Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  November 10, 2023 To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to share our experience with the above names business. It has not been a good one. In August 2022, my husband and I decided to have a wood stove installed. We went to Abundant Life to see what options they offered. Honestly, we should have left within 10 minutes when the sales person told us that we were welcome to look, but if someone came in to look at a hot tub he was 'outahere.'. But, we stayed and found a stove that we really liked available, but 10 minutes later, it had been sold while we were looking. By the way... we were the only ones in the store. BUT they had one that looked "just like it" only in black. We loved the stove and agreed to purchase the black enamel stove (sight unseen), and added a cook top. We paid them the $3500.00 down payment and were told that installation would not take place until October 13. We were willing to wait. October 13 arrived, and the installers appeared on time. They were very nice and very professional. When they unpacked the stove, I told them it was not the one I ordered. This one is flat black cast iron... no black enamel coating. The installer told me the back one didn't come in enamel, so I must have misunderstood. Well, OK, I went along with him. He realized the color of the top did not match the main body of the stove, and it not the cook top we had ordered. He would order the correct top. It would take about 2 weeks. Three weeks went by and surprise! It was not in yet. This pattern repeated itself until April of 2023. I spoke to the manager and he began the same song and dance. I lost it and told him that I had been more than patient and that I felt they were misrepresenting themselves and I wanted my stove fixed immediately. He said, he would come himself that Saturday. He did. He did not have the correct toos and went to the local hardware store to purchase the tools he needed. Oh, and the cooktop was the same color and the 'wrong colored' top. My husband complained and was promised a restitution check in the amount of $1500.00. We have called to see where the check is... and it will be sent. We are now over a year after and expensive purchase ($7000.00). We have never received the promised restitution check and feel quite sure that the price for the stove we ordered was considerably more than the one we received. The cooktop (which by the way, was supposed to be able to be removed) is basically the same as what we originally had. We feel that we have not only been victims of poor business practices, but deliberate fraud. I don't believe they ever intended to deliver what we ordered. I have no other way to prove it, but this business is beyond the pale with their lies and poor service. Do we have any recourse? If so, what? Thank you for your help. ***** ******* ** *** *** ** ***** ******** **** ***** **** ** ***** ************

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  $7,500 and 2, going on 3, months later all we have is a damaged (bent louvers), partially installed and non-functioning stove. We purchased a $7,500 propane fireplace on September 5th and were told it would be installed on October 4th. On October 4th the damaged fireplace was partially installed, and we were told they would come back in approximately 2 weeks to install the chase cap and final section of flue pipe and cap. Somehow 2 weeks turned into 2 MONTHS!!!! I called and spoke Matt, the manager, and told him we were told it would be 2 weeks to have the installation completed not 2 MONTHS! He was absolutely no help and obviously could benefit from some customer service training. I used to manage customer service call centers for one of the largest banks and one of the largest insurance companies in the country. If one of my reps ever used as many excuses as Matt used, they would have been looking for a new job. Matt said “we’re just a small company”, “I didn’t know it was a rush”(hello, it’s November!) and “he could have communicated better”. It’s funny(actually sad), Matt never mentioned any of that as he was taking our $7,500, required to be paid in full, and making commitments he never planned to meet. That should have been a big Red Flag, but I missed it. No one else including the framer, electrician, HVAC installer, plumber, cabinet company, counter company, etc, etc required full payment in advance. I told Matt if they’re not coming out until November 29th, they can just come out and remove the fireplace and return our $7,500. I’ll be contacting our bank on Monday and filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I will also be contacting the fireplace manufacturer and recommending they do a better job of screening which companies they allow to carry and represent their product.

  Customer response

  11/17/2023

  Thank you for your assistance.  I'm sure your attempts to contact them helped motivate them to finally complete the installation a little sooner than expected.

  Happy Holidays to you and yours!

  Update:
  
  They did finally come out and finish installing our propane fireplace yesterday. It wasn't the 2 weeks we were initially told, but 6 weeks was a little better than the 8 weeks.
  
  Yes, two and a half months from when we purchased the fireplace is excessive, but "all is well, that ends well". We do love the Fireplace and the installation guys were great.

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