Paying for a diagnostic check....heck no!

[Regs]

We in NJ, as you might of noticed or anywhere along the east part of the US for that matter, are experiencing a little bit of a heat wave...Of course the AC breaks down at just the right moment.

So we have this guy come in to fix our outside AC unit. He looks at it for a whole..15 minutes and discovers we have a coolant leak. Dur. What pisses me off is that the lines froze on the unit and he has to reschedule to come back after the AC unit thaws out. No problem, I just sweat out another day or two! But wait...you want to bill us 99.00 for this? Isn't finding the problem part of fixing the damn thing?!?!?!?! What if we don't want you to fix it and we want another guy to come? Would we have to pay another company 100 dollars to come in and just look at it?


Could be just the heat getting to my head, but the lack of service just amazes me. During a heat wave they really know how to screw you to a wall.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Regs
We in NJ, as you might of noticed or anywhere along the east part of the US for that matter, are experiencing a little bit of a heat wave...Of course the AC breaks down at just the right moment.

So we have this guy come in to fix our outside AC unit. He looks at it for a whole..15 minutes and discovers we have a coolant leak. Dur. What pisses me off is that the lines froze on the unit and he has to reschedule to come back after the AC unit thaws out. No problem, I just sweat out another day or two! But wait...you want to bill us 99.00 for this? Isn't finding the problem part of fixing the damn thing?!?!?!?! What if we don't want you to fix it and we want another guy to come? Would we have to pay another company 100 dollars to come in and just look at it?


Could be just the heat getting to my head, but the lack of service just amazes me. During a heat wave they really know how to screw you to a wall.

That's why.

Their time isn't free.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: Eli

Their time isn't free.

Understood, however just because they couldn't fix it on the spot means I have to shell out an extra 100 or do you think that means they'll wave a charge when they actually fix it?


What I'm really trying to get at here is I wanted them to come and fix it. That was the service I was hoping to pay for or the service implied by phone call and appointment. I did not call them up to come look at it, leave, and give me a bar tab.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Regs

Originally posted by: Eli

Their time isn't free.

Understood, however just because they couldn't fix it on the spot means I have to shell out an extra 100 or do you think that means they'll wave a charge when they actually fix it?


What I'm really trying to get at here is I wanted them to come and fix it. That was the service I was hoping to pay for or the service implied by phone call and appointment. I did not call them up to come look at it, leave, and give me a bar tab.

I know what you're saying. What they should do (ideally) is allow you to put that $100 towards the cost of fixing it when they come back out. Of course, they won't do this.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Gas these days isn't cheap. He made a house call....I would expect a $45 minimum for that alone since these guys always drive trucks or vans.

As for the fee, it's just a standard fee that he probably charges when he drives an hour in traffic too... It sucks, but don't take it personal. That's why they're in business.

 

[Injury]

This is why you ask about fees when call. If they don't disclose them BEFORE the guy shows up, then you tell them you aren't paying for it. A company can't charge you a single dime that you didn't authorize.

They probably make a dumptruck load of money off of these fees because nobody ever does anything about it.

 

[Tim]

Mind if I ask what company it is? The visit to your house fee is a standard in the industry. Did they quote you on how much the repair would cost? The company I work for charges 50 for the visit and finding the problem, then they show you how much the repair cost from a book so you know what you're paying before you decide to have it done. Usually you're stuck with the visit fee reguardless of taking the repair or not.

 

[techs]

Take it easy. You'll feel better when the a.c. is back on.

 

[Kelemvor]

That's why the first thing you ask when you call them up is "Do you give free estimates?"

If they are going to charge you and you have no recourse, just tell them that you'll have someone else come out and fix it because you don't want to do business with them and their shady practices.

If they didn't tell you up front there was going to be a fee, I wouldn't pay them. No Contract = No have to pay.

 

[biggestmuff]

What's the problem? You're having an HVAC technician diagnose an issue with your faulty system.

 

[Anubis]

it amazes me how many people on AT have issues paying for services

 

[kranky]

Our AC guy charges a diagnostic fee on top of the parts/labor cost even if he fixes it on the same visit.

There are other AC guys around here who do not charge a diagnostic fee, but they charge so much for repairs its actually more expensive than the guy we use. I suspect a lot of people make their first call to the guy who advertises "free estimates".

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: Anubis
it amazes me how many people on AT have issues paying for services

Because as we know they all make $100k+/yr, and they spent $100 on their supermodel gf's dinner last night....

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Anubis
it amazes me how many people on AT have issues paying for services

Because as we know they all make $100k+/yr, and they spent $1000 on their supermodel gf's dinner last night....

Fixed. :laugh:

 

[Schfifty Five]

Originally posted by: Regs
We in NJ, as you might have noticed or anywhere along the east part of the US for that matter, are experiencing a little bit of a heat wave...Of course the AC breaks down at just the right moment.

So we have this guy come in to fix our outside AC unit. He looks at it for a whole..15 minutes and discovers we have a coolant leak. Dur. What pisses me off is that the lines froze on the unit and he has to reschedule to come back after the AC unit thaws out. No problem, I just sweat out another day or two! But wait...you want to bill us 99.00 for this? Isn't finding the problem part of fixing the damn thing?!?!?!?! What if we don't want you to fix it and we want another guy to come? Would we have to pay another company 100 dollars to come in and just look at it?


Could be just the heat getting to my head, but the lack of service just amazes me. During a heat wave they really know how to screw you to a wall.

Fixed.

 

[jtvang125]

Are you sure it wasn't a mouse that chewed up the hose and caused the coolant leak?

 

[QED]

Whenever I have a problem with my A/C or furnace, I just call around asking for an A/C or furnace tuneup. It is usually costs just as much money as a "diagnostic fee", and in addition to diagnosing the problem they also usually clean the coil, check the blower motor, add some freon, etc.

 

[waggy]

thats why i call and ask before they come out. if they do charge i ask them if it goes to repair. usually they say no. wich point i call person number 2 and tell them the situatuion.

one guy charges $45 just to come out +time. BUT they will put it to the bill IF you ask them to.



or as QED said ask for a tuneup. they will look at it and tell you if it needs worked on

 

[alkemyst]

Most will give you some credit towards the repair. However, I wouldn't have been running my A/C if I knew someone was coming to look at it.

It's like when I am coming over someone's house to fix their car for them and they decide to run all over town getting back right as I show up.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Most will give you some credit towards the repair. However, I wouldn't have been running my A/C if I knew someone was coming to look at it.

It's like when I am coming over someone's house to fix their car for them and they decide to run all over town getting back right as I show up.

I blame my super model girl friend for not turning it off.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Anubis
it amazes me how many people on AT have issues paying for services

It's amazes ME that people are willing to throw lots of money at things that could be done for cheaper or free.

 

[TwiceOver]

That is BS. Even $99/hr is ridiculous for this type of work.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Anubis
it amazes me how many people on AT have issues paying for services

Because as we know they all make $100k+/yr, and they spent $1000 on their supermodel gf's dinner last night....

Fixed. :laugh:

Thanks. $100 doesn't even get a decent bottle of wine.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Regs

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Most will give you some credit towards the repair. However, I wouldn't have been running my A/C if I knew someone was coming to look at it.

It's like when I am coming over someone's house to fix their car for them and they decide to run all over town getting back right as I show up.

I blame my super model girl friend for not turning it off.

dump her. she ain't worht the trouble. you can fidn another one easy enough

 

[Regs]

hah =)