Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  07/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Johnston Electrical & Contracting, ** **** **** ********** ** *** *** ************ ******* ******  They were to install multiple circuits in my basement. My 200-amp electrical panel had more than 15 openings to attach new circuits. I asked for “as many new circuits as I could get”. In the largest portion of the basement (~600 of the 850 sq ft), they installed 11 outlets, in a "daisy chain" configuration. 11 outlets all on one 15-amp circuit. They maintain that this is ESA code; my opinion is that, code or not, this is untenable and virtually unusable. My treadmill is rated for 12 amps and any additional load will cause the breaker to 'trip'. This circuit will require remediation (~$2,000) to make it functional. The project began in Jan. 2023; their last work was in early Feb. 2023. I paid $4,971.94 Jan 5, 2023. No work or billing occurred between early Feb. 2023 & mid-Jan. 2024. On Jan 19, 2024, we agreed to part ways. Without doing any work beyond early Feb. 2023, I was billed $1,932.37 on Jan. 22, 2024, but the invoice contained duplication. I received a corrected invoice in the amount of $1,774.12 dated Jan 22, 2024. I have disputed this invoice on the basis that they did not provide me with the circuitry that I requested, that the settlement credit offered was insufficient, and that there was no credit to offset the expense that I will have to incur in order to correct the unsatisfactory circuit. Further, they did not offer to remedy the situation. They proceeded to immediately issue a final bill and threaten interest penalties on unpaid but disputed amount(s). They have also withheld the ESA Final Permit Report I have offered and paid $900.00, ~half of their last invoice, as my full & final payment. They rejected my settlement offer, demanded full payment, & threatened interest of 5% on the unpaid balance.

  Business response

  20/02/2024

  In regards to case # ********.
  
  As previously discussed with ******, it has been explained that as per the Ontario Electrical Code, you are allowed to have 80% of a breaker loaded, which a 15A breaker, by code, is capable of having 12 receptacles. 
  18 receptacles were installed in ******s basement, on 3 separate breakers. 
  
  ****** has a treadmill and a space heater plugged into 1 of those 3 circuit loads. Evidently, causing that breaker to "trip". (Given the treadmill alone is rated for 12A).
  During a visit to ****** in December of 2023, it was discussed that the heater could also cause tripping, which then lead to a discussion about putting in proper heating that is load compatible, on its own circuit. 
  
  ****** reached out to us in August of 2022. We worked with ****** in providing an estimate to him for his basement renovation. Upon receiving the estimate, ****** stated that he believed the estimate to be priced high. We offered to lower the estimate for him to work within his budget, to which ****** declined and stated that "there is no need to revise the estimate" and that he would like to go ahead with the work. But we did lower it anyway, by $280. 
  After a couple attempts to book ****** in for the job to start, we finally set a date for January of 2023. 
  Our crew went in for 2 days to do the 'rough in' of ******s basement. Following the completion of the rough in work, ****** was then billed 70% of the invoice. ****** made his payment for this work.
  
  In February of 2023, ****** reached out to ask if we could come back to get some of the receptacles working in the basement, so he can continue his work. We set a day in February for this to be done. To which ****** was not billed for, as this was considered part of the 'finish' work (the remaining 30%), and that would be added onto his final bill.
  
  After our February 2023 visit with ******, he was numerously kept in contact by office staff through out the remainder of 2023. To which he was not ready for us to come in to complete the work. 
  Late December of 2023, we reached out to ****** regarding his ESA permit coming up for renewal in January (2024). ****** replied to us that he would like to set up an additional 'walk through' of his basement to discuss the remaining work and additional work he wanted done.
  
  Through out 2023 and the multiple discussion with ******, there were never any complaints or conversations regarding any problems that ****** may have had with the current work that was done in his basement (example; the circuits and to quote, "daisy chain" configuration that ****** now mentions). Providing that most of our discussions since August of 2022 with ****** were 90% through email, there were no complaints filed with this customer.
  
  January of 2024, ****** kept in touch with us about the additional estimate he wanted done for some additional work. We were working on his estimate when we received another email stating that ****** would like us to close our electrical permit for his job and that he has found someone else to complete the work. 
  We agreed with ****** that if that is what he wanted done, we would close the permit and call for our 'final' inspection with the ESA inspector.
  With this being done, we invoiced ****** for the February 2023 work that was done, along with crediting ****** some material that was not used, and the ESA permit 'renewal' fee that was done in January of 2024. (The ESA Permit was coming up for renewal, and he stated that he would like to get it renewed). Ultimately, adding the renewal fee to his invoice as well.
  
  ****** has since reached out to us with complaints and has written this complaint with the ***, as I quote from ******s complaint "I have disputed this invoice on the basis that they did not provide me with the circuitry that I requested, that the settlement credit offered was insufficient, and that there was no credit to offset the expense that I will have to incur in order to correct the unsatisfactory circuit. Further, they did not offer to remedy the situation. They proceeded to immediately issue a final bill and threaten interest penalties on unpaid but disputed amount(s). They have also withheld the ESA Final Permit Report I have offered and paid $900.00, ~half of their last invoice, as my full & final payment. They rejected my settlement offer, demanded full payment, & threatened interest of 5% on the unpaid balance."
  
  Our response to this complaint; There was never any indication that ****** was unhappy with "the circuitry" until after he asked us to close out the permit and that he found someone else to complete the work. The "settlement credit" was reasonable, as we did credit for unused material that was on his initial bill (which he agreed upon). There will be no credit to "offset the expense" of having someone else "correct" and/or "finish" the work that we had started, when this was in no way our fault that ****** had chosen to find someone else to complete the work, and that there is no need of "correction" for current work that is done. (as stated above).
  We did not "offer" to remedy the situation, as we did not know that there were any complaints from ****** until AFTER he stated he found someone else. 
  We did not threaten interest, we simply implied that there are interest charges (5%/every 30 days overdue). To which is company policy for any and all invoices with our company/customers.
  ****** stated in one of his last emails to us that " With your acceptance of certain conditions, I am prepared to offer to pay $885.00 in full and final payment, which is approximately half of your invoice.  I will need to have the final permit report, your acceptance of this amount as full and final payment, plus the discontinuance of any invoice and collection activity. "
  
  We did not reply to ****** with agreeance to any of his 'conditions', while ****** still went forward and made a payment of $900 to us, hours before he filed this complaint with the ***. 
  
  In conclusion to this complaint filed with the ****** ******** ****** from ****** ******, we find that we are not at fault for anything mentioned in ******s complaint, and that we are entitled to our reasonable, final invoice to ******, as we have been nothing but accommodating to his schedule, requirements and we stand behind our work that was done at *** *** ***** ******. We will provide ****** with his final ESA report, but we do believe that we are entitled to be paid the full final invoice, and that our well known reputation as Electrical Contractors in our area stay as just that, and not be threatened or ' slandered ' by this customer in the future. 
  
  Thank You, 
  
  **** ******** * ************ ***********

  Customer response

  24/02/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:               BBB Complaint #********   Johnston Electric & Contracting   Feb. 24, 2024

  I made a $900.00 Good Faith enticement payment to JEC on Feb. 7th in accordance with, and to encourage acceptance of, my offer of “50/50 sharing” of the Jan. 25th invoice in the amount of $1,774.12, plus the forwarding to me the ESA final permit report.

  That offer was rejected, however, JEC has retained my Good Faith payment of $900.00.

  At this point, I would request that JEC either:

  Issue a credit note for the balance outstanding and forward the ESA permit report to me (i.e. accepting my 50/50 sharing offer):
   or
  Refund my $900.00 Good Faith payment, in full, and we can proceed to discuss the merits of the $1,774.12 invoice on a stand-alone basis.
  

  Sincerely,
  

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

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  At this time, we have chosen to move past this complaint.

  We have sent ****** the ESA Permit VIA email on February 29th, 2024. 
  We will settle with the $900 payment, in return we ask that our name not be tarnished and published on the *** or any other form of social media. 

  Thank You

  Customer response

  06/03/2024

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

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