Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  During the installation of a new furnace, our water tank had to be removed and General Heating agreed to do this and reconnect it in order to install the furnace. During this process, a considerable amount of water from the tank was leaked and seeped under the flooring, enough that when the floor was walked on, water squished out the sides of the flooring. We raised our concern with the installers, who assured us there would be no problem, and the water would dry up. We requested someone in charge come over to take a look. 2 people arrived, and after viewing the flooring their words were ** ********* *** *** **** *** **** * ********. Shortly after that, the general manager arrived to inspect the hot water tank as well as the flooring and assured us that there would be no future problems. The water was not squishing out at that point. We spoke about our concerns about possible future problems related to warping and mold, again, being assured there would be no future problems. We left the next day on a week long vacation, and when we returned, we found that the edges on some of the flooring concerned (vinyl planking) had curled. Upon notifying the owner of the company of the damage, ** *** ******* ** ** ***** *** ****** ** ***** **** Another part of our agreement was that they would clean our ducts at no charge. That service was due today and after waiting around, we called them to make sure we were on their schedule for today and were told they now can’t come until the end of the month. All we are asking for is that the condition of the floor be returned to its original state, which would likely mean replacement of the planking in that area. We paid them in full by cheque in good faith on the day of installation.
  

  

  Business response

  13/10/2023

  Hi there,
  
  The job has been done perfectly.
  
  High efficiency furnace installed with the permit.
  No damages.
  
  No Water Leak.
  
  No Gas Leak.
  
  once technicians left the house everything was perfect and after job is done we has another 2 visits couldn’t find and see any water leak.
  
  It’s really not fair to complain for no reason.
  
  Thank you,
  
  General Team
  

  Customer response

  15/10/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  While the furnace has been installed correctly (other than the fact that they did not install a neutralizer), during the installation, leaking water did occur from the hot water tank that they removed. The water seeped under the flooring. Before the installers left, I spoke to them about the installation and at that time, found that water was seeping from the sides of the flooring, ***** **** *** ******** As mentioned in my previous correspondence, I was assured by those present that there would be no damage from the water. Two other representatives came out later and also assured me that there would be no problem, even though by that time, the water had migrated and wasnt as apparent. 
  

  I have since had a restoration company come to determine if there has been water damage and they did find that the floor plank edges have curled and there is evidence of water that has migrated over a further area.

  I have been in contact with my insurance company who also determined that there has been water damage to our flooring. We understand that our insurance company will be in touch with General Heating in this regard.

  I can provide a much more detailed description of the events if you need it.

  I understand that mistakes can be made during installations, and I also understand that reputable companies will stand behind the quality of their work and rectify their mistakes.

  I wish to have our flooring returned to the condition that it was in prior to General heating installing our new furnace  

  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  

  Business response

  26/10/2023

  Hello,

  We did not have any damages or any water leak.
  Everything was okay when we finished the job. We do not take any responsibility because the job is inspected by 5 technicians.
  We have not had any issues there.
  It's an old house. Could be many problems there so we are not responsible for that.

  Thank you for your understanding.

  Customer response

  29/10/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  when the workers arrived, they would have noted if there was any damage to the floor. That was not the case. The flooring was immaculate as it had only been installed within the last five years. The age of the house is irrelevant. We continually maintain it, in fact, the hot water tank is less than two years old. 

  Did they have to remove the water tank in order to install the furnace?Yes

  Did they encounter a leak from the water pipes during the process?Yes

  The installers even discussed this with me, just prior to them leaving. My dissatisfaction with this situation at the time resulted in 2 more employees coming to inspect the leak. They stated that they guaranteed that the water would result in no permanent damage. I was still not satisfied with their response, and this resulted in their sales manager coming to inspect later that evening. As I was leaving town for a week, I was told that the water would disappear, and there would be no damage to the floor. Upon our return, it was obvious that there WAS damage, so I hired a professional restoration company to examine the floor, and they found the damage. Their professional examination, using gauges, showed water leakage, which had resulted in damage to the flooring in the immediate area surrounding the water tank and furnace.

  The proof is obvious. Why will they not admit that they are at fault and pay for the damages that they incurred?

  When deciding to hire General Heating to check out our old furnace upon their phone solicitation, we looked to Better Business Bureau, and found that they had an A+ rating, which helped with our decision to hire them.

  In light of the results of having them install a new furnace, we seriously question their business ethic in not admitting their liability with respect to the damages to the floor. There are at least five of their employees aware of the leakage who had in-depth discussions with me in that regard.

  While the installation of the furnace in particular is fine (other than they did not include of the neutralizer, which is recommended with high-efficiency furnaces), their ******* ** *********** ************.The costs to us in addition to the installation of the furnace are a huge burden. There is no logical reason or incentive for us to have created this problem and the ensuing chaos to our home. General Heating certainly does not deserve to have a positive rating from the Better Business Bureau. 

  They should ** ****** *** the costs to fix the damages that they incurred during the furnace installation.

  Sincerely,

  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  28/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Our ************* was installed incorrectly in November 2020 and I had to pay another company to reinstall correctly as per ******'s installation specifications in July 2023. I have tried to contact the company but have had no response. I have included the email I have sent on August 1, 2023 to them to which I have had no response.

  Customer response

  28/08/2023

  The boiler is a ****** boiler Model # ******* ** which was installed October 2020. Unit covered under Manufacture 15 year warranty - parts covered under manufacture 5-year warranty. 

  

  Business response

  07/09/2023

  Hi there,

  
  The ****** was installed in 2020. Before installation the customer received a quote from General Heating also he got many other quotes and he has chosen General Heating because it was a reasonable price. We explained every single item that we will install. Quote has all the information and we have it in our record. 
  1- Customer confirmed our quote.
  2- ****** was installed in 2020.
  3- The city of******** inspected and confirmed it also passed inspection.
  4- Customer applied for a rebate from ******** and received all the rebates.
  5- Boiler was working perfectly for the last 3 years, we had a one year labor warranty and it had already passed. 
  6- After 3 years we are not responsible for anything and we do not need to even discuss with this customer. 
  7- Any company and any person can share their idea which is their freedom to talk.The fact is everything was done by the rule and regulation in BC.
  

  Thank you,

  General Team

  Customer response

  12/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As indicated in my initial correspondence and General Heatings response, the ****** boiler was installed in October 2020. We did receive a detailed quote from General Heating as well as other quotes which any sensible consumer would do. The General Heating quote was competitive, detailing the installation, and reviews for their business were good. General Heating completed the installation; the city did the inspection which was a requirement to make sure the installation was completed to safety standards, NOT manufacturers specification. We did apply and receive a rebate from ****** as indicated by General Heating but what this has to do with the incorrect installation escapes me. General Heating has indicated that the boiler has been working perfectly for three years which is totally incorrect. We have had ongoing problems off and on since installation. In November of 2020 General Heating had to come and correct an incorrect installation of the exhaust pipe which was installed at the wrong angle and was causing boiler failure. Little did we know at the time that this was not the only incorrect installation part. Since the initial installation we have had ongoing error code **** appear. It is not a constant problem. It will appear a couple of times and then run fine for a few months. General Heating has been called several times regarding this issue. More recently,January 2023, General Heating was called and their technician Heval came out to assess the situation, which was detailed in my first correspondence. The fact remains that General Heating installed the boiler, met the safety requirement of the Province of B.C but did not install it correctly. This is not my assessment but that of the manufacturer, ******. I agreed to the installation based on their quote BUT, as with most customers, I am not an installation expert and trusted that General Heating were qualified to install the ****** boiler as per the manufacturers specification. They have not done so. I understood I was dealing with an honest and reputable company. As indicated, I have tried to contact them on the phone on numerous occasions but they do not even answer their phone. Over a 3 day period, I left them 7 voice messages and have never received a call back. I am very disappointed with the response by General Heating to my complaint. I find their response attitude very condescending and rather unprofessionally expressed. They demonstrate no interest in customer relations and service! Would anyone want such a company servicing their home in this way?I made this complaint to the Better Business Bureau to try and get a satisfying response from the company. I also wanted to make the Better Business Bureau aware of the poor service this company is delivering to homeowners, to enable them to make other customers aware so they are not taken ********* of by the ************ activities of this company.   
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************************

• Initial Complaint

  22/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Scheduled fireplace tune-up for June 15, 2022. Paid $120+GST. I was promised a tune-up. I was assured it was a tune up on the phone before I booked because other companies offer cleaning or tune-up/maintenance as two different services so I made a point of confirming. Unfortunately what I received was a fireplace glass cleaning and wipe down of some of the interior. Technician didn’t even bring supplies and asked me to provide paper towels, vinegar and drop cloth. Furthermore, their ad advertised $25 rebate. The technician referred me to call my gas company for it which I did. I was advised there is no such rebate at this time. Company did not provide the service promised and falsely advertised a rebate. I emailed my complaint to them the day after the service when I received my receipt and again three weeks later. I have not received any reply from them. A suitable resolution would be a full refund.

  Customer response

  24/08/2022

  The owner of the company contacted me regarding my complaint and advised they did not receive my emails. The issue has been resolved and no further action is required from the BBB. 
  
  Appreciate your assistance with this. 

• Initial Complaint

  22/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Transaction: General Heating was contracted on August 2021 to provide a cooling solution for my home. They installed a 3 ton air conditioner and a well as a new furnace on August 16, 2021. The total cost was $12,000 plus tax. Manufacturer warranty for the equipment is 5 years and as per invoice: “General Heating Ltd. provide one year labor warranty for repair and installation” Issue: the cooling system they installed does not adequately provide cooling for the home. For example when outdoor & indoor temperature is 30 degrees Celsius, a/c only cools the home to 28 Celsius even though thermostat is set at 20 Celsius and unit is turned on non stop for 4-5 hours. Expectation: My expectation was that the house would be cooled down to at least room temperature (20-22 degrees Celsius) during the summer when I agreed to engage General Heating. Actions taken to date: General physically examined the equipment 3 separate times after I reported the issue. Each time, they concluded that there is cold air being generated by the air conditioning unit and therefore it is working adequately and no further work is required. My counter response: Agreed cool air comes out but it is not strong enough to cool the home below 28. The expectation of cooling the home to at least room temperature has not been met. Current situation: General Heating has not responded to my latest email dated July 16, 2022 asking them to honor their 1 year warranty. Their previous stance as per General's representative Mathew is that as long as cool air is being generated by the unit, there is no problem. He also stated that the unit is powerful enough to cool a 3,000 square foot space(my home is 2,200square feet) and the problem is with the unique characteristics of my house and weather in Vancouver. My situation has not changed, the air conditioner does generate cold air but does not cool the home below 28 degrees Celsius.

  

  Business response

  02/08/2022

  Hi there,

  We got a call from *** ***** early Aug 2021.

  We have installed an AC & Furnace as required on Aug 11, 2021. 
  ***** confirmed everything and paid after everything worked perfectly. 
  They were very happy.
  Now after a year his son, ***** is threatening our technician and employees.

  We do not know what he is looking for.

   

  Customer response

  03/08/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  If you look at the history of the responses to customer complaints via ******************** with this Company, you will notice they have a tendency to deflect from  the central issue brought up by customers. They will continue to do  this until the customer gives up responding. They have no intention of resolving the complaint with the customer but rather just drag it out without resolution.

  My complaint is very clear: They will not honor their 1 year warranty. As per their invoice: " General Heating Ltd. provide one year labor warranty for repair and installation"

  The air conditioning they installed does not adequately cool the home. Most specifically, the house will not cool below ***** Celsius when outdoor temperature is in the 29 to 34 range. 

  I am asking that General honor their warranty: namely REPAIR their installation so that it is able to cool the house to room temperature as was expected when they were first hired.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  15/08/2022

  I am 100% rejecting this complaint because of the following reason.
  
  1- This unit was installed a year ago and it was tested right after installation so of course it worked perfectly. Last summer was incredibly hot and the person named ***** is an old man. They really wanted to cool down the house and that happened last year. Picture attached and shows the temperature of  Aug 2021. If the unit did not work perfectly, why did ***** not complain last year? (see picture #1)
  
  2- We do have terms and conditions.  
   Please see the policy below which can be found at the left corner of the invoices. 
  Note to customers: If you have any questions regarding the work performed above, please contact the local service office within 14 days. Please note, prices quoted are final upon approval. Quotes will not be adjusted to match other companies claiming identical service for less money. Payment due in full upon completion of work. Deposits are non refundable.
  
  This means customers have 14 days to complain or if they have any questions which have not happened in this case. No one complained. 
  Actually our staff have called and followed to make sure everything is okay after that we have collected the payment.
  Pictures show job inspection and order was Aug 11, 2021 and installation was Aug 13, and 14, 2021.
  Picture #2 shows invoice created Sep 09, 2021 almost one month after installation was done. 
  If you logically think about it, why would they pay for damage or non-working units? (pictures #2, #3, #4, #5)
  
  3- Let's talk about ***** and how he found our company. We have a customer who installed a furnace and AC. They referred us to ***** because they were happy that the job was done with our company.
  We did a great job for them and the same job has been done for *****. 
  Please see the below information who has referred us to *****.
  Tazmin D****
  **** *********** ***** ***** ********** ** *** *** **********
  4- We do have a warranty for one year for repair and troubleshooting. We have checked this unit 3 times and it works fine. Last time we did an inspection the house temperature was 23.5 and ***** said the unit was on for one hour. When we asked ***** to turn on the unit for several hours to cool down the house he rejected because he believes the house has to cool down within two hours which it's not possible. They need to turn on the unit for a few hours in order to get the best result. Unit is working perfectly. 
  
  5- We have scheduled a job with a person named ***** and confirmed everything with him. We heard ***** passed away a few months ago. We are getting complaints from a person named ***** and he is writing reviews everywhere and we do not understand why he is doing it. ***** wrote an email to threebestrated companies because General Heating is a three top best company in Vancouver for the last two years. He published wrong information to them and we'll take a serious action and why he is trying to take down our business. (claim dignity) 
  Picture #7 shows his complaint and wrong information he provided to them. 
  We do have several vans but he mentioned only 1-2 vans. Also our office address is 212-2280 E Hastings St. but ***** said we do not have any offices. 
  This information shows ***** is not honest and just trying to take advantage from General Heating.  
  
  6- Invoice is under *****'s name and now we are getting complaints from this person who we never met before and we do not recognize him. 
  Picture #2 shows invoice under *****'s name. 
  
  Thank you so much,
  Heval H*****
  

  
  

  Customer response

  24/08/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Heval H*****, the reported owner of this Company has a lengthy response but only point #4 addresses my complaint.

  
  The good news is that he acknowledges that General has a 1-year warranty.

  
  The bad news is that he will not acknowledge there is anything wrong. His statement that I expect the house to be cool within 2 hours is pure fabrication. My initial complaint is very clear: the house does not cool down adequately when outdoor temperatures greater than 30. The house temperature may have been 23.5 on one of their visits only because they came in the morning when outdoor temperature was about the same. We asked them to come late afternoon when house overheats but they insisted on coming in the morning. We also told them I had kept the a/c unit on for 5 hours straight the previous afternoon and house did not cool down below 28. My son took photos of the thermostat on an hourly basis and offered it to them on the day of their visit. They declined to check them. Instead just turned on the a/c, checked there was cool air being generated and stated the unit ”works”. When My son pushed the point that temperature will not go below 28, Mathew blamed it on the house insulation, old vents/house and Vancouver temperature being “special”.

  
  I read the full business response but most of it is just rhetoric and have only responded to point # 4 which is the main issue. However, some of the comments need to be addressed for the record:

  
  1) The invoice he uploaded is not the original invoice. Once again, another fabrication with a fake customer signature. I have the original invoice with my name on it, not my husband plus they used a completely different invoice number. Most importantly, this invoice I have on hand has been signed by them.

  
  2)My husband dealt with them initially but since then my son ***** has been dealing with Mathew directly. About 1 month after the initial installation, Mathew came to the house to install a new thermostat  and met my Son and since then all dealings have been directly  between them. For Heval & Mathew to claim he has no idea who my son is shows the lengths he will go to avoid taking responsibility and deflect away from the main issue. We have email and text logs as proof that General knows exactly who my Son is.

  
  I suggest we let an Arbitrator decide who is telling the truth and make a binding decision. As I mentioned in my initial complaint, history shows that Heval H****** the owner of General Heating will continue to respond but never take any responsibility nor offer any mutually agreeable resolutions.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business response

  16/09/2022

  Hi there,
  
  
  I am rejecting this complaint as I already did.
  This customer is looking to find more documents.
  The invoice I have submitted is original.
  The invoice customer submitted we only used that for rebate because ***** told us to do that as the FortisBC account is under ****** name.
  ****** has nothing to say but the son shows up and makes a problem.
  As I mentioned the unit we installed is 3 ton and more than enough for this house (2000 sq ish).
  The unit is working perfectly and has no issues. Customers want to take advantage of the company.
  We never met ***** before, never talked to him, and never did any business with him.
  ***** tried many ways to take down the business which is not acceptable.
  If he has any problem why he would not contact the company from the beginning which was extremely hot last year. 
  ***** and his wife were satisfied with the installation.
  
  
  Thank you for understanding.

  Customer response

  07/12/2022

  The a/c unit you installed does not adequately cool the home. I have proof you made a big mistake. According to several professional online calculators available from the internet, a ***** square foot home needs a 4 ton a/c  unit. You installed a 3 ton unit which predictably does not adequately cool the home. The only solution here is for you to own up to your mistake and compensate us so that we can install a 4 ton unit.

  
  

  In addition, You have made  many other blunders demonstrating your lack of competence:
  

  1) You forgot to install an air filter with the new furnace.

  2) You installed a 40 amp fuse to a 30 amp a/c unit- an electrician would fail their exam just on this mistake alone!

  3) You failed to fix a gas leak that was reported to you within the 1 year warranty period.  I had to hire another contractor to fix your blunder.

  4) Many other issues  but i want to keep this response short.

  
  

  Bottom line: you have failed to honor your 1 year labor warranty on the installation. During this complaint process you submitted a fake invoice which clearly demonstrates your lack of good faith in this process.

  

  Business response

  16/12/2022

  I am rejecting as I always did.
  
  
  From the beginning, this customer is keep making excuses. 
  First of all, we have not had any contract with you, we did a job for your dad who passed away a year ago. Now you are here to make a fake story. 
  
  
  Secondly, we installed the correct furnace which is ***** BTU with the correct AC, and is more than enough for this size of ducting and house.
  
  
  Third of all, once we install a furnace we put in one air filter which we did 2 years ago, and after that, It's the customer's responsibility to replace it or not. 
  
  
  - A electrical has been done perfectly with a certified electrician so it's working perfectly.
  
  
  - You called and we came over to make sure there is no gas leak and we could not find anything. How come people leave there with a gas leak for one year? Please do no make a fake story and do not waste our time. 
  
  
  - There are no other issues. This customer is dishonest and even we do not know him. As I mentioned we did a job for his dad and their family in *************** all are happy. But after his dad passed away he showed up and made problems.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank You,
  
  
  

  Customer response

  26/12/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  Sorry pal, this is a legitimate complaint otherwise BBB would not have accepted it. They verified the invoice I gave them signed by your worker and compared it to the fake invoice you submitted. If this is not legitimate, please ask your BBB rep to cancel this complaint.

  I presume you googled internet resources where it is 100% conclusive that a ***** square foot home requires ****** BTU/4 ton. You installed ****** BTU/3 ton as per your official invoice. Now you are saying you installed 60,000BTU? I have the invoice as proof yet now you are making up a fake number? Do you want me to send you your  invoice?

  You did not install an air filter. One of the most basic things you missed...are you even a qualified HVAC technician?  Just Having a gas fitter license does not qualify you as an HVAC tech.

  Your electrician installed a 40 amp fuse for a 30 amp appliance. I had to call a "real" electrician to fix your mess and he is the one who alerted me of your poor workmanship. 

  Your technician came and confirmed there was a gas leak. ****** also confirmed there was a gas leak unfortunately, your tech decided to wait 2 weeks to fix it. He did not fix it properly because subsequently I had to call another technician to fix it. I have invoice as proof. 

  It appears you do not have the skills nor experience to be installing HVAC systems. There are so many other issues that  I have not mentioned. To make matters worse, you will not own up to your mistakes and just deny anything is wrong. Lastly You will not agree to arbitration offer from BBB because you know you will lose. 

   

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  03/01/2023

  
  Hi there,
  
  We can do nothing for this customer because everything was done perfectly.
  The job was inspected by the *************** and passed. They have received a rebate from FortisBC. 
  The person complaining's name is ***** and we never met him before, he showed up after his dad passed away.
  He is lying and trying to take advantage of our company. That unit is enough for a house for heating and cooling. How come the heating is fine and the cooling is not? Both units are the same size. 
  Every day we install the same unit for similar houses. No one complains. This customer is dishonest and a liar.  
  
  Best Regards and happy new year.
  ******************
  

  
  

  Customer response

  03/01/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  The more you respond, the more it shows that you have absolutely no HVAC technical knowledge. 

  You cannot even get gas fitting right. I had to hire someone else to fix a gas leak which your sidekick ****** only pretended to fix.

  You do not respond to technical facts because you know you are in the wrong. First you say you installed 3 ton, then you say you installed 5 ton. You were supposed to install 4 ton and all the proof is available online! 

  In my first message, I said you are the type of businessman who will not respond to facts. You will deny them and call people liars. I was 100% correct.

  You are making a mockery of this BBB process.  

  The only positive to come out of this is that  I now know not to rely on the BBB  rating system because businesses like yours are allowed to keep your A+ rating despite a long history of unresolved complaints.

  You have learnt to pay your fee and then just deny/ignore  facts, call your customers liars or claim you have no idea who they are when confronted with complaints. *** *** **** * ***** ************

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩