ComplaintsforFrancis Home Environment Heating & Air Conditioning

• Initial Complaint

  20/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  As outlined on page 6 of the complaint (attached) , I am seeking: - replacement and installation, at no cost to me and as soon as possible, of a ****** WIFI Comfort thermostat with the same functionalities as the two thermostats I had before; - full reimbursement for the amount of $ 376.23 I paid for the cost of the incompatible ********* thermostat and its installation during FHE visit on May 1, 2023; - at minimum, grandfathering of the clause of the Maintenance Plus Plan (MPP) in regards to a lifetime warranty of the thermostat - grandfathering of all the clauses of the MPP since I still have no idea what the replacement plan is all about and until recently I did not even know that a replacement plan existed and that this new plan was applied to me by FHE without my knowledge or consent.. I am not technically savvy and I used my phone and my computer to prepare and file this complaint. I am going to send the documents that I wish you forward to FHE in another separate filing because I do not know how to download pictures from my cell into my computer (which I am using right now to file a complaint regarding FHE.
  

  

  Business response

  21/09/2023

  I already received an information package containing 35 pages of printed materials which we are reviewing.  The operations manager who would usually take care of these types of issues was unfortunately on personal leave for an urgent family matter so I couldn't get all the details from him of the issue with the Tstat,  he has since returned to work so we will look into the issue and follow-up directly with ************** shortly.  It has taken a little bit longer than I would like to resolve due to unusual circumstances but we will get this resolved. 

  Kindest regards,

  **** 

  Customer response

  22/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this is an interim response. *** *********** 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  25/09/2023

  1) we will replace the tstat with original *** model

  2) I will reimburse the fee for the tstat purchase

  3) the lifetime warranty on tstats is from a plan that has been discontinued, our memberships come with discounts on equipment and services and if the customer is on a whole home Membership plan, she will benefit from the discounts as required and maintenance services,  we will replace this time but there will not be any further "lifetime" warranties on tstats, they just do not exist anymore. 

  I trust this is a fair solution. 

  Customer response

  26/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Thank you to BBB to have been an instrument to reinstate dialogue with FHE. Thank you to FHE for the reply. There is progress from where negotiations had stalled in that FHE now agrees to reimburse me for the incompatible ********* thermostat they proposed to me as a replacement for the failed ****** thermostat during FHE s  May 1st visit. Considering  my initial requests in my BBB complaint , I am willing to compromise to a very large extent in order to reach an agreement , however there are still outstanding issues.
  
  1) in my complaint,  I asked to be fully reimbursed for the total cost I incurred for the  FHE visit on May 1st and that still stands.  I fail to understand why FHE is willing to reimburse me for the costs  for the part but not the cost of the labor  to install the incompatible ********* thermostat. On a subsequent visit, another FHE technician explained clearly to me that the thermostat (recommended  as an option by FHE ) was incompatible because it was allowing my AC/furnace to work at only 30 percent to its optimal capacity. On your recent visit sheets, FHE claims, as publicity,   We do it right or you dont pay . You should keep your promise in my case, as your visit was substandard to say the least and  you did it wrong.  I do not think that I should pay twice for the installation of a replacement thermostat. Logic and fairness calls for a full reimbursement for the May 1st visit.  After I receive full reimbursement for the installation of the wrong ********* thermostat, I will pay for the installation of the right ****** thermostat. Speaking of cost of installation, on May 1st, when giving the option between the two thermostats, the technician said upfront that the cost of installation would be the same for both thermostats so I expect to pay the same amount for the  installation of the right  ****** thermostat as the amount that I paid for the installation of the wrong  ********* thermostat. That is fair. 
  
  2) As for the lifetime warranty on the thermostat clause of the Maintenance Plus Plan(MPP), I have learned two months ago that the MPP no longer applied to me since  2019 and it was replaced unilaterally by FHE by another plan. To quote the latest FHE reply thru BBB : the MPP plan no longer exists.  But, besides contracts/plans between clients and companies, what will always exist are elite companies that are willing to standby the products they recommend and sell to their clients, and companies with good faith and a genuine will to do it right and to walk the talk.  These elite qualities would have allowed FHE to provide me with the peace of mind that I thought I had when I decided to go with FHE when I purchased a very expensive system and when I signed the MPP contract with FHE. 
  
  3) FHEs  lack of transparency is still ongoing and as a consumer, I feel my rights continue to be ignored. It is only two months ago that I learned from FHE that, instead of paying for the MPP coverage, my monthly payments were for a product , a plan that was only introduced to me by name.  Furthermore, in its most recent response thru BBB, FHE continues to refer to a product of unknown nature to me, and is now calling this product a membership ? I would like to know exactly for what I have been paying for, since 2019, and how this plan or membership compares with the MPP.  
  
  Thank you for keeping the dialogue open towards an agreement.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  27/09/2023

  We contacted customer to schedule the tstat change yesterday as mentioned in previous response and she refused to schedule the work pending a resolution, the resolution was provided in my previous response and remains the same;  see below.

  1) we will replace the tstat as mentioned previously.

  2) we will credit the previous tstat purchase a mentioned previously 

  3) we do not change customers membership plans without their knowledge especially when credit card information is provided by the customer (which seems to be what happened in this case according to customers provided info, she did say that she provided her credit card info in 2016),  these details are treated with utmost precaution for security.  There are references in the information provided about multiple plans, codes, membership details which is all very confusing so I'm not sure exactly what the customer is implying on this point.  Our membership plans do change occasionally and have probably had multiple versions since the 2014 referenced earlier, if the customer signed up for a new membership plan then the older version is no longer valid which seems to be what happened in this case.  If her last membership renewal was in 2016, then that's the membership plan that is valid.     

   

  Customer response

  27/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  -if maintenance plus  management plan is the same as when I signed a contract in 2016 then I am entitled to a free thermostat. I never signed for anything else ( any other plan)  after that and never gave my credit card for the purpose of any change or annulation of contract/plan . I would like FHE to send me a proof that I did give my credit card number following a change or an annulation of contract. I have no paperwork and no recollection  of anything and I will ask neighbours and friends if they did receive something from FHE in that regard .  I never received any information on a change or annulation of contract from FHE before July this year and FHE did not spontaneously provide me with any information about a change or annulation before July of this year. I was clear in my explanation on why I have given  my credit card number to FHE in 2019. It was not for a change of plan because I was never made aware of a change of plan before July 2023.  A statement from FHE. that things change all the time is certainly not what the law requires FHE to do with me or with the rest of its clients. We are talking about significant changes here. A lifetime warranty of a thermostat is certainly significant. If FHE can prove to me that legally  a contract can change all the time without the knowledge and consent of both parties , then I can change position here.  As far as I know from my recent research on the law ( ******* consumer protection act)  FHE is obligated to give information about changes and annulation of contracts on a timely basis to allow the clients to make an informed decision as to whether they want to continue paying for the new product( plan)  or not. I am still paying for a product I do not know anything about because , apparently FHE is refusing to give me updated  information on their plan or membership or whatever they want to call it.  In fact the *************************** act  allows people in my situation to ask for reimbursement if they have been paying for products misrepresented by the business. I am not asking for  reimbursement in my case as I still hope to resolve this with everybody showing  good faith , I am asking to be informed of the new plan so I can make an informed decision now and I am asking to be kept informed so I can be make an informed  decision  I do not think it is too much to ask. 
  
  

  It was premature for FHE to schedule for the installation of a thermostat until this case is resolved.  I  refused to schedule the thermostat installation because I refuse to pay twice for the installation : I paid once for the installation of the wrong thermostat so FHE either reimburse me for that cost and I will pay for the installation of the right thermostat or FHE does not charge me for the installation of the right thermostat .  This is only fair.  I fail to understand why FHE persists in wanting me to pay twice. In their willingness to reimburse me for the wrong thermostat they acknowledge indirectly that they installed the wrong thermostat so if FHE can explain their insistence in wanting me to pay twice ( once for the wrong one and once  for the right one) please go ahead, I am all ears.

  So two outstanding issues remain, installation costs and provision of information on the new plan or membership.

   

   Thank you

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  28/09/2023

  1) I said i was going to replace the tstat with the original *** model 

  2) i said I was going to credit the purchase price of the other unit 

  The membership plan questions are not an issue in resolving this matter,  can we just move forward and resolve this issue as this is the 4th time I respond,  my staff have been advised to go and fix the tstat and are trying to schedule the work,  if the customer refuses then what are we supposed to do?  I can keep answering the same questions and requests over and over but it's not resolving anything. 

   

  Customer response

  04/10/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I  can see FHE’s sense of frustration and I certainly share it. Although I would like concrete and faster progress in the resolution, I will not rush into getting the right thermostat, and risk finding, afterwards, that FHE is asking me to pay for something I did not agree with and the risk that FHE continues to lack transparency regarding the maintenance plan that is applicable to me. The present response is to avoid this double risk in the context of breach of trust, as explained below. 
  
  A) On point one in its latest response, FHE states that they are going to replace the thermostat, does “replace “ mean “supply and install”? Please clarify.
  
  B) On the last point brought forward by FHE on their latest response, I disagree that the replacement of the thermostat is a separate issue from FHE’ s non compliance with its contractual obligations regarding the two maintenance plans in question here.  The fact that FHE did not provide me, spontaneously and on a timely basis, with adequate information in relation to its cancellation of the Maintenance Plus plan(MPP), to its replacement of the MPP by the JUST RIGHT plan (JR) and to its appropriation of my credit card number to pay for that JR plan, has shattered my trust in FHE. So in the present negotiations with FHE, in the context of breach of trust, I show prudence when I am asking FHE for a commitment and for appropriate information in writing.  
  
  On July 24, 2023, after I reached FHE to get a replacement  thermostat under the terms of what I thought was my current and valid plan, ie the  MPP , FHE wrote me in an email
  
  …
  “””2.Plan Update: In 2019, your plan was updated to the JUST RIGHT plan. The update was made with the intention of ensuring you continued to receive high-quality service while maintaining comprehensive coverage for your equipment. The JUST RIGHT plan is designed to provide you with the best value and protection. I’ve attached a copy of your service work order when the change occurred. As you can see, no charges are associated with the visit, but it includes your credit card information….”””
  
  
  Attached this said FHE email was a copy of a FHE visit sheet that had absolutely nothing to do with a change of a maintenance plan. I did already explain clearly in this complaint that I gave my credit card number to FHE because I thought that FHE had been unable to get my automatic monthly payments for the MPP while I had momentarily suspended my credit card. At the time, I trusted FHE and it never occurred to me that FHE would use my credit card to pay for a product, a plan that I did not know it existed. That trust is now breached.
  
  In this said July 2023 email is where, FHE first  mentioned JR as the plan now applicable to me. Therefore, I was expecting FHE to spontaneously provide me with adequate info about the terms of that JR plan. They did not and, until now, still refuse to do so, despite my repeat direct demands. If I paraphrase FHE in the said email,  I read” the Just Right plan is designed to give me the best value and protection…it will ensure that I get quality service and comprehensive coverage of my equipment”. These are FHE words and I will believe them only when I see the terms of the JR plan laid out in writing.  My prudence is the consequence of breach of trust. 
  
  The issues of the thermostat and FHE ‘s lack transparency about changes of plans are intrinsically linked, as the first stems from the second. To prevent reoccurrence, in the context of a breach of trust, the issues are to be resolved together. Especially when FHE is offering me a credit instead of the requested reimbursement for what I paid for the wrong thermostat. Assuming that the issues are resolved, I intend to use this credit against my monthly payments of this JUST RIGHT plan until I no longer have any funds left from this source.. I do not think it is too much to ask FHE to provide me with the terms of JR plan as this a basic requirement under the Ontario Consumer Protection Act.
  
  
  So to make it simple, I would ask for a clear answer to the following two questions :
  -question 1 on the thermostat replacement: by committing to  “replace” , does FHE  mean “supply  and install”? 
  -question 2 on the JUST RIGHT plan which applies to me: in its next response to BBB,  could  FHE  please provide me in adequate information on the terms of the JR plan as applicable to me? Thanks you
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

  

  Business response

  04/10/2023

  1) we will replace the tstat with the previous model at no charge.

  2) we will credit the price of the purchased tstat as mentioned previously.

  3) I've attached a copy of Just Right Plans (not sure if the picture has properly been attached)  by the way,  these plans no longer exist as we have moved to a new simpler membership program in September 2023.  The other plan previously referred were plans that were under a different Francis company prior to RT owning the business and that's why they are no longer available. 

  Please schedule a service call so that we can fix this once and for all. 

  Customer response

  10/10/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  I wish to add the following: 
  The right thermostat was supplied and installed at no cost last Friday. To regain a comfortable home environment was my main objective in this complaint.  Thank you to all who contributed. 
  
  I will contact FHE accounts services to use the credit, given by FHE for cost I incurred to pay for the wrong thermostat, against my monthly payments for my maintenance plan.
  
  However, there a caveat as I now realize, after receiving FHE last response thru BBB, that, for FHE, to change maintenance plans without the knowledge and consent of their existing customers is apparently a repeat scenario:
  
  As explained in this complaint, in 2019, FHE would have unilaterally switched me from my Maintenance Plus Plan (MPP contract signed in 2016) to a Just Right (JR) Plan. In its last response thru BBB, FHE is now announcing me that, last month, FHE has killed the JR plan to replace it, yet, with a third plan which is unknown to me.
  
  I do not think FHE has the legal right to kill old plans in order to apply new plans to existing customers without their knowledge and consent. As a consumer, it does not make sense to me, that a sale or a change of a company‘s affiliation would be a waiver of that company’s legal obligations under the Ontario Consumer Protection Act to notify existing customers, on a timely basis, of its intent to change plans. If FHE does not want to go thru these procedures, the legal alternative (and easier way) is to grandfather all the old plans/contracts signed by existing customers.  From my perspective, as a consumer, the JP is a downgrade compared to the MPP. As a result, FHE’s unilateral switch of plans in 2019, is detrimental to me.  I cannot comment on FHE‘s second unilateral change of plans as I do not know this new plan.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  **********************;

  Customer response

  12/07/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I wish to officially reopen this case because, despite several requests from my part, Francis Home Environment (FHE) refuses to fully comply with their stated commitments for the resolution of the case.
  
  The case, as originally submitted, was heavily redacted by BBB. I had several grievances against FHE and I made major compromises in order to reach an agreement with them. I am not prepared to downgrade  further the slim compensation that FHE committed to give to me.
  
  I feel it is important to put my present request into context to show that I am being reasonable.
  
  The crux of my complaint is  FHE’s refusal to honour the clause of the contract of my maintenance plan pertaining to the lifetime warranty of the thermostat installed at the time of purchase of an ac/ furnace system and for FHE’s substandard service when I made an emergency call to them on May 2023.  
  
  Indeed on May 2023, when I reported a thermostat failure, FHE said that I needed to replace my existing thermostat (quoted thereafter as model A). Instead of spontaneously honouring the clause of a lifetime warranty of my thermostat that was part of a contractual agreement (maintenance plan) agreed upon shortly after I purchased the said system, FHE forced me to pay for the supply and the installation of a replacement thermostat. FHE recommended two models as adequate replacement, the choice was either one of the same model as my original one (ie model A , costing around $1200) and one,(quoted as model B thereafter), costing about 1/4 of model A.  I selected  model B. The installation of model B resulted, almost immediately thereafter,  in an uncomfortable environment in my home in terms of air temperature and humidity. When I complained about that to a FHE technician who came on site, I found out that the model B recommended by FHE was incompatible with my ac/furnace system as it did not allow it to function to its full capacity. So I contacted FHE management to get adequate remedy, reminding them of my maintenance plan with clause for a lifetime warranty of the thermostat.
  
  Reason given by FHE for not honouring their contractual agreement (maintenance plan)  was that, FHE had changed my maintenance plan between the time I enrolled in it thru contractual agreement,  and May 2023, when my thermostat failed. FHE  did so l, without my knowledge and consent. I eventually found that the  substituted plan has significantly  lower benefits compared to my original plan and that the way FHE substituted is contrary to the Ontario Consumer Protection Act.
  
  Thru bilateral negotiations with FHE, I managed to get their agreement to replace, at no cost to me, the model B thermostat with a model A “ . FHE refused to grandfather my plan and to give me any other remedy. I opted to file a complaint to BBB rather than going the legal route, hoping to reach , without too much further delay, a fairer agreement and to get a sense of security in case of another thermostat failure by having FHE accept to grandfather my maintenance plan.
  
  Thanks to BBB, I managed to get minor additional remedy measures:  the installation the model A replacement for free and a credit for the amount I paid for the incompatible model B thermostat. The said credit is  $297.19. FHE did not attach any label or condition to my use of the credit so my understanding was that I had discretionary use of it.   
  
  Since there was no time limitation attached to the credit, I decided  to wait for any change in my credit card information to contact FHE. This first happened when my credit card expired in May of this year.  This is when I asked FHE to use the credit against my monthly  payments for my maintenance plan. During the last few weeks,   I repeatedly contacted FHE  ( I have proof of that, if necessary) to ask for the credit to be used against my monthly payment, so far, FHE bluntly refused to recognize their commitments or ignored me.
  
  The last phone call I got from FHE was to ask me for the  information on my new credit card  info  so that FHE would use it  against my monthly payments
  This FHE request  to get my  info to get paid crystallized FHE’s refusal to award me a credit at my discretion. 
  
  It should not have been a surprise for FHE to get my May request since in my final communication thru BBB  on 10/10/2023,  I wrote that “ I would contact FHE account services to use the credit against my monthly payments for my maintenance plan.”
  
  What compounds my conclusion that FHE has been acting in bad faith is the fact that, during the negotiations  thru BBB , FHE first offered reimbursement for the cost I incurred for model B (see  Sept 25, FHE response in the complaint ). and then FHE changed their offer to a credit.  
  
  One of the grievances in my original complaint that was redacted by BBB is now explicitly relevant. FHE‘s mark up for their products  is horrendous.  The directly relevant example here is the fact that FHE price for model B  was roughly twice the contemporary price asked by Amazon for exactly the same product. This can be critical  because as it was for me, many such products are offered in the context of an emergency when the consumers are unlikely to think twice before accepting to pay for what can  turn out to be inflated prices if they later check the prices against competitors.  The section on overpricing can be found in my original complaint and I would respectfully ask that BBB incorporates those details as part of my present submission.  I understand that my request is in line with BBB’s mission which is to help consumers make informed decisions regarding their dealings with your members.
  
  In light of the above, it is reasonable for me to ask the full remboursement, without further delay,  of the cost I incurred for the incompatible model B thermostat. (Amount of $ 297.19). I find that it would be unfair to be forced to use the credit to buy any of FHE horrendously overpriced equipment. 
  
  I appreciate BBB help in making sure that FHE fully abides to their commitments, as stated in their communication thru BBB in order to settle the original case. 
  
  Thank you in advance for your services
  
  Sincerely
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  28/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On June 9th I paid Francis Home Environment $16,901.41 for the installation of a heat pump system that includes "premier dehumidification". They were contracted to install the unit, I would receive a $5000 rebate once installed to offset the cost of the unit. The company has to provide paperwork (2 pages from Canada Greener Homes Grant: Air source heat pump/ cold climate AND Mechanical or Electrical Eq. or System Installation) in order for us to receive the rebate. On around June 12th I informed the company that we are experiencing high humidity levels and a variance of temperatures greatr than 2 degrees celcius. The company sent a technician to replace the thermostat, when the technician arrived he decided not to replace the thermostat and was not able to resolve the problem. The company sent another technician who informed me that the resolution of the problem would be to add a vent, he would discuss with his boss and they were supposed to contact me with a plan to make the system work. He informed me that I should "put a lid" on my open sump pump, I agreed to do this and would notify them if it the problems persist. On June 22 I called the company for an update and was told that they would need to charge me $550 to resolve the problem. The company escalated my complaint to their ******* ******* **** ********, who was not able to resolve the problems. As per our contract, the company guarantees "a temperature variance of no greater than 2 degrees celcius at the thermostat. If the system does not achieve the temp. you desire, we will make any modifications - up to and including, replacement of the system at no charge". The company advertises on their website and during the sales pitch in our home that the unit will circulate the air in the home and remove humidity. "your heat pump will also dehumidify your home to prevent the growth of mold and mildew inside the home..." Our home currently has temperate and humidity problems which needs to be addressed.

  

  Business response

  29/06/2023

  The system installed has "enhanced dehumidification" which works with the AC in summer to remove humidity from the home.  It is not a "whole home dehumidifier" which was not requested during the initial consultation.  There is a high level of humidity in the basement which is potentially caused by an open sump,  as per a previous communication where you said you would cover the sump and then we could reevaluate the situation.  Has this been done?  And have you monitored the difference in humidity levels for a few weeks after?  If it doesn't completely solve the issue,  we would  be more than happy to provide a portable dehumidifier for the basement to remove more moisture from your basement air to see if this helps regulate the humidity levels and if it does work, we can look at adding a "whole home dehumidifier" in your home.  The other solution to ad venting to help recirculate the air which was quoted at $550. with a 20% discount is still an option and recommended as it is a duct work modification it is not part of the original installation contract, this work would not have been included in the original quote as high humidity levels in the basement were not mentioned as a concern but we are more than willing to help find solutions. 

  We do not make claims that "your heat pump will also dehumidify your home to prevent mold and mildew inside the home".

  Directly from our website:
  

  On top of the advantages of hybrid comfort, energy efficiency, cost savings & a long lifespan, heat pumps also offer options for improved indoor air quality: many units can provide air flow & dehumidifying, as well as enhanced filtration, to help you & your family breathe easier at home.

  Please call me anytime to discuss as we have offered multiple times to help you find solutions and we will be more than happy to help. 

   

  Customer response

  05/07/2023

  
  Complaint: 20250661
  
  I am rejecting this response because the company states they would like to help find a solution, however after many attempts to have them repair/replace the system as per our contract and their website advertisements, we were only offered to have the system removed which leaves us holes in our walls, no furnace etc.

  The company has decided not to respond or even provide required paperwork for us to receive the $5600 goverment Greener homes rebate. We have no choice but to file a claim with small claims court which is what we intend to do. The company clearly advertises their guarantees and product information falsely and intentionally to misleads consumers into purchasing products that 1) work as described 2) come with guarantees and warranties 3) come with rebates 4) repairs/ replacements up to and including removal for a full refund, however they have decided to breach contract and not provide us with this service, it's clear that they prefer to cause stress and confusion in attempts to discourage complaints.

  The company states we did not purchase a system with "full home dehumidifying" but our contract and their website states otherwise.

  The company refuses to repair the temperature variance which they guarantee. 

  The sump pump has been covered as per their request, no changes in humidity or temperature.

  To date, we spent over $17,000 for a system that is not working properly and would caution anyone from purchasing products from ***** **** ***** ** ********* ******** **** ************ ****** **** *******, and 23 other companies that provide same/similar services and guarantees) 

  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

  

  Business response

  05/07/2023

  In all due respect,  Mr. ******** had a major basement flood which has been omitted from all communication causing his furnace to no longer function and need replacement.  We sold him a Heat pump system which works perfectly fine for his home.  He has poor air circulation and higher than normal levels of humidity in his basement, when the **** ******* advisor visited his home, he noted a few dehumidifiers in the basement.  Comments were also made about "high levels of mold and mildew" which may well have been caused by the flood and the function of a heat pump is not to remove or control such. The heat pump system in cooling mode does remove moisture from the home but it is not designed as a "dehumidifier".  We have provided multiple solutions to try and help remove some of the humidity but Mr. ******** feels that we should complete this work over and above what he purchased from us, I have offered solutions with discounts to help remedy the situation.  We gladly supply all the required paperwork for Greener homes grants but Mr. ******** has mentioned on multiple occasions that he would like us to remove the system and give him full credit,  we are not submitting paperwork to the government for rebates based on this fact until Mr. ******** decides what he would like us to do.  

  We will gladly remove the system and offered 100% refund on multiple occasions if that's what he chooses.  Aside from the complaints on *** which I will promptly answer, we also are getting multiple emails in regards to this issue which I have also answered. 

  Please consider this case closed as I have responded directly to Mr. ********'s emails and answered all of his concerns multiple times. 

  As always, we are here to help offer solutions for all our customers and will do everything we can to make the situation right but buying a heat pump system and expecting it to do what it isn't designed to do are 2 totally different issues, the system has been tested and is functioning as it should. 

  The company does NOT advertise on our website that "your heat pump will also dehumidify your home to prevent mold and mildew inside the home..."

  Customer response

  06/07/2023

  
  Complaint: 20250661
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  We did not have a flood causing our previous furnace to no longer function. We upgraded our furnace to a heat pump system because of the rebates offered, the system would remove humidity and provide A/C in the summer. Our contract included "premier dehumidification". The company website(s) still advertise "your heat pump will also dehumidify your home to prevent mold and mildew inside the home..." (see screenshot attached) which is misleading if not true. 

  
  

  On June 5, our energy advisor from NRCan informed us that the company did not install the outdoor unit we contracted them to install, therefore our application for the grant would be denied. The company did not inform me of this change. I believe this is why they are withholding rebate paperwork and provided a false AHRI# on my invoice. I have requested the company to provide a revised invoice to reflect the unit they decided to install without my knowledge.

  
  

  As mentioned to the company, the heat pump they installed is currently not working properly 1) temperature variances 2) higher than normal humidity. We are now requesting the company to pay us $5600 the the rebate that we were supposed to receive- had they installed the unit we contracted them to install.

  
  

  We are requesting the company to:

  
  

  1) Repair, at their cost. (Temperature variance, humidity issue) Pay us $5600 for the rebate we can no longer receive. Continue to provide guarantees and warranty conditions as per our contract.

  
  

  2) Propose replacement options that are equal or greater in efficiency, that corrects our problems 1) temperature variance 2) humidity levels, free of charge. Ensure that we can receive our $5600 rebate. This may require an additional fees from our energy advisor to reassess the pre and post installation, at the company costs. Continue to provide guarantees and warranty as per our contract.

  
  

  3) Leave the unit as is, pay us $10,901.41, pay us $5600 for the rebate. We will hire a different contractor for repairs.

  
  

  4) Remove and pay us $29,399.41 in damages. Breakdown of costs have already been provided. 

  
  

  We ask that this claim remains open until the company provides a solution. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  23/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We recently purchased our first home. The heating system worked fine, but the A/C was not turning on, so we wanted a quote to fix it. We called Francis Home Environment. The representative was super friendly; indicated that a diagnostic was normally $170, but he was able to waive the fee as they installed the system. No other fees were discussed on the call. They arranged for a technician to visit us at noon the following day (April 15). The technician, ****, arrived promptly at noon, and was also friendly. He got to work immediately. Within a few minutes, **** realized the issue was a missing jumper wire in the thermostat which came with the house. He went out to his truck to obtain a piece of wire; installed it in the thermostat, and the A/C system fired right up. **** then told us that he was supposed to charge us for a “Level 1” service, which was $320. He said he felt that was unreasonable, so he’d knock it down to $200+tax. Before getting to work, **** never discussed any cost above the free diagnosis (which we confirmed he was aware of). **** was in our house for no longer than 30 minutes from start to finish. We have had a lot of new home expenses, and just wanted a diagnosis to help budget for the repair (assuming we’d get a quote on a new A/C unit, as our unit is in rough shape). That said, although it wasn’t clear to us when the free diagnosis shifted to an automatic repair job (at an undisclosed price), we were not trying to get something for free, so we paid **** and he left. Both my wife and I felt so blindsided by the expense, and were taken aback by being given a bill rather than a quote, on what was clearly a simple fix, especially given the free diagnosis. Later that day, I called back, and connected to the first representative who initially offered us the free diagnosis. He indicated that he would leave a note for the billing department to call us back on Monday (April 17). We waited a week and never heard back.

  

  Business response

  03/05/2023

  I have reviewed the file and there are no installation details in our system for this customer so we did not install the equipment on site according to our files.  If we had installed the system and there was an issue with anything, it is usually covered under warranty.  Since the files indicate that we did not install the system, and the diagnostic fees were not applied, the repair fees which were reduced by the technician, who drove there with a vehicle and actually fixed the issue is fair.  If ever there is something missing in our files about the installation of a system please do reach out so that we can follow-up immediately and update the files.

  Customer response

  03/05/2023

  
  Complaint: 19972477
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the company notes that the technician drove to our house and fixed the issue, so the amount charged was fair.  No quote was provided prior to undertaking the repair — we were only provided with the bill.  $226 for less than 30 minutes of work is unreasonable, particularly when the diagnosis of the issue was supposed to be free.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

  

  Business response

  04/05/2023

  The original diagnostic fees are usually $169.00 + tax which we didn't charge for.  Repairs start at $324.00 + tax, depending on the type of work required it can be more. In this case, the technician reduced the fees to $200.00 + tax.  You called to have your AC fixed and the technician resolved the issue and discounted the invoice by more than $100.00.  We dispatched a licensed technician, in an insured vehicle full of parts to perform a service which you requested, if the technician gave you an estimate and you didn't want him to repair the AC, he would have charged you the diagnostic fee of $169.00 + tax for the visit.  Your invoice could have been $493.00 + tax and we charged you $200.00 + tax. to fix your AC which wasn't working at the time. 

  Customer response

  05/05/2023

  
  Complaint: 19972477
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the business again continues to point out the cost of sending the technician to our house with a van, when the diagnostic fee discussed over the phone was $0.  The agent over the phone was well aware we had just bought the house and had not had the equipment installed, so the reference to that fact above seems to be intentionally deceptive.  The business never explained what the costs could or would be before presenting us with a final bill.  We did not ask for the technician to show up with a van full of parts — even so, all the “parts” used was a piece of wire no bigger than a paper clip.  This approach, particularly when paired with the “free” diagnostic is unfair to customers and misconstrues our original complaint. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  21/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  November 16,2021, I paid Francis Home Environment $270.52 for 2022 Annual Maintenance of our heating/AC equipment. It has been impossible to get Francis Home Environment to come here to actually do the annual maintenance. The company was supposed to be here in April and May 2022 to service the AC. The company never showed up. Now the fall is here and they are supposed to service the furnace. On Sept. 6 they set an appointment for 11 Oct and they cancelled. They rescheduled for 21 Oct and again they cancelled. This company has proven that it cannot be trusted. A full refund of the monies I paid ($270.52) last November is the only satisfactory resolution.

  

  Business response

  24/10/2022

  Dear Mr. *******,  I looked into our system and I don't see any requests for an AC maintenance in the spring of 2022.  Maybe there was an oversight on calling in to book this service?  As for the fall Furnace maintenance, yes we have had to rebook a few times this fall but our goal is to service all of our customers properly and not just haphazardly, that being said, we are not immune to Covid calls and we are now dealing with multiple situations that create a seemingly endless juggling act of moving maintenances and service calls.  We will gladly make this right for you, please feel free to contact me directly and I will take care of this situation. 

  Kindest regards,

  **** 

  Customer response

  07/11/2022

  ***** ************************** ***** ******* ******** ** **** **** ** *** ***** ******* ********************** ******** *** ****** ******** ****** ********* *** ********

   

  Good Morning,

   

  Friday 4 November at approximately 16:40 (4:40 p.m.) “****” phoned.  He ended up stating that he would contact the office staff to issue my refund.  I informed him that once I receive the refund the issue will be resolved in my view.

   

  I want to thank you for your assistance in this matter.  Hopefully the refund will be forthcoming soon and this matter will simply be a memory.

   

  Sincerely,

  ***** *******

• Initial Complaint

  14/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We contracted Francis Home in August 2021 to replace our AC/heating unit. During the installation they caused damaged (electrical). The repairs required electrician and wall patching/painting in our basement and 1st floor of the house. Both the electrician and repair companies were contracted by Francis Home. Last week I received an email from ********* (contracted by Francis Home to do the wall repair) that they had not been paid by Francis Home and were going to use a collection agency to recover the unpaid bill from us instead which would also cause our credit rating to decrease. I contacted Francis Home last week, and no resolution yet.

  

  Business response

  25/07/2022

  The issue has been resolved with the customer,  Francis Home sometimes have to make holes in walls and ceilings to install AC units,  we do not assume responsibility for the repairs of the holes but we provide patches to cover the holes and then they are access in case of any issues.  Manager who is no longer with the company apparently agreed to these repairs without authorization.  The customer had an outstanding balance on his account so we did not pay the said invoice.  Office manager spoke with the customer last week and resolved all issues. 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  03/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had the compagnie do duct cleanning at my house. During their work they broke the weather stripping of my front door . The supervisor on site acknowledged it. Told me it's was because the team should a put a protection on their airhose but they didn't. He wrote it on my receipt and told me a manager would call me to arrange a paiement of some sort. No one ever called me back. I called back on mars 31 ; on April 05 ; on May 02 ; May 03. They always tell me the same thing : I can see the note someone should have call you. I'll send an email to the right person. You should get a call asap.... I doubt that the compagnie is going to pay for any repair. Thanks for you help ***** ***** 

  

  Business response

  06/05/2022

  I just spoke with *** ***** and told him to forward information about weather stripping issue and that I would follow-up and close the file.  I sent him an email with my direct contact information so that I can follow-up with him directly.  I wasn't aware of this situation but will take care of it. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Date: Dec 1, 2021 Job # ****** Amount paid: 360.41 CAD Since Francis Home Environment changed our furnace in 2016, I had no complaints with the quality of their services. However, on Dec 1, 2021, I opened a service call with them as our furnace stopped working. I was told the diagnostic would cost 69.95 $ + tx, even if I have a maintenance plan with them. That was not the issue. The technician came, found the issue (defective humidifier flooded the motor with water), and removed the water. After one hour of work, when most of the time was spent testing the drainage, he charged me nonchalantly an extra 249 $ + tx. I have called 4-5 times to have this charge reviewed, nothing happened, no call back, no charge revised. So one hour = 360.41 $ to remove water. I find this way too expensive.

  

  Business response

  02/02/2022

  ****** has been credited and he was happy with follow-up and thanked us for the service.

  Customer response

  06/02/2022

  ****** ******** *******
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

*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. ↩