Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The following is in regards w/ a company that recently have acted unethically & after several months is stating that I owe them money, but recites that state zero balance. The company, Mountain Man *********************************************** AKA Mountain ********************************************** I am attaching email from today. The email is correct in the amounts paid/dates & amount returned. My issue w/ this company is the following: I asked for & was sold pieces for new flue for pellet stove. Company stated that I had to install the pieces I purchased. Company forgot to charge me & called asking for compensation the very next day. I paid the bill over the phone (still do not have an itemized bill only total charge). Company then called me & asked when they could schedule the flue install that I already installed. Pellet stove was not functioning correctly & they stated that it was because I had installed the flue incorrectly. Changed flue configuration, but pellet stove was not working properly. Company returned & changed out pellets (that technician had placed in stove). Company stated that I had put in bad pellets, but I was not at home when the pellets were placed in the stove due to having to leave to get my son from school. Company also informed me that I needed to return the flue to the original configuration in order for the pellet stove to work properly. Last communication w/ company was a dispute about who put the pellets in the stove. Today (1/24) I received a correspondence stating that I did not settle my bill, but no invoice is attached. I feel it is unethical to charge for something, that three visits later they state will not allow stove to function properly. Next, the company didn't let me know that there was any addition charges until ******* don't know what I am being charged, because there is no invoice on their last visit or in email. Their last invoice shows zero balance. If anything I should be refunded for unusable equipment. I have paid company even when I felt that I was misled.

  

  Business response

  02/16/2024

  February 16, 2024
  
  
  On 10/02/23, We performed an Operational Assessment on a Pellet Stove for **********************. We charged him $299 for that appointment and he paid at the time of service. We explained to him at that time that he needed a new control board and wiring harness. Approximately 2 weeks later, ********************* contacted us about the venting that he wanted to add. ****** (**************) spoke to ********************** and explained that we can install for him, or he could install it himself if he wanted to save some money, and agreed to get ********************** the pricing for the vent.
  
  On 10/17/23, ****** sent an email to ********************** (incl.) giving him a quote of $783.78 for the ************* and Wiring Harness, and per his conversation with ************************************ quoted him $641.63 for the venting parts only. ********************** responded that he wanted to move forward with all of the work, and that he would install the flue vent himself.
  
  On 11/17/23 we went back to his home to install the ************* and Wiring Harness, and we brought the venting with us to that appointment to deliver to **********************. The next day, ********************** called to tell us that we gave him the wrong venting. He came into the showroom to get the correct venting, and it was determined at that time that he was overcharged, and we refunded him $47.80 for the price difference.
  
  ********************** had made multiple payments for the work and parts, but one of those charges didnt get posted to Quickbooks, so I had sent him a couple of emails to collect. Once the mistake was found, we sent him an email showing his paid receipt, and explained that it was a simple accounting error. It could have been resolved more quickly if hed responded to my first email on 12/14/23 to say that it was paid, and I could have researched it and had it corrected sooner. He never responded to the first email, so when my 2nd email was more *****, that caused him to call our office very upset, and we found the issue and resolved it right away.
  
  In summary; 
  1. ********************** chose to install some of the parts himself. We would have been happy to install it for him, as it would have meant more income for us, but he stated in his email that he had no problem doing that part of it himself.
  2. We never changed the pellets in his stove. Our technicians dont carry pellets on their trucks, and we do not stock or sell pellets. His complaint that we took his good pellets out, and put bad ones in is false. 
  3. We corrected our accounting error that caused us to believe that he still owed an outstanding balance, and he was sent a receipt showing it was paid in full.
  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain and resolve this complaint. Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if you need additional clarification.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Office Manager
  Mountain Hearth & Patio
  Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney
  **************
  

  
  

  Customer response

  04/30/2024

     Thank you for reopening this case.  As per our conversation I am listing why I am still not happy with the response from Mountain Hearth and Patio.  I know the difficulty in trying to prove who is right in this case because we are each stating different accounts of what happened and I certainly never expected a company to outright lie, so I did not record things as well as I should have.  Some things would have been difficult to record, for example; 1. I was told I had to install the flue myself and now MH&P is stating that I chose to install it myself. 2. I never said that good pellets were removed, I did state I had to leave to pick up my son and the pellets were put into the stove by the technician.  This is really a moot point, since MH&P came back out to the house and fixed this issue.  What became infuriating to me, was that they said I did it and this is again another lie. 3. They stated that I came into their office to resolve the issue of the flue parts.  This is another lie. I have not been into the office, if I had, then I would have asked for an itemized receipt.  I still do not have this and would like one because although MH&P had given me a return of $47.80 for the wrong piece that I returned to them along with a cap that I did not order.  I would like to know how the other 4 pieces equate to $593.83. The other pieces seem to be extraordinarily expensive when the returned piece is so cheap in comparison.  Why doesn't MH&P send this itemized receipt to me and why would they claim I went into their office? The burden of proof for this is on them.  Because of these lies, I am no longer happy just reporting their unethical behavior, now to be satisfied, I would like the itemized receipt to reflect the true cost of the pieces I recieved and to be compensated if it shows that I have been overcharged. 

  

  Business response

  05/22/2024

  ***** works in our office.
  Diligent and extremely smart. 
  It is her Notes that say that on November 9th, 2023 he told her that he would install the parts himself.  I am completely confident in her work hes wrong about it. 
  
  The issue with the pricing simply shows that he is clueless about all of this.  It is also indicated by the messed up way he installed the pipe, even though we sent him an inked picture showing him how to configure the vent run.  
  
  The part that he returned is a very simply made cap just a single cone-like piece.  Thats why its so inexpensive relative to the other parts such at the Tee with cover and the 24 length and the 60 length.  They have a galvalume outer wall and a stainless steel inner wall and have to be constructed to meet the specifics of the ** Listing so of course they cost way more than the simple cap. 
  
  Here is an itemized list of the cost of the pieces (incl tax) that we sold him 
  Tee with cover            $217
  60 length                   $182
  $24                            $122
  Straps                          $36 / $36  These are also just simple metal without two layered construction
  Cap                              $48      Returned 
  He paid us $641 and we refunded him $48 
  
  Please let me know if you need me to provide this information in a different format and I will provide it as you indicate 
  
  
  Semper Fi *********;
  
  *********************;
  General Manager / Founder 
  7001 Highway 73
  Evergreen, CO  80439
  Phone:  ************
  Fax:  ************

• Initial Complaint

  02/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 12/1/22 I was charged $299 for a diagnostic fee from Mountain Hearth and Patio, citing a mounting pin and nut to be missing from the Combustion Blower which was the cause of the severe rattle, per the attached screenshot bill. This is an unfair charge due to the fact that those mounting pins, as well as the paddle fan is RECOMMENDED by ****** to be replaced at the time the Combustion Blower is replaced and states so in the attached manual screenshot. This stock item should have been on the truck as stated by their tech when they were at our residence to do the combustion blower installation on 12/1, and they didn't have any on hand. When I requested the $299 be returned due to the bad diagnosis, **** pivoted to 'service by another company' had sheared the mounting pin damaging the unit. This is completely false because those mounting pins are free floating pins MEANT to be replaced, per the manual. This further disproves the diagnosis as well. I've since replaced this combustion blower as well as its required components MYSELF and can verify there is zero damage which was used to further the misrepresentation of the $299 charge. The damage that was described by the tech and then used by **** is simply false and cannot even happen as has been described. MMFC holds a deposit for the combustion blower installation, which was never completed due to the pin-shearing-fabrication-story which led to the $299 charge THEN accusing me of having or misplacing it in the intended 12/1 installation. A cleaning did take place during that last visit which I'd like to consider even cost exchange for the combustion blower installation that never happened. I am seeking the return of $299 because this was a complete misdiagnosis that further illustrates the service challenges weve had in the past - and ironically why we received a cleaning from another company that MMFC accused of damaging our ****** stove in the first place that also never happened.

  

  Business response

  03/27/2023

  Hello *****************

   

  I spoke to you about his matter myself.  There are so many parts of your version of what happened that we disagree with that it doesnt seem like there is anyway we can come to a reasonable compromise.  So..it order to remain in good standing with the BBB, well give you the refund you have asked and agree to go our separate ways provided you agree not to have another company do work on your pellet stove and then call ** to fix what they wouldnt/couldnt.  

   

  Semper ********************

   

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

  General Manager / Founder

  ************ 73

  Evergreen, **  80439

  Phone:  ************

  Fax:  ************

  Customer response

  03/27/2023

   
  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. Points of clarification for the record #1 - **** has never reached out to speak about this. That's a lie. #2. There was never any damage caused by another company. That's the lie that was used to support the $300 "diagnosis" that also false. #3, agreed to never call Mountain Hearth again period. Between ******** ******* support and the manual - theres zero need to rely on anyone who claims to service pellet stoves. 

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

*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. ↩