Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Appointment was scheduled for 11/02/23 for our chimney to be cleaned. Ashtree, phone ************, showed up & performed an inspection on our chimney. He then charged my ************ $275.00 (& was paid) & gave me a work order stating our chimney was not suitable for use. He then told us about Heat Shield & told us this is what is used at the ***********. We agreed on 11/03/22 to have the work done. We paid him $1,679.19 on my **** as he said this was required prior to ordering the products. He said once the products were in he would schedule the install. He said the cost of the install would be $900.00 & that payment for labor would be to D&R ************* Invoice Summary was Chimney cap mount top custom $275.00, foam head applicator for heat shield $135.00, Heat Shield $990.00, Chimney Saver water repellent $150.00, tax $129.19. On 11/22/22 he showed up for installation along with ***** ************* The charge of $900.00 was pd to D&R on my ****. We were then advised that our custom cap had not come in so they put a old cap on that they had & would return when the custom cap came in. The cap has still not been installed. After many inquiries I was advised on April 5 ******************************* & it would be installed. Various appts were made & they would not show or contact me. When he did respond on a few of my requests, he always had a excuse for not showing up or responding. This has continued to happen. When I came on to your site to write this, I saw he has other complaints which show he has a pattern of doing this. I have my receipts and also still have our texts for scheduling the *********** not showing up & having a problem of not responding to me. I requested a refund, he scheduled an appointment to install & again did not show & did not respond at all. This company is not to be trusted. Per one of your questions, my husband is a military veteran.

  Business response

  12/08/2023

  *************** is correct all the above work was performed and every item paid for was installed including a chimney cap. The manufacture at that time was taking longer than normal to send out their chimney cap, so installed a chimney cap to operate as a temporary cap until the new chimney cap came in. So total job is complete, they can use and have used their fireplace since job was initially completed and planned on scheduling a time for new cap to be installed. On time delays, again *************** is correct, from May 2023 to August 2023 was injured put off many jobs until was able to perform work. Advised *************** would install cap when in area but appointment times fell through because prior appointments would take longer than anticipated. So understand her frustrations, could be out within the next week to install cap just have to schedule her a day that fits for her schedule. Agree, it has taken a lot longer that anticipated. With over 900+ customers in the Central Valley spanning from ****** to ***********, ******** to **** Lake and staffing shortages have only me as the only technician that could go out to perform work. Were in the process of hiring other technicians and staff but for the next three months we are shorthanded and understaffed for this type of service business with this much of a service area of coverage. So feel free to call to schedule ***************, apologize about time delays but could be out next week or this weekend if your available. 

   

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

  Owner of Ashtree AC & Chimney

  Customer response

  12/12/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This is the same response he sends me in texts regarding when he can come (next week or this weekend).   When & if I get a response & an appointment is made, he does not show up after he has confirmed and does not text or call so we again are left waiting.  I would like an appointment given on his response with my option to confirm. This has gone on way to long.

  Business response

  12/12/2023

  Can schedule Sunday the 17th of December at 12pm to install a chimney cap or December 27th at 12pm. If I don't get a response within 24 hours or will push dates back to 2nd week of January, I am getting busy and filling in slots of schedule for customers in *************. Trying to ********** to not spread myself thin, have no helpers or extra technicians to help this year. So can accommodate *************** at above times.  

  Customer response

  12/13/2023

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I accept the date Saturday 12/17/23 at noon.

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Ashtree never delivered product and do no installation work on my home. Parts were taking too long so ****** agreed to refund me the money but after going through my bank he replied that the charges are justified. I pause for new chimney piping and never received them

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  Customer called to schedule an inspection. Appointment booked and made. Drove over 44 miles to customers residence, utilizing a 4x4 vehicle to access unpaved road to property. Time, travel, process of inspection peformed. Truck necessary in areas where unpaved or gravel dirt drive ways. performed inspection. Customer paid for inspection. Every transaction receipt and return policy on labor and parts is stated. If every customer that ordered serviced disputed labor charges on inspections it would pass undue costs to our business and if everytime a customer changed their mind after a purchase, costs, freight, and fee through credit card companies would again pass an undue cost. 

   

  Customer received inspection. Separate from other transaction. Each transaction states labor and parts policy. 

  Customer response

  11/03/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I understand that the inspection fee will not be reimbursed. I am only asking for the cost of the product. I have attached a time frame that I never received the items I pod for. Even to this day no items are in my possession. I am asking for ******** dollars back. The invoice I paid for says no where in there that the items are non refundable. The form you sent is old and from April. Not the transaction I filed. My filing is July 29,2023. You stated in text that if I wanted to cancel and get a refund I could. By this time you stopped responding to my texts and calls. So I am asking for you to follow up with your word and pay back what is mine. ************************* is not doing my instal and has gotten the necessary parts in 3 weeks. Which took you 2 months and still could not get the items. Again the no refund was never discussed this is a lie on your part. The receipt you supplied is not to me and does not have my name attached to it at all. Please pay me back the ******** so I can move forward. Thank you 

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  This customer posted a review of my company below on site :

  *************************** has not refunded me 3 thousand dollars in materials that I purchased from him that never arrived. he is avoiding my calls and text but answers when i call from a different number. he refused to give me my money back and I am taking him to court. do not use this company.

   

  So I never refused to give back money, is false. because, the bank and credit card company are following through with your charge dispute. They took the amount and money from my account weeks ago. So they may see or find my policy of no refunds and no returns valid because I do not advise to purchase unless you understand the terms which are on my receipts and invoices. They may not. Let them handle it. I appreciate your acknowledgement of the inspection fee standing. At least that validates the time, travel, and service call/inspection charge you are refuting as well.

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My chimney leaked and ****** *******, Ashtree Chimneys owner, came to my house on 1/6/23. He performed an inspection. I paid him $1062 to cover the cost of the inspection, materials to make repairs to the chimney, and for a cap which needed to be ordered for the chimney. The receipt was not itemized. I am not complaining about the inspection fee or the materials. Ashtree has not installed the chimney cap as of this date. I have made many inquiries as to when the work would be performed. I made many requests forspecific performance or a refund. I was finally told that the work would take place on either 2/18/23 or 2/19/23. That did not happen. Undortunately, angry words were exchanged between Mr. ******* and me via text messages. Consequently, Mr. ******* notified me by text message that he "will be refunding the chimney cap." As of 2/28/23, I havenot received a refund for the chimney cap. Mr ******* cannot be reached by telephone. All communication goes through text messages. He has not responded to my demand for payment. I also put a message on his website.

  Business response

  03/07/2023

  I received your the customer complaint a week or so ago. I explained to customer that refund was requested and notified our credit card processor to do so. They take 7-10 business days and it shows refunded. So not sure what the complaint is for. The client was refunded amount. 

  Customer response

  03/09/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The amount refunded did not cover the cost of the chimney cap.

  Business response

  03/09/2023

  I no longer want contact from this customer and stated so. I refunded the amount of product, I have text messages that state her unfounded claims and unreasonable actions. She also posted up a review of not receiving her cap and installation on a yelp review hours before her installation appointment. Our initial argument was due to me not wanting to include portions of product/labor into a insurance claim or write my invoice as so to misconstrue dates etc which I declined due to issues of integrity and possibly fraud. After that interaction customer was to wait for cap to be installed which was delayed due to a family member passing.    review below:

  
  

  **** L.

  44

  12

  2/19/23

  I dislike having to give a bad review to a local business as I like supporting our community. However, I have had a really negative experience with Ashtree. Five weeks ago, after a flood through my chimney, I paid ******, the owner, to put a cap in the chimney. He took the money. He has not installed the cap and will not return my money. He is very difficult to communicate with as his voice mailbox is always full. When you call his number, his message says to text him for promptg response. He does not respond to texts. He finally texted me last week that he has the cap and that it would be installed this weekend. He was to call me to schedule. It is now Sunday afternoon. He has not called or texted, nor has he responded to my text asking him when he was going to install it. I tried phoning again but his mailbox was full once more. I had plans for today that I cancelled because I did not know if he would show up or not. I am planning to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and to small claims court. He needs to do the job or return my money, I don't care which. He is not doing either. All I can say is that if you plan to do business with him, Buyer Beware!

  Comment

  Direct message

  

  You publicly responded on Feb 19, 1:47 PM

  5 weeks ago this client called and wanted water issues addressed from her chimney leaking. I arrived to do an inspection and brought along an outside contractor understanding that water issues involve more extensive issues that could lead to more work outside the chimney. After performing an inspection the recommendations were given, and the customer agreed to a course of action. The contractor was out later that week to install portions of the product and covered the chimney waiting for a manufacturer to send the chimney cap custom to her chimney flue opening "Custom". So unfortunately the manufacturer is having staffing and supply chain issues, which are out of my hand. This is the new norm with staffing and production issues throughout many industries. Communicated this to the above client on several occasions. Just to point out to prospective clients, supply chain issues happen, staffing issues happen, and life happens. I understand in business as a customer you just want jobs, inspections, and repairs completed. You don't care if my dog dies or it's raining outside, understandably so. But to touch on that, duing this process with the above customer, a personal matter that greatly affected communication and repair times occurred over the last couple of weeks, my little brother suddenly passed away. In which his loss greatly affected my family, me, and our business to where I had to close down my business to attend to these family matters of burial/funeral arrangements and other events. I have many customers, communicated to her and them. Some repairs were pushed back a couple of weeks, some installation times rescheduled and that affected a great many of my existing client base. Many were very gracious in understanding the personal family matter which we appreciate, one customer didn't care that my brother died and wanted their parts installed the day after his passing. In this instance and many others, it was communicated of what was occurring and kept communication going. As much I try to keep that personal matter off or out of my business situation, it affected my business. So just to be clear I am doing my best to get back on track to get parts, inspection, and repairs completed in a correct and timely fashion. aside from this family matter, these instances of supply chain issues affected many customers these last months, just recently within the last week many supplies of fireplace products came back online with fast shipping times. So this week have had this client's chimney cap, have communicated that I would be out this afternoon to install it, and texted this. Unfortunately, this customer just wanted to express her opinion on my business with incorrect information, which is a clear lie, I have the text messages stating so. I am a sole proprietor of the business and it is without challenges and problems. I am not without fault, I make mistakes. but, to try to damage or diminish a "small business in the local community" reputation by writing lies is not good. Many customers this last year waited months for fireplaces to come in , and some are now waiting weeks for parts to come in, this is all out of our hands. There are no local supply houses that stock products or carry niche, custom, product serial number-specific parts in the Greater Central Valley. So understand I am doing my best to find other sources but OEM or custom parts for faster response, repair, install times.

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