my husband sign the papers acknowledging that the technician was here and that he had worked on the system and therefore pay the $766. My husband refused to sign the papers and told them that he would sign the papers and make the payment after they had fixed the problem.
The next day, one of the supervisors called the house and I reffered him to my husband who demanded that the supervisor come himself and verify the work that the technician had not fixed. When the supervisor came, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with the system, however he acknowledged that the system wasn't working. He visually inspected the outside unit and the indoor air handling unit and concluded that for them to fix the problem, it would require us to replace both the outside and the indoor units and that it would cost us between $8000 and $10000. He added that for them to do the work, we had to first pay them the $766 because the their technician had spent time on the sytem even if it wasn't fixed.
We refused to pay and wrote a letter to the company explaining the situation. The supervisor called us and threatened to take us to court if we didn't pay. We ignored their threats and we never heard from them again. In the meantime, we got another contractor who fixed our system for approximately $6000.
A few month later, we received several threatening letters from a collection agency by the name TCAR, but we ignored them too.
Recently, we were trying to get a refinance loan, and we were told that my credit score was low because I had a deliquent account from TCAR and therefore we couldn't qualify for a better rate. I was so outraged and couldn't believe it. I filed a complaint with the better business beareau and am planning on filing another complaint with the Attorney Generals Office.
Susan
Waterford, New York
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Airtechin
Alb,New York,
U.S.A.
correction
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, May 07, 2009
i ment to say system was working except compressor, fans were the only thing working
Airtechin
Alb,New York,
U.S.A.
alot of info missing
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, May 07, 2009
as a former service tech to the downs i believe i rember your situation.this was an almost new unit but still under a part warrenty only. the compressor was dead which means the system was running except te fans. refigerant couldnt be moving through the system to check any pressures. the compressor was free from trane so the 700 plus dollars was for half a day labor and shipping of a 50 pound plus compressor. you agreed they ordered and returned and replaced. the system was turned on and running. found pressures way low on suction. then discoverd that previous company which replaced you new air conditioner had replaced your old smaller heatpump (which is an air conditioner which can reverse and make heat) arond 1.5 or 2 tons with a straight air conditioner which was dramaticly oversized aroun 3.5 tons.this was flooding the 20 plus year old evap coil in the air handler (with electrc back up) causing liquid refrigerant to return to the compressor which caused it to fail. they simply found the mess the previous company caused and only want the compensation for the agreed time spent there which was agreed to or the compressor wouldnt have been ordered and not retuned at the later date from the original 80 dollar service call. now you have to replace the ac with the correct size heat pump or the inside 20 year old airhandler to match the out door unit which would of been way over sized for the home and would only be heating with the straight electric back up because the unit they installed wasnt a heatpump.the correct option was a new heat pump outside and possible new air handler but also converting to a gas furnace. there was a few options given and downs isnt the cheapest. all the smaller companies all under bid them to steal installs from them because they were the best.you were in a bad situation but you should be going after the company or poeple that changed out the ac unit.when i was there most of us service techs really cared and downs did go above to help solve bad situations
Pissed
Clifton Park,New York,
U.S.A.
Another Roland J Down Situation
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 14, 2008
Hi
I too have had a problem with this company, and am extremely frustrated with their business practices thus far. I will report back when/if my problem is actually resolved over the next few weeks, and since it is pending; cannot provide any details at this time.
In the mean-time however, I'm curious if the previous post-er has gotten resolution to their inappropriate collection filing perpetrated by RJ Down ? If not, have you tried filing a law-suit in "Small Claims Court" against their company, and claiming your costs associated with the intrusion on your credit rating.
In fact, if you NEVER signed the work order for their work that they never finished; then they have no legal grounds to launch a collection proceeding, and having done so on their part constituted fraud (trying to collect an invoice for work which was not approved or accepted by the client). Submitting such an invoice for collection, when that invoice is against work that was not accepted by the client, amounts to extortion or blackmail; which is illegal. Filing a legal claim against them will force them to appear in court to defend their actions. Make sure you have copies of all documentation, including their yellow work slip that you did not sign.
Good Luck and hope you reply with a status report.
Pissed
Clifton Park,New York,
U.S.A.
Another Roland J Down Situation
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 14, 2008
Hi
I too have had a problem with this company, and am extremely frustrated with their business practices thus far. I will report back when/if my problem is actually resolved over the next few weeks, and since it is pending; cannot provide any details at this time.
In the mean-time however, I'm curious if the previous post-er has gotten resolution to their inappropriate collection filing perpetrated by RJ Down ? If not, have you tried filing a law-suit in "Small Claims Court" against their company, and claiming your costs associated with the intrusion on your credit rating.
In fact, if you NEVER signed the work order for their work that they never finished; then they have no legal grounds to launch a collection proceeding, and having done so on their part constituted fraud (trying to collect an invoice for work which was not approved or accepted by the client). Submitting such an invoice for collection, when that invoice is against work that was not accepted by the client, amounts to extortion or blackmail; which is illegal. Filing a legal claim against them will force them to appear in court to defend their actions. Make sure you have copies of all documentation, including their yellow work slip that you did not sign.
Good Luck and hope you reply with a status report.
Pissed
Clifton Park,New York,
U.S.A.
Another Roland J Down Situation
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 14, 2008
Hi
I too have had a problem with this company, and am extremely frustrated with their business practices thus far. I will report back when/if my problem is actually resolved over the next few weeks, and since it is pending; cannot provide any details at this time.
In the mean-time however, I'm curious if the previous post-er has gotten resolution to their inappropriate collection filing perpetrated by RJ Down ? If not, have you tried filing a law-suit in "Small Claims Court" against their company, and claiming your costs associated with the intrusion on your credit rating.
In fact, if you NEVER signed the work order for their work that they never finished; then they have no legal grounds to launch a collection proceeding, and having done so on their part constituted fraud (trying to collect an invoice for work which was not approved or accepted by the client). Submitting such an invoice for collection, when that invoice is against work that was not accepted by the client, amounts to extortion or blackmail; which is illegal. Filing a legal claim against them will force them to appear in court to defend their actions. Make sure you have copies of all documentation, including their yellow work slip that you did not sign.
Good Luck and hope you reply with a status report.