Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Belfor is committing insurance Fraud & is over charging clients, and then throughout the project removing items off of the bid and then charging for them twice because they are not "in the scope of work." September 2022 we had a fire at our home. We have paid roughly $49,000 of a ****** bid. However, as the project has gone on the bid has only increased from originally being roughy $40,000 to $****** and now not including basic things such as cleaning the smoke damage, painting, replacing burnt insulation, having working plumbing, removal of ash. We are being billed for travel when we are at the job site every day and no one shows up. We are on the 4th contractor that works for them. 2 were fired by Belfor and 1 quit. However, our home remains red tagged and is considered unsafe to live in. We do not have hot/cold water. The electrical now doesn't work. Lights that they have replaced flicker. Plumbing in the bathroom now doesn't work where it used to. There is still ash and debris on the property and we are located next to a school. We have made it clear that we need the soil to be safe since children play across the street. We agreed in the contract to have all fire damaged replaced, a washing room rebuilt, and a storage room rebuilt. However, they built us 2 storage rooms but they do not have the ability to have washer/dryer hook **** there are no drains or water lines. We pressed why they don't and they said "its not in the scope of work". I spoke with the engineer and he clearly stated that Belfor should have included them as the plans clearly say "Washer room". At no point during construction has there been bathrooms, running water, or washing stations for workers. However, we are being billed for them. The insulation in the home is black from fire damage. The exterior walls are black from smoke still. The fascia is being billed but was not replaced and is black. There are beer cans and liquid bottles left on our property. I have photos and texts for proof.

  Business response

  05/06/2024

  
  My Project Manager, ******* and myself had a job walk with the insured, and her daughter, ******.
  
  There are a few things she is concerned about noted below:
  1. Hot water in front of the building is not working in Unit A. The loss was in Unit B, with a new hot water being replaced. A plumber is scheduled for this Thursday to inspect and fix.
  2. Debri in the yard. This is being removed this Thursday. No alcohol bottles found.
  3. Added cost to estimate. I brought a copy of Change Order 001, and 002 that was signed by the insured and explained the difference of cost. ****** was present at both meetings. She understood after the meeting. Insured was final billed for the amount of $62,515.38.
  a. Original Agreement:
  Before Engineer Plans $41,893.44
  b. Change Order 001
  Addendum submitted to the insurance company and approved for $71,823.79
  c. Change Order 002
  Addendum for removal of items chosen by insured to help with out of pocket expense for $66,501.77
  d. Meeting to subtract items that insured will complete themselfs. Changed to $62,717.46, back up with an email for confirmation. Loss was more than policy limits. Email from Adjuster is on file and has been submitted at that time to the insured and was aware of this.
  4. Wash Room - Has a drain system and was shown to Insured and Daughter.
  5. Exterior wall, insulation and fascia is black. This was removed per insured and signed for in Change Order .002, to help cut costs of "out of pocket expense". This was provided to the insured at the meeting, insured does not want this added back on and understands this will not be completed without a charge.
  
  We have plans from the Engineer, and the Signed off Permit Card that will be submitted to ****** for record keeping and documentation.
  
  Note: Scheduled meeting for this Thursday morning with the Plumber and debri disposal. Per ******, we should be able to sign the Certificate of Completion once these 2 items have been corrected.
  
  I will send you an email on Friday just confirming our meeting on Thursday, and if we have the *** in hand.
  
  Thanks,

  Customer response

  05/09/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  As of Wednesday May 8th, we will not be able to sign off on completion and will not sign anything until all work that has been paid for is completed, property is safe, and the billing is correct. I had the engineer confirm with me that Belfor is billing incorrectly for this project. 
  
  I emailed this to Belfor on May 6th and was told a Senior Estimator was reviewing this and wouldnt be able to get back to me until next week. 
  
  we also wont have the electrician out until next week, due to his busy schedule. We are well over the agreed on 6 months this project was supposed to take. 
  
  Line item 19 is being billed as 123LF but its really only 18Linear feet. I had the engineer confirm this with me. Which is the discrepancy I was having with the billing because the total project is reflecting the square footages from the very 1st estimate in 2022 and not of what was done. The square footages should actually be closer to; 
  Grand Total Areas: 
  528 *************** (Minus 48SF. for the 2 open breezeway walls 4x6)
  144 SF Floor
  672 *************** & Ceiling
  18   LF Floor Perimeter
  18   LF Ceil Perimeter
  
  The discrepancy is flowing over into most other line items being measured incorrectly such as accurate billing for the roofing, stucco, rebar, and wrapping of the house. 
  I went line by line with the engineer and I can send that list if its helpful. 
  Thank you,
  

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  Good Morning ******,
  
  Electrician was on site yesterday and completed the items that needed to be fixed. I am meeting with ****** at the residence tomorrow for a job walk and the Certificate of Completion.
  
  Thanks,
  

  
  

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