Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I would like to receive the deposit of $500.00 for services not performed and contract violation. Anthony charges $500.00 as fee for six visits. Anthony never mentioned verbally or in writing (proposal/contract dated 2/28/22) that he charges for visits. In addition he visited the property twice: on 2/19/22 to measure the patio and discuss the work to be done; and on 5/8/22 to remeasure the size of the patio that was too big in his first proposal and change the price. On 5/8/2022 Anthony Winter came to our property (secondary residency in Lackawaxen, PA) to provide an estimate on the stone work and remeasure the patio. He provided the verbal quote and requested a deposit of $1500.00. He did not say anything about costs of his visits. I gave the deposit in good faith with the expectation that it will be cashed after the contract executed, Anthony cashed the check the next day and did not send the contract, and did not perform any services on the property. With help of local police, Anthony returned $1000.00 and stated to the trooper that he is charging $500.00 for the six visits. However, he visited the property twice: on 2/19/22 and 5/8/22 and never mentioned about fee for visits

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  -Date of transaction: May 8, 2022 -Amount of money paid to business was $1500 in good faith, with expectation that the cash will be cashed after the contract is signed -Check was cashed on May 9 but no contract was provided or services performed -We requested a return of full deposit $1500 on May 17, 2022 -The owner of the business initially (on May 17, 2022) said that he would return the money as provided in the screenshot of the attached document -Later on, the business stated that they would refund $1000 because the owner stopped by to measure 5 times, which is a false statement. The owner only stopped by twice in our presence. In addition, there was no written or verbal discussion that the service fee or an estimate fee would be expected. -No money was returned to date. -We are asking for your assistance to help us get our deposit of $1500. Attached are the following: 1.Letter including details of visits and communications 2.Screenshot proving that Anthony agreed to return the money and asked for mailing address for the return check 3.Copy of deposit check 4.Proposal dated February 28, 2022 5.Latest email from *********************** with copies of the money orders the business claims they mailed to incorrect address 6.Picture of businesss business card and magazine with the stores they use for patios 7.Picture of the business office at one of the addresses listed (**** ** ** *****************). Two different addresses are provided on the businesss documents.

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  Dear ******* *******:

   

  I am writing in response to your letter received 8/6/22 regarding our dealings with ******************. My name is ***, and I work in the business office. I took over the paperwork for Anthony Winter Services some time in May, so my dealings with this customer are near the time where I received a deposit in the amount of $1500 from ******* accepting our final bid on or around 5/11/2022.  At that time I started moving other jobs around to accommodate Mrs. ****** needs. Due to a language barrier, and her struggle with using texts, or computers she had involved her daughter to assist in coordinating communications. Later that month she spoke to Anthony, my boss, and told him that she had a medical emergency and had to postpone the job. I had a refund request on my desk with an invoice for the several visits he had gone to for several changes they had made between February May. On June 14^th I went to get money orders for the amount due, and I mailed them to the address on the estimate. I had gotten a phone call from ******* daughter stating the *** *** ** is not a mailing address so I had been waiting for the returned mail. On 8/4/22, I made the decision to request a stop payment on the money orders, and received the checks on 8/13/22. I have been unable to get in touch with ******* since.

  I have attached a copy of the 1^st stimate, and the last showing all of the changes they had made from all of the visits to their house, and copies of the money order time line. I will also be sending screenshots, and emails from the conversations after I figure out how to convert them into pdf so they will actually send. I just see that I have a 10 day response time so I wanted to make contact.

  I apologize for any confusion this situation may bring.

  Thanks

  Customer response

  08/24/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: To date, no refund check has been received for a deposit of $1500.00, which was made to the company for work which was never performed (in part or in whole). We claim the actions of the company, Anthony Winter Services LLC, fraudulent and unprofessional.

  
  In addition, as a condition for the return of the deposit monies, the Anthony Winter Services LLC  is requesting that we withdraw the complaint from *********************** The latest email received from *************************** states (quoted): I also request that the complaint made to the Better Business Bureau be removed. Once I have the check made out to you, I will need you to provide me with a copy of the confirmation provided from the BBB of the removal request. Certainly, I am looking to resolve this matter expeditiously, however, the comment reads somewhat extortionary.
  
  
  PLEASE SEE BELOW MY RESPONSE TO *************************** LETTER
  
  -       ***************************, who is Mr. ********************** Winter assistant, never did any attempt to reach me by phone, text or e-mail. ******************** is providing wrong information stating that I have language barrier and problems with texting. English is my second language. I graduated from *************** in ** in ****, and work successfully at ***************************** since then. Yes, my daughter is helping me with e-mails and computer tasks, and indeed is coordinating communication using computer.
  
  -       ******************** never notified me or my daughter *******, that she received money back from ************* and wants to return my deposit of $1500. In the e-mail quoted above she is requesting to remove our complain from BBB in exchange of refund of my deposit.  I do not trust neater her nor **************** Winter anymore. I believe that she wants me to remove complain from BBB, and will not return deposit anyway.
          
  -       My deposit of $1500 was given to **************** Winter (*********************) on 5/8/22 in presence of my daughter ******* and my husband ********* in a good faith. On this day Mr. ********************** did his second visit to our property on ***************************************************, to remeasure the size of the porch, because on the first time (on February 8, 2022) his measuring showed not correct size of the porch (20 x 25) and we asked him to remeasure the porch. On 5/8/22 he stated that he will write the new estimate/contract with corrected size of the porch, scope of job and new price; and in a next few days will e-mail to my daughter. But he never send a new contract with corrected size of the porch, full scope of job  that we discussed and price. The same day during his second visit he requested deposit of $1500.00. I wrote my personal check  in a good faith, expecting it to be cashed after the contract was signed.
          
  -       *************************** is providing false statement that she received my check on 5/11/22. Indeed, this check was cashed by Mr. ********************** Winter the next day after it was given; check was cashed on 5/9/22, please see the copy of the cashed check.
          
  -       On 5/17/22 due to my health problem,  I texted **************** and asked to postpone the job and return my deposit. It was 10 days after his second visit to us. Please note, that we did not receive the corrected contract within these 10 days after his visit. It was 9 days after he cashed my check. On 5/17/22. Mr. ********************** responded  to my text immediately wishing speedy recovery and that he will return money. He asked the mailing address in the same message. I answered texting to him on the same day, 5/17/22, providing our primary residency address: *****************************************************. The screenshot of text message correspondence is attached. In addition, the mailing address was on the check written and given to Mr. ********************** Winter on 5/8/22.
  
  -       He never mentioned that his visits should be paid, and how much costs each visit. Moreover, it was not included neater to the first estimate, nor discussed during his second visit.
  
  -       *************************** states, that ********************** Winter charges us $500.00 for visits that he did, and he allow to return  $1000.00 only, instead of $1500.00. The company is claiming that Mr. ********************** Winter made several visits to our house. I can state, that Mr. ********************** Winter did two visits in our presence: on February 8 and on May 8, 2022. I am not aware if he did more visits, he never notified and asked us for additional visits. Our camera never showed that he was there while we were absent. An initial visit was on February 28, 2022 to discuss the potential scope of work, material and an initial verbal estimate. The initial estimate was emailed us a few weeks after the visit , but it had incorrect patio dimension. So, Mr. ********************** returned on May 8 to remeasure and provide a revised estimate . Neither verbally nor in writing, was there any mention of a per visit fee, and certainly this is something which one would think would have been discussed prior to the initial visit. He never mentioned that his visits should be paid, and how much costs each visit. Moreover, it was not included neater to the first estimate, nor discussed during his second visit. Clearly, it is a pretext for Mr. ********************** Winter to illegally withhold money which doesnt correspond to him. We attached the estimates, for which no fees were noted. One would think that if Mr. ********************** Winters assertion had merit, then certainly the second estimate would have included a fee for his visits instead of an attempt to fabricate an excuse after the fact.
  
  -       While *************************** claims that the ************* money orders (two money orders #s *********** and ***********, for $500.00 each) were sent to the physical address of the job site, and that delays in the return of the money is a result of her sending them to the jobsite and not the mailing address. A reasonable delay would be 1 -2 weeks after the mailing date, but not three or more months. She justified delay of the return of money blaming ******* ************** office. She denied to return full amount of deposit, that s $1500.00.
  
  
  In conclusion, a return of our deposit of $1500.00 for services which were never performed by the Anthony Winter Services LLC,  is a siimply fraud. It is disrespectful and unprofessional attitude to the customers.
  
  Please help me to get my deposit  of $1500.00 back and protect other customers from such unreliable contractors, as Mr. ********************** Winter (********************** ****) and his assistant *************************** are.
  
  Thank you very much for help.

  
  My best regards,
  
  
  ******************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  02/22/2023

  This email is in response to a letter received regarding ******************, and Anthony Winter Services complaint # ********. This issue has been resolved, and the customer has been paid in full as stated in a written response mailed 1/16/2023 explaining our Intent.

*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. ↩