Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  During the inspection period of my home purchase, my real estate agent recommended this business for a professional inspection based on my desire to investigate the findings from the general home inspection. The appointment was scheduled with the intent of a Level 2 inspection to be completed. The employee arrived and did not do an inspection of which I was not informed until the night before our inspection period closed. The employee came back out weeks later to complete the inspection and told me the fireplace was unsafe to use. I called the company the next day and explained that I was upset with this information because with a safety issue, a buyer can typically have a repair done or a credit requested during the inspection period by the seller and I missed this opportunity due to their error. The owner called me and I asked him to repair the fireplace at the cost of the company and he said no because the inspector was new and didn't diagnose the issue correctly. He did offer his time and came to my home to recant his initial response and say that in fact the inspector was correct and that the fireplace was not usable. He said the best he could do was offer a 20% discount and provide me a new quote because although the inspector said it was unsafe to the home and to us which is why I would've asked for the repair during the transaction, now it's just an efficiency issue and he doesn't want to repair it at his cost. A month later I followed up because I hadn't received an update and the quote was sent over at $4680. I believe this is unacceptable as it was there error that caused me to lose the opportunity to have the fireplace functioning correctly during my real estate transaction and although they used safety verbiage and claimed the fireplace unusable and quoted as such originally, he does not want to repair at his cost because now they claim it is usable, but not recommended, but yet it's ok to send inexperienced technicians when it works to their benefit

  Business response

  08/16/2023

  I appreciate you articulating your understanding of what took place. 
  You purchased your home and hired us to provide an inspection of the fireplace and chimney. In no part of our terms of service is it stated that our inspection findings can be used to negotiate as part of the property purchase. We cannot offer that legal advice. 
  Your fireplace has normal wear and tear in the firebox area. It's not a must have safety risk repair like you are thinking. It will function flawlessly.  That seems to me that this is the main miss understanding here. This is why I tried to make that extremely clear when I was there at your home. The estimate that we provided is a reccomendation to at some point rebuild the firebox area to make it brand new so it has a new lifespan. I do recommend it, but it is in no way currently unsafe. This repair is not a requirement. I feel it's quite an over reach to ask us to make these upgrades to your firebox for free. In complete honesty i feel I am being taken advantage of and would like to disconnect with you. I'd like to send you all the money you have paid my company for the inspection back. 
  -Louis Lee 

  President 

   

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