Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Wednesday February 7th, 2024, Matt *********************** from Magee Plumbing, came to my home to unclog my toilet. In the process of doing so, his plumbing snake tool got stuck in my toilet and he was unable dislodged it. He proceeded to take my toilet to my driveway and smash it, to dislodge his snake tool, and charged me for a new toilet. He was extremely rude, i.e. he ripped off his shirt and threw it on my dining room table, then proceeded to open my bathroom window and yell at me to turn my thermostat down to 60. He ordered me to do things as if I was his assistant, rather than his customer i.e. dig in the toilet bowl to try to dislodge his snake, clean his snake, disinfect his dolly, and clean up the smashed toilet in my driveway. After he left, our home continued to smell of sewage, even after leaving the window open and the bathroom fan on. We discovered he had put the sealing remains of the destroyed toilet in our waste basket. I attempted to negotiate with Mr. ********************** via text regarding his charges. His tool getting stuck in my toilet, should not be my expense, for a new toilet. I called him as a professional to resolve my clogged toilet, not make it worse. His receipt does not even tell me what he charged me for the new toilet, which is not even comparable to the toilet he destroyed.

  Business response

  02/15/2024

  i was called to clear out a clogged toilet. i was surprised by the odor of animal pee and countless pee pads on the floor for her animals, but i trudged on.  i tried to get my toilet auger snake in the toilet but i could feel something in the toilet only a few inches in.  i could not get my hand up in there as its too big so she put on a glove and tried.  i tried with my pliers to get the foreign object out and so did she, to no avail.  i told her the next step was to get a bunch (10) towels on the floor as i needed to pull the toilet and tip it upside down to run the snake thru the outlet backwards.  i told her this would make a mess if we didn't prepare the area, and she got some towels.  i tried for 20 minutes to get the object out, getting the snake stuck in the process.  she could now see it was a black rubber-type object of some sort, and the harder i pulled, the tighter my snake got jammed in there.  pulling a steel spring snake with a 1-1/4 head thru a toilet trap jammed against a rubber object was going to break my snake, or the toilet, or both.  also the tile floor was in danger of getting chipped.  i was sweating profusely at this point and the animal smell was getting to me so i opened the window and asked her to turn the heat off as the vent was blowing hot air right in to the bathroom.  i then explained that at $150 per hour it might be better to take the toilet and snake outside and break the toilet as a new kohler toilet like she had was $200 and it would be approx $250 to install, plus the trip charge and time i already had invested.  she agreed so she placed the wheeled dolly i had under the toilet for me as i lifted it up.  she held the door too.  i broke the toilet outside and found a rubber "hoof" dog toy in there and threw the pieces in the trash.  she helped sweep things up, full-well knowing she was saving me the time and cost of doing such.  i ran to ********** and got a new kohler toilet and i cleaned the floor as best i could where the toilet would sit, not cleaning the area not under the toilet.  the surrounding area was soaked with dried pee and smelled bad.  i installed the toilet with a brand new wax ring, ensuring proper water and sewer gas seal. it was good to go with no leaks or odor from my work.  then she asked me if i could fix the basement toilet while i was already there, which i did with parts i had on hand.  she paid me, saying she was not expecting all of this, and i expressed the same sentiment.  she bid me goodbye and all was seemingly good.  later that night she texted me that there was a sewage smell in the bathroom, and i told her that was impossible.  i told her it was from the pee and animals.  she texted me several times that night and the next day wanting a compromise on the bill, to which i declined.  i sent her the itemized invoice she submitted, all reasonable charges for a professional plumbing business

  Customer response

  02/23/2024

  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 Mr. **********************'s snake tool became stuck in my toilet, what other options did I have, other than for Mr. ********************** to break my toilet and replace it? Mr. ********************** gave me no other options. My toilet was no longer functional, with his snake stuck in it. My toilet still flushed, but not as in tended, when I called Mr **********************. His supposed "Itemized receipt " does not tell me how much I paid for the toilet. I had to ask for the receipt after Mr. ********************** left my home, but he made it quite clear that he was not leaving my home without his payment. I have no problem with Mr. ********************** keeping my money for the work he did on my other toilet, which took approximately 15 minutes. I don't believe I should have to absorb the additional expense for his mistake, of getting his snake stuck in my toilet. He is a professional, I am not, nor should I have been treated as his assistant, rather than a customer. 

  Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************

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