Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The purchased product/ Sliding door and window. The door has many defects we will not accept. On the outside of the home the product used is the wrong material for the installation of the door and window.( per the installer of the replacement product, One saying he don't understand why they used it). The replacement door is very hard to open, and we are VERY unsatisfied with this job and company.

  

  Business response

  10/01/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We want to first apologize if the service appointments to investigate the homeowner's  concerns with their sliding glass door after the initial installation have caused them any frustration, as that is never our intention. We do need to follow our steps to see if the concerns addressed can be resolved through a few adjustments or if a reorder is needed. In this case, after our most recent visit to the customer's home, we did determine that the entire sliding glass door needs to be reordered as part of the lifetime warranty to address the service items. We have the order placed for the replacement door, we have contacted the customer to let them know and have also set a follow up for when we have the estimated arrival date of the new door, so we can be clear about the timeline for the order. At this time, the estimated arrival is 6-8 weeks for the new door to arrive. We will continue to stay in touch with the customer with these updates and ultimately to schedule the return visit. We appreciate their willingness to work with us as we get this resolved. Thank you for the opportunity to respond! 

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  May 13, 2024 was the date of installation. It was discovered during installation that the sliding glass door size was incorrect so it wasnt installed but returned back to the warehouse. On May 20, 2024 I sent Josh M****** and Jeffrey E******* an email asking for the updates on my reorder. When I hadn't heard back from them I sent another email on May 23, 2024. **** responded he would make a call and get back to me. On July 22, 2024, I sent another email **** and. *******. Josh responded telling me to call customer service to schedule installation of the sliding glass door. Instead of scheduling an installation they scheduled someone to come out and measure again for the third time. On August 12, 2024, ***** ***** came to re measure for the sliding glass door to reorder it. It was then I learned that the original sliding glass door was never returned to the warehouse. I sent **** and ******* an email on August 12, 2024 requesting a copy of the measurements reorder paperwork that ***** had me electronically sign. I also asked for a date for installation of my new sliding glass door and haven't heard back from neither **** nor ******* to date. Everything is paid in full but I don't have my sliding glass door.

  

  Business response

  08/28/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We would like to first apologize if there were gaps in communication to the homeowner by any of our team members, we will follow up with them directly, and then with the customer so we can connect with her directly. That said, we do have the sliding glass door reordered and as soon as we have the updated ETA on it's arrival, we can let the customer know as that will also help us determine the timeline to scheduling the installation of this sliding glass door. We appreciate her continued patience as we work to get this resolved for her as quickly as possible. Thank you! 

• Initial Complaint

  08/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had Universal Windows out to replace several windows in our house in 2022. Within a few months we noticed excessive condensation on a first floor window and a second floor window on the same side of the house. A month or 2 after that we started to see what looked like expanding water staining/damage on the walls under/near each of the windows. Initially UW declined to service/repair these 2 windows, stating this is normal to have at times and happens with the change in weather. As the problem persisted and became worse, we cont to complain to UW about the problem. We had 2 independent certified contractors come to assess the issue. Both agreed that this is not normal, and that there was water damage on the walls that looked to be coming from these 2 windows. Also of note no other windows in the house are currently or have ever shown this type of issue in the several decades we have owned this house. UW finally did come out. The UW employee agreed to replace one of the windows sashes stating that was the problem and the company did replace the sash. Problem cont to persist after replacement. UW out again and agreed to replace the sash on the other window as well. After the second replacement, the problem cont to this day on both windows and there as been no resolution or correction to the improperly installed windows. The condensation and leaking has cont to go on for several months ever since the original windows were purchased and replaced by UW in 2022.

  

  Business response

  08/27/2024

  Thank you for the response on Complaint ID #********. We had a chance to review this customer's account as we have worked with them on a few warranty services regarding their concerns of condensation on two of the windows that we replaced. Based on the photos we had previously received, this is normal condensation, as the homeowner even indicated that it does go away throughout the day. Condensation can occur on windows and does not necessarily mean that the windows are failing. We had not spoken with this customer since December of last year, and have requested current documentation of these concerns based on their recent outreach. We look forward to receiving the requested information so that we can determine our next best steps to bring this to a resolution. Thank you for the opportunity to respond! 

  Customer response

  08/27/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Once again this business is blowing us off essentially. They are not sending anyone out to inspect or assess. They want us to provide pictures to them and they want us to provide reports from other businesses detailing the damage. Thats not my job to do nor do I accept that I have to go pay to get other companies to come and right up reports over work that is clearly supposed to be warranteed and guaranteed by universal windows. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *******
  
  
  
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Date of transaction: April 15 2024 Company: Universal windows Direct Price: $34,680.00 Down payment: $13,872.00 Payments made since: 3 monthly payments totalling $2,608.00 Project: vinyl siding, shutters, gutters, downspouts, trim (with installation) Work began July 25,2024 Reasons for complaint: 1. The overall time it took to begin and be completed 2. The difficulty of reaching anyone who worked for the company that could give us answers on questions such as our order and an expected start date. 3. The fact that we were charged over $2000.00 for 7 prs. shutters, AND that the majority of the ones we received were the wrong size. 4. The company told us the work would begin Wednesday, July 24, with the installers arriving between 8 and 10 AM, when in fact no one showed up at all that day, No one called to explain. 5. The installers tore a hole in one of our window screens, and neglected to mention it to us. It wasn't torn before they came over. 6. On the third day of the project, the gutter installer came by half an hour later than he told us, and without the necessary parts to complete the job. He actually asked MY HUSBAND to try to go shopping for them. These parts have not yet been delivered, so job not completed. 7. This is just extra - company texted us "will you give us a 5 star rating?" on the same day that the installers failed to show up! WOW For the price, we feel they did not live up to expectations. We need a refund for the unused shutters (unresolved as today), the gutter project to be finished, and our window screen replaced. We have reached out to them numerous times, and never get a firm date for these things to be taken care of. We gave them many chances to "make things right" but it seems like the time never comes. Please help us.

  

  Business response

  08/13/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We are in active communication with this customer regarding the status of their project after the initial installation. We do want to apologize for any confusion that resulted from the installer visit, as we know it left some questions regarding the work that was contracted to be completed by our company. That is never our intention, but we appreciate the open line of communication that we have with the customer as we work to bring this to a resolution quickly. Their project is currently under management review and we will be following up with them directly with regards to bringing this to a close. We sincerely appreciate their patience, and we look forward to bringing about a resolution for them. Thank you! 

  Customer response

  08/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

  It is true that a member of their customer service department has been in touch with my husband.  The matter of the downspouts has been addressed.  However, we are STILL waiting on the company (or whoever they have contracted the work to) to pay us a visit in order to provide the proper size shutters (2 pair), and to retrieve the incorrect ones from us, AND issue a refund for the multiple pairs which will be returned.  

  They always say something like, they are going to let someone know, and that person is GOING TO  get in touch with us, but they are not very good at giving concrete answers and dates.... Disappointed that a company their size has so much trouble with communication and completion.

  So no, we are not DONE yet.  We need our refund.  
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *********
  
  
  
  
   

  

  Business response

  08/14/2024

  Thank you for the additional response on Complaint ID #********. We have spoken with the homeowners today and have determined that we will be replacing two pairs of shutters, picking up the remaining from  their property and providing them a refund for all but the two pairs we are replacing. We are working with them on a couple of other open items and will be bringing this to a complete resolution as quickly as possible. We appreciate their time on the phone today and look forward to our next steps. Thank you for the opportunity to respond! 

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

  RECEIVED VIA PHONE BY BBB STAFF MEMBER:

  The consumer has notified the BBB that the issue has not been resolved. The consumer has not received a their refund in full or the rest of the shutters that the business promised. 

  

  Business response

  09/03/2024

  Thank you for the additional response on Complaint ID #********. We apologize if this homeowner felt unresolved in our next steps, as we believed we were on the same page after we were out at their property to pick up the remaining shutters left behind. We have the shutters that we are replacing on order already, and are just waiting their arrival so we can schedule our return visit to get them installed. The refund has been requested and will appear as a credit on their financing for the shutters we are no longer replacing. We will continue to stay in touch with the customer with any updates so we can be sure to get this wrapped up as efficiently as possible. Thank you for the opportunity to respond! 

  Customer response

  09/03/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that we don’t know how to respond since there are still two unresolved issues. When those issues are completely resolved, we will be ready to close the case. 
  My email to the company ( ****  **** ) has not been answered. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ********* **** ****** ** ***** ************
  
  
  
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I used them for new gutters on our home, the gutters were hung incorrectly and I have been working for months trying to get them fixed. First we had one inspector come out and said they were wrong, he apparently wasn't good enough and they had to send a second inspector out who agreed they were wrong and needed to be redone. I have called numerous times to get this resolved and no one will return my call to schedule to have these fixed, meanwhile they have their full payment and a very unhappy customer who they will not help even with THEIR mistakes. I have called 3 times for the supervisor that is supposed to schedule it and is always supposed to call me back within 48 hours, 3 calls later and still no response and still no fix on these gutters that are not working and put up correctly in the first place.

  

  Business response

  06/13/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We apologize for the delays in scheduling, this specific type of work does have to be scheduled with an installation crew vs. a single service technician. We had the chance to speak with the homeowner yesterday and have our return visit set for 6/20 so that we can install a new run of gutters on the front driveway side of her home. We believe this is the best course of action to address the service concerns she brought to our attention. We look forward to this upcoming visit and appreciate the chance to respond.  Thank you. 

  Customer response

  06/13/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was considering new windows and got estimates from two credible window companies. In my search, I mistakenly got on ****** **** and must have indicated I was lookiing for a window company. Unfortunately, I received calls from a number of vendors. Universal Windows made initial calls like everyone else but they haven't stopped calling me since March. I took two different calls from their phone bank staff and was very clear to them that I was not interested. One of the callers would not take no for an answer and kept trying to convince me to get an estimate from them even though I was not interested in their product and I already had two estimates. I finally politely hung up on her and then the calls increased. It seems to me this is harassment and needs to stop. They have called me probably 30 times since mid March including a call this morning (5/6). I was not able to find any phone number for their customer service department. I will of course never buy from Universal Windows and will tell others not to consider them. But, all I really want is for them to stop calling me. Thank you.

  

  Business response

  05/06/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We would like to first apologize if this homeowner felt as though our communication was too frequent, as we simply want to make sure we can speak with a homeowner when they show interest in completing their project with us. We will cease communications to them going forward, and we appreciate the chance to resolve this for the homeowner. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. However, I made it very clear on two different occaisions I was not interested in Universal Windows. For either one of those conversations, the calls should have stopped. After telling them "not interested" both times, but they continued to make calls to me, I find that really inappropriate. I appreciate the timely response by BBB. Thanks.
  
  Regards,
  
  *** ******
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Doors installed Feb 5 2024, front and side. Front door water leaking inside..inside of door doses not have casing and trimming for inside of house. Installers ripped out trim and alarm boxes. I have taken off from work 4 times, every time they come to house they state they don't have materials. Now they are avoiding my calls.

  

  Business response

  05/01/2024

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint ID #********. We would like to first start off by apologizing, as we know there have been a few appointments where we have fallen short, especially when it comes to the communication with the customer. We would like to reassure both the customer and the BBB that we are on track to getting these remaining services resolved. The customer and one of our Service Managers were able to discuss his experience so far and the open work remaining, and we will be sure that we are not contacting the customer to schedule our return visit until we have ALL the parts needed. The remaining trim needed is on order and we are tracking this order diligently so that as soon as everything has arrived, we can contact the customer to get this on the schedule. We appreciate their patience and look forward to bringing this to a resolution as quickly and conveniently as we can. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed a contract with them to install a main door in my home in November. After several delays they installed the door poorly such that I couldn’t lock the door. And there are gaps in the installation and it isn’t complete. A guy came back and fixed the lock issue after a week. But rest of the installation isn’t complete and they aren’t responding to our queries

  

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Thank you for the information on Complaint ID #********. We appreciate this customer's outreach. After reviewing the details of their complaint, and locating their account in our system, we are aware of this customer and the open service on their project. We would first like to clarify that their door is installed. The remaining work is an adjustment to help with some concerns they had with the operation of the door (which has been temporarily resolved but we would like to make sure we have fully addressed this) and we will also be replacing the interior wood trim on the inside of their door to help provide them with a more polished look on the interior. We have communicated all of this with the customer and have been in communication with them over the last week while we awaited the new casing. We are working with them to schedule our return visit and we look forward to the opportunity to bring this to a resolution quickly. Thank you for the opportunity to respond! 

• Initial Complaint

  04/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Windows were installed last week. We opened them for the first time yesterday and one of the windows does not lock correctly. Called universal windows to get the security matter rectified and they told us since we were able to get it to lock for now they wouldn’t have anyone come out until May 7th. Note the lock does not always work and they told us to just keep it locked until they are able to get out to us in 3 weeks. This is unacceptable since the windows were just installed and the security of our house is now compromised. We are returning customers and planned on staying that way but this will strongly discourage us from purchasing anything else from them.

  

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  Thank you for the information on Complaint ID #********. Thank you for the opportunity to review this homeowner's concerns. We have spoken with this customer multiple times today, and appreciate the chance to clarify. While we understand the frustration that this customer is expressing, in speaking with them today, we did confirm that the window in question is shut and locked at this time. We have asked that they keep it that way until we can return to property. It is always our goal to get a customer scheduled while we have them on the phone, and we were able to do that with this homeowner. We also let them know that we would give them a call back should we be able to get someone out sooner. We are actively working to move their appointment up and will call with a sooner opening as soon as we have it. We appreciate their patience and look forward to getting this resolved for them as quickly as possible. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

  Customer response

  04/16/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *****
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In 2022 we paid Universal Window Direct $12,000 to install 8 windows and a sliding glass door. We put a deposit down in January and the windows were installed in March. The following winter of 2023 we noticed a significant amount of cold air that was leaking out from the sill. We called and had a technician come out and we were told that they did not install "brushes" and he installed them. A few months later we noticed that they still had air that was coming through. We called them out again. A different technician came out and said that they were missing " chimney blocks" and he installed them as well. After that the weather started to turn nice and we kept the windows open for most of the summer. Winter of 2024 we noticed that the windows were still leaking air in the same areas as previous. We called the company and they told us that the windows were not installed correctly in that they were screwed into the house too tightly and that causes the window to not sit correctly in the sill. We were informed that the windows would need to be taken out and reinstalled. A few weeks later the workers came loosed the screws but did not reinstall the windows. After they left the windows were sitting crooked in the sills and air was still coming through. We called again and insisted that a manager come out to evaluate the windows. I was informed that this was not possible but they would sent their "best guy" to look at them. When he got here he took 2 hrs to evaluate one window. When I inquired about the other 7 he told me his work order only stated one window. He wrote 3 paragraphs of notes and pictures and informed us that the window sill was not installed correctly originally and was now warped beyond repair. They would need to be taken out and reinstalled and the top of the double hung he looked at needed to be replaced. I was told I would get a phone call in regard to setting up for the work to be done. It has been over two weeks and I did not get a call. The company will not provide me with documentation.

  

  Business response

  03/13/2024

  Thank you for the response on Complaint ID #********. We would like to first recognize if the need for multiple service visits has caused this homeowner any frustration, as that is never our intention and we do apologize if that is how they were left feeling.
  When it comes to an operable window, one with sashes that move up and down like this customer has, there can always be an element of air infiltration due to the fact the sashes need to be able to move within the frame. If a homeowner is concerned with a draft they feel, we will always want to send a technician out to apply some of the mitigating solutions that the homeowner included in their write up (draft pads and chimney blocks) as that is often the simplest and most effective solution. 
  At our last visit, our tech identified a concern with the frame of one of the windows and where it was installed. Installation screws in the frame are part of a standard installation but we believe we can improve this situation by ordering a new frame and top sash for the particular window in question for this homeowner. Those were put on order after the last visit, and just completed in production so we are hoping to see them arrive to our warehouse in the next week. Once they have arrived, we will set our return visit to install the new frame and sash and can also reset the other windows we installed to ensure this customer is happy with their operation. 
  If a different expectation was set about the communication around these next steps, we do apologize for any confusion. We are actively working to get to a solution for this customer and want to remind them if, at any point, they would like updates on their services, they can always call in to our Customer Experience Department at ************ as we have team members dedicated to this type of work and follow up who are happy to assist. 
  We will continue to monitor the open service order for this customer so that as soon as it arrives, we can give them a call to schedule. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 
  
  

*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. ↩