Mr. Electric agreed to provide a free estimate for a residential income property that we manage…read moreremotely. The technician arrived two hours late and met our handyman, who provided access to the property before leaving. Our handyman reiterated that the owner's approval is required before any work is done. The technician quickly identified the issue and then left the property.
Afterward, Mr. Electric's team attempted to contact us for the next hour, but we were unavailable. Despite not having received any approval from us, and without providing any estimate (either verbal or written), the technician was instructed to re-enter the home and complete the repair anyway.
Later, when my wife called Mr. Electric, the secretary informed her that the work had already been completed, and the amount owed was $478. The secretary claimed that our housekeeper had given approval. While my wife was glad to hear the work was completed, she was confused by the mix-up and the high cost.
Afterwards, my wife reviewed the security footage, documenting the entire visit--including the entry and exit times, the time the technician was sitting in the vehicle, and the tools used by the technician. The price being charged was four times higher than what we've paid multiple times for similar services in Gulfport. We're happy to pay for unapproved work due to a misunderstanding, but we're not comfortable paying for the hours a technician was asked to idle in our parking lot. My wife called back to discuss the issue and find a fair resolution, but was met with a combative and unapologetic secretary. No resolution was offered.
Things took a turn for the worse when my wife asked me to call the owner, Kenny Moore, to try to expedite a resolution. Before I had the chance, we received a letter threatening to place a lien on our property (see attached Notice of Intent to File Mechanical Lien). What?
The next day, I spoke with Kenny Moore. We had a civil conversation, and he apologized for the misunderstanding. I reluctantly accepted his offer to reduce the amount owed to $374.21. When I asked if I could make the payment right away, he said he was busy and asked me to call him the next day to process it.
To my surprise, the following morning, I received a two-page agreement (see attached Settlement Agreement 03.2025) from Kenny Moore, outlining eight clauses I would need to agree to before making the payment--one of which included waiving our right to share our experience. I responded, requesting that this particular clause be removed. Kenny declined and insisted the agreement would remain as-is (see attached Email Thread with Kenneth Moore).
At this point, we're at a loss as to how to proceed with payment for a service we never authorized in the first place.
Summary:
* Never received an estimate.
* Never provided approval for the work.
* Work was completed anyway.
* An adjusted price was agreed upon by Kenny Moore.
* Kenny Moore later rescinded the agreement and imposed a contract with unfair terms.
We have security footage documenting the entire visit and a housekeeper who is willing to provide a sworn statement. Hopefully, this share helps others - especially those managing remotely. Don't be taken advantage of!
