Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  30/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This Capital snow service operator blow the snow into my propery (lawn and drive way) while servicing my neighbour's drive way on Dec 23rd 2022 also they packed the snow in front if my drive way preventing my family from exiting from the garage by car and did not this prevented me from enetring my garage on after returning from work so i end up parking on the street and getting a parking ticket. Another operator from the same company blow the snow into my lawn on Dec 28th 2022 . I contacted the company and complained , they replied respectively but denied the action . They were just defending their operator and critisizing my complain in a non logic sense (from my point of view) . I want them to better train their operators and inform them not to blow the snow on others properties'. I was not the only one complaine but my neighbour's at *** ******* **** also complained. It looks like the company does not want to admit their fault as they critized me as being late 5 days to complain to them . And that i don't have videos or pictures about what happened so i invited the to come and compare the amount of snow in my lawn compared to the neighborhood they serve. Attached screenshots of my coversation with them. Thanks ****** **** ************************

  

  Business response

  04/01/2023

  Hi ******,
  
  We have tried on numerous occasions this past week to speak with you in person or by phone, but you are not being responsive.  We would like the opportunity to speak with you about the two incidents you’ve reported and discuss how we can avoid having any ongoing issues for the remainder of the winter.  
  
  In our email exchange, we told you we would do an internal investigation into your complaints and that we would address the issue with the operators in your area.  However, we cannot assume responsibility for something without gathering all of the facts from you and our operators, which is what we have been trying to do. 
  
  In your *** complaint you stated that your lawn has more snow than our clients’ lawns and that this is your proof that snow is being placed onto your property by our operators. Today (Jan. 4, 2023), ****** went to your street and took photos of our nearby clients’ lawns at *** and ***, your neighbour at *** and yours at ***.  Your lawn has significantly less snow than those of our nearby clients’.  The photos are attached to this response.
  
  ****** also had the opportunity to speak with your neighbour at #***.  She said that while there were issues with snow being put onto her lawn in prior years, she did not yet have an issue this season. The snow from #*** is being put onto their own garden/lawn between the two homes.
  
  Your perception of the two incidents are incoherent with the facts that we’ve collected thus far and have tried to share with you.  However, without the opportunity to have a rational discussion with you it seems that we are getting nowhere.  We cannot go back in time, but we do give you our word that your complaints did not fall on deaf ears and that we are taking necessary steps to ensure that we do not have any further issues.
  
  We have spoken with the operators working in your area and have reiterated to them again that snow must be blown onto the clients’ property.  This is our company policy, this is in our terms and conditions, drivers’ contracts and is what they are instructed to do by management. We will have the area supervisor oversee the snow removal at your neighbours’ properties on Barrick Hill for the remainder of the season to ensure that there are no issues moving forward. 
  That being said, we ask that you refrain from ever intimidating a member of our staff again and we will not tolerate any further harassment this season. We have provided you with the appropriate channels for escalating any concerns re: our operators or our service.  Our dispatch team is available 24/7 during snow events and we can dispatch a supervisor in the field, as needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time using these channels if you feel that there is something that needs to be rectified. 
  
  We pride ourselves on customer service, take all complaints seriously and have a diligent internal investigation process.  In instances like this, timeliness of reporting them is very important so that we can clear up any misunderstandings or mistakes on the spot. If we had (accidentally) blocked your driveway and we had been made aware, we would have sent someone over to rectify it right away! Accidents can happen and operators can make mistakes - we are only human after all.  We take full accountability for our actions and those of our operators, but if we are not made aware of them in time then we are not given the opportunity to rectify them.  This is all we were trying to express to you in our email exchange.
  
  Moving forward, we will do everything on our end to prevent any further issues. If you feel that an additional follow-up is required please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email or phone.
  
  Wishing you a safe & happy rest of your winter!

• Initial Complaint

  29/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In December 2020 I had two of my front step paving stones cracked by one of Capital Service's snow plows. I had a contract with them for snow removal. I notified them and was told that this would be fixed in the spring. This was not done despite my continuing to contact them about this and being told that someone would fix it. On two occasions, in August of 2021 and August 2022, a company representative came out and said this would be done but the tiles were hard to find. After that I heard nothing again. I believe this has not been properly handled by this company and I have given them ample time to do so.

  

  Business response

  03/10/2022

  The client’s patio stones are no longer in production so we are unable to replace/repair the two cracked patio stones. This was explained by the repair team. We have given her the option of free snow removal for the season or a replacement walkway with different patio stones. The client has agreed to services in lieu of the repair as a satisfactory resolution.

  Customer response

  03/10/2022

    ****** ******** *******
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to ********* ** ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  **** ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  30/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My lamp post damage by snow removal: It happened in 2018 - 2019 winter season, Capital snow removal knocked my lamp post ( it was quite expensive one). I had used three years of their services up to 2018-2019, over those three years, there were so many little things made me unhappy, lamp post damage was the last straw broke the camel's back. I left Capital service since then, In 2019 spring, Capital fix the lamp. The last week ( May 20, 2022) Ottawa had the big storm hit, my lamp post snapped, I then realized that Capital Services fixed my lamp post with industry glue which cannot be held on strong winds. Company said it had been no issues for more than 3 years, it meant the repair was effective. I don't buy the statement due to the fact there have not been any big storms in Ottawa areas since 2019 except recent storm in may 2022. If had one, the lamp post would have been knocked. My argument is that capital's repair was not sufficient by simply gluing two piece of lamp post and painted. The company also accused me why I did not make a dispute if not satisfied. My answer I could not see through the painter and metals.

  

  Business response

  31/05/2022

  As the client stated in their message, their lamppost was damaged during the 2018-2019 winter season. Our repair team repaired the lamp in the spring of 2019. Up until yesterday, more than 3 years after the repair was completed, we were not informed by the former client that he was unsatisfied with the repair. The lamp stood through 3 Ottawa winters and heavy storms, so we maintain the position that the repair was done satisfactorily. The method used to repair the lamp is what our repair team has been doing for other clients and we have not had issues with these types of repairs - let alone years after the fact. 
  On May 21, 2022, Ottawa was hit with a major storm called a “derecho” with wind gusts of up to 190km/h.  The devastation in the Stittsville area was extensive - mature trees, roofs, fences, transformer towers and hydro poles were taken out by the heavy winds.  People were without power for days and ***** ****** is still repairing power lines from the extensive damage. Unfortunately, this gentleman’s lamp was a casualty of the storm and believes this is our doing. We maintain that this was a force majeure  storm more than 3 years after the lamp was repaired. We believe that the cause of the damage to the light on May 20th was the major wind storm and is not related to our repair of the lamp. We encouraged the gentleman to contact his home insurance regarding any damages caused by the storm to his property.

  Had the gentlemen expressed any issues with the repair after we completed it in 2019, we would have absolutely rectified the issue. Accidents do happen during snowstorms and we strive to make all the necessary repairs to the clients satisfaction at the end of the season. As far as we were concerned, the repair was completed to his satisfaction and the matter was closed in 2019.

*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. ↩