I was a massive fan of Cool Kings Heating & Air when they installed my new heater/AC years ago. The…read morelast two service calls have been concerning, and they have lost me as a customer.
Cool Kings Heating & Air expects a check that day, yet the customer must call and email to obtain a receipt after the check is cashed. I trusted this company that I would be fairly charged. It never occurred to ask them about the pricing before the work. Or, I have to get in writing something I paid up front for a year of service. I understand that all small businesses are struggling with the economy; however, Cool Kings Heating & Air's approach will only lose repeat customers.
Scenario 1: I am still waiting to receive an accurate receipt from October when they charged me up front for having my AC checked when summer hits, as I had called them to check my heater before it got cold this year. So, for their "maintenance plan," I still do not have it in writing. I am willing to take the financial hit in hiring another company to post this review. An ethical company provides an invoice/written agreement after checking the heater when they charge you also to also check the AC IN THE FUTURE the summer. Or, they just charge you for checking the heater [and since Cool Kings knows everyone is struggling because they continually cite the economy certainly this would be more aligned with what their customers are enduring.] Worst case scenario, an ethical small business would itemize future work that has already been paid for so that the customer has it in writing they have paid upfront. Cool Kings refuses to send me a receipt for that future work. And it took me three months to receive the inaccurate receipt forcing me to pay for both checking my heater this October and some future scenario to check the AC in the Summer.
Scenario 2: I have a clear posting on my front door that surveillance cameras are around the property. Cool Kings service call caught on camera urinating in my front yard. This after they returned from making a run, indeed they could have stopped somewhere to take care of their 'business'.
Price gouging and gaslighting are shocking. They advised me I would get a receipt before they cashed my ONE check. [They have it itemized as two checks.] This did not happen.
I finally received my receipt, and after writing a check for 15 minutes of work, a new filter housing and filters, it was not for $650.00 but for $450. I politely called this to their attention and asked for a refund. They already knew I thought $650.00 was exceptionally high and had ended that conversation last week politely, electing to take the high ground and not write a negative review. I even told them that.
They told me the invoice was for another customer. [which is odd since I have such an unusual air filter size]. This begs the question of why this company charges different labor rates? $245 vs $189 an hour. They said it was for a thermostat. Odd, this work took them all off 15 minutes, if that.
And they did not offer me a repeat customer discount per the first invoice [$78.99]. I purchased a brand new system from them years ago.
I have included copies of both invoices for the public to review.
There are not two hours of work. I had called repeatedly and sent numerous emails after they checked my heater in October for this filter replacement situation. The owner tried to gaslight me that he had been by my house and yet had no answer as to why I was never given a phone call or a text if this was indeed the case because I knew this was a falsehood and would have had that on my surveillance cameras. I am home all day, don't miss much, neither do my neighbors.
After months of trying to schedule an appointment and many failed no-shows, I had to reschedule out of self-preservation for an important client. Can you blame me?
Bottom line: in October, they had the measurements for the filter housing and THE original, and the owner tried to say he had a new one that had gotten bent, and it was my fault. So, why did they show up, leave, get the filters and housing, allegedly special orders, and charge me for all that time when they could have shown up with the needed materials, just like all the other professional contractors do?
Cool Kings should have arrived with the part in hand since we proactively provided them with the original part and they had the dimensions in October. Due to poor preparation, I was charged two hours for 15 minutes of work.
If you have been a customer of Cool Kings in the past, believe me, they have changed.
Go through my profile. I always write good reviews. However, the public has a right to know these guys do not respect their long-time customers. They will tell falsehoods on the phone and attempt to gaslight you.
For a company with such anger of the current economy that EVERYONE is feeling, taking out on caring customers is a puzzling business model.
