Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Background: Oasis Turf & Tree damaged the underground conduit connecting the deck box for the pool light (4/6/2023). They promised they would pay for the repairs if I contacted an electrician myself and had him/her complete the repairs the way I wanted. In an email they sent me, they said, “Again since we caused this damage on the property any repair cost will be covered by Oasis”. After the repairs were completed (5/26/2023), however, they are claiming that they cannot pay for the repairs as no digging was necessary. The electric company charged me $2,528. Oasis Turf & Tree only offered $670, assuming they didn’t have to dig. Disputed Points & Claims: #1) The underground electrical pipes connected to the deck box were broken in several places and were filled with water. The electrician said it would need to be dug to make a proper repair. Oasis Turf & Tree alleges that some damage was due to the ground settling and this wasn’t caused by them. Claim #1: Provide a signed confirmation from a PE Licensed Civil Engineer that it is obvious that the damage occurred underground is the result of ground settling, regardless of depth. #2) They allege that we had an electrician do unnecessary work unrelated to repairing the damage. From the beginning, we asked Oasis Turf & Tree to hire an electrician to repair the damage. They also had many opportunities to request and review quotes before and during repairs, but didn’t do so. Contrary to the causer pays principle, they passed on all incidental work and most of the repair costs to us. Claim #2: They failed to take steps that could have been taken in advance, such as reviewing the estimate. Therefore, admit their mistake and bear the full cost of the repairs. The settlement of Claim #1 does not relieve them of their obligations in Claim #2. #3) The lawn restoration they promised has so far not been done properly. Claim #3: Our lawn was perfectly fine before. As promised, fully restore lawns damaged during electrical repairs.

  

  Business response

  06/22/2023

  Hello Mr. ****

  We are very sorry for any inconvenience related to getting this matter resolved. It is never our intention to cause damage to any property and we will do what is necessary to make the appropriate repairs if this does happen. Oasis will absolutely cover the cost of the repairs caused by our technician. This is however limited to the scope of work related to the damage. In talking with Craftsman Electric, the cost of the repair for the damaged deck box and PVC was $670. The decision to complete the additional work of moving the location of the box and digging and rewiring the system so that the box was in an optimal position was not related to damage caused by our technician. Because this work has already been completed there is nothing to have a PE Licensed Civil Engineer inspect because the box and piping are no longer located in the same area. As your lawn is concerned, it is always our goal to make sure that you have a lawn that you are proud of. We will be sodding the affected areas immediately and then providing overseeding to any remaining this areas this fall to ensure that your lawn is in great shape. We will also be crediting the cost of your upcoming application for the amount of $94.60. 

  We hope that you find this acceptable as we move forward to complete the repairs to the turf. 

  Thanks, 

  Oasis Turf & Tree 

  Customer response

  06/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ** ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** ***

   

  They, Oasis Turf & Tree, did not resolve my complaint. I requested a coverage increase through the claims, but they refused. We refute their allegation as follows:
  
  Regarding Original Claim #1: It was they who alleged the ground settling. It could be interpreted as an attempt to minimize their responsibility by citing reasons that cannot be acceptable, such as the personal opinion of an electrician, rather than a diagnosis by a civil engineer. A PE licensed civil engineer is a totally different language than an electrician.
  
  Regarding Original Claim #2: We don’t think that the additional work of moving the location of the box and digging and rewiring the system are irrelevant to their responsibilities. Their technician took no action on the day of the accident and left the scene without even notifying us, even though he knew he had damaged the deck box. Our decision to change the location of the deck box was solely due to such unreliable initial response, and thus comprehensive repairs to the damage must be taken for granted to prevent a recurrence.
  We were able to prevent potential secondary damages by accidentally seeing the scene of the damage, cutting off the electricity, and calling the service manager. It's horrifying to imagine what would have happened if I hadn't witnessed the scene. We all know that their carelessness and unprofessional behavior led to this result. There is no guarantee that they will not repeat the same mistakes.
  To summarize, they are solely responsible for leaving the site without taking any action immediately after the accident, omitting specific coverage conditions for damage in the official letter sent on 4/6/2023, and not taking the opportunity to check the estimate before starting repairs. Therefore, we do not in any way consider that the repairs we have done is not related to their responsibilities.
  
  Regarding Original Claim #3: We'll see how well they restore our damaged lawns. I appreciate the courtesy, but I will decline their offer of $94.60 credit.

   

*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. ↩