Regarding B&A Power Washing Inc, located in Maryland and Virginia (and Missouri, too, but we didn't deal with them).
We scheduled for powerwashing and window cleaning for Friday 5/2/08 between 8am-Noon. On Friday, 5/2/08, nobody from B&A called and nobody showed up. At 2:30pm, WE had to call THEM to inquire of the ETA of technician. We were told the technician tried calling us in the morning to get directions but didn't get an answer. (FYI: We were home all day and our phone never rang.) We REscheduled for Friday 5/16/08 at 7:30am (we were told this is the first appointment).
On Friday, 5/16/08, again, nobody from B&A showed up and nobody called. So, again, WE had to call THEM. We were told they don't do powerwashing in the rain.
Because nobody from B&A ever called us, NOT EVEN ONCE, to advise of arrival delays/problems, we advised B&A on 5/16/08 that we'd have to find a more reliable service provider and that we would NOT be rescheduling with them.
On Saturday, 5/17/08, we received a bill for $219 with the "attention" that a $50 service fee will be charged if we don't pay within five days. Then, on Saturday 6/21/08, a new bill arrived with a $21.90 late fee accessed, for a total of $240.90, plus the note that the invoice had been turned over to collections.
Are they kidding me? They expect us to pay for services NOT rendered? AND now they expect us to pay for late fees for those non-services? Yeah, uh, I don’t think so.
So, on 6/21/08, I sent B&A Power Washing Inc an email advising them of their erroneous billing and further advised that any future billings we received from them would be considered harassment and that we'd have to take appropriate actions; i.E., contact Better Business Bureau, IRS, USPS Mail Fraud, local courthouse and licensing bureaus, etc.
On 6/21/08, B&A responded to my email, "Please disregard the late fee. My apologies we were not informed of this in the office. Please remit payment for 219." They either don't understand English, didn't read the whole email, just don't care, they are taunting me, or any combination of these.
On 7/5/08, I received another bill, an EXACT duplicate of the bill received on 6/21/08.interestingly, the first two bills were received five weeks apart while the third bill came two weeks after my 6/21/08 email. Also interesting, the first two bills had a few differences, specifically the payment due dates were different and the first bill referenced a service date while the second bill provided an online payment link. The third bill was an exact duplicate of the second, as if somebody xeroxed it and re-sent it. I'm wondering if they didn't send the third bill to call my bluff.
So, on 7/5/08, I did exactly what I said I would. I sent complaints to the BBB, USPS Mail Fraud Division, Maryland and Virginia Consumer Affairs Offices, and to B&A's online billing service provider Freshbooks. I also sent B&A an email to advise them of this information and to further advise them that any billings received prior to the resolution from any of the authorities I'd contacted would result in my contacting a lawyer for possible suits of small claims and/or civil for liable and damages.
On 7/5/08, I received an email from B&A which said, "Sounds great and have a wonderful holiday weekend! God bless America!!!" Also interestingly, I attempted to call B&A on 7/5/08, both their VA and MD numbers, but both were immediately re-directed to their answering service. However, exactly 15 minutes after I sent my email on 7/5/08, they could respond with their own email. They can't answer their phone but they can answer email?
Like I said, B&A Power Washing's customer service is deplorable and inexcusable.
At one time B&A charged a $50 fee if appointments were not cancelled within 24 hours. Since that should go both ways, then I'd like to know what B&A refunds their customers when they don't show... TWICE??? B&A obviously didn't mind disrupting our schedule... TWICE! I wonder if B&A realizes we were trying to be exemplary customers by removing all obstacles from around the perimeter of our home so the technician (s) would have easy and safer access while power-washing our home. Furniture, flower pots, hose-reels, etc were removed on 5/2/08, put back in place when B&A didn't show up, then removed once again on 5/16/08, and once again returned to place because B&A failed to show up AGAIN.
Maybe I should charge them? Let's see, $50 for each time they didn't show up, fee for time we spent assisting them, money for stress caused by having to resolve this issue... What's all that equal?
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