MARCH 22 2026
I hired RMS Heating and Cooling Ltd., owned by Roberto Sawatzky, in December 2024, to install a heat pump heating and air conditioning system, to replace my boiler, in my 2000 sq. ft. rancher in Langley. Roberto's employee had done maintenance work, a few years earlier, on my boiler. The job was done satisfactorily and the price was reasonable. We came to an agreement on the all in price of the new heat pump system. Roberto asked for $5000. cash up front to pay for the equipment. I thought Roberto to be a decent guy, a guy I could trust. I paid Roberto $5000. cash in Dec. 2024. The new system consisted of a heat pump, 3 ceiling cassette units and 1 wall mount unit, piping and electrical. Many delays later, the install started mid April 2025. I wasn't concerned as I didn't want to be without heat or hot water, during the system changeover, over winter. The new system was near complete, except for a backordered ceiling grille, in late April. Roberto called me and asked if I could pay in full as Fortis was slow in paying him rebate money. He said Fortis owed him $50,000. or so, and being a small business, he needed the cash flow to carry on. I guess I acted uninterested so he offered me a $500. incentive if I paid right away. At this point, having no reason to distrust him, I paid his invoice in full. As I was waiting for the ceiling grille I noticed the ceiling drywall, adjacent to a ceiling cassette unit, was cracked and hanging down a bit. The ceiling cassettes fit between the roof trusses. I grabbed some screws and went to fasten the loose drywall back on to the truss. That's when I discovered that Roberto's employee had cut out the bottom chord, of my engineered roof trusses, beside the 3 cassette ceiling units. Anyone in the construction industry knows, or damn well should know that YOU DON'T CUT ENGINEERED TRUSSES. I contacted Roberto and expressed my "dismay". He took full responsibility and admitted that he hadn't trained his employee properly and hadn't told him he couldn't cut roof trusses. He also confirmed he would look after the repairs and cost of repairs. Roberto is a smooth talker and has a way of gaining your trust, so I let it go at that. He said he was very busy with out of town jobs and could I help with organizing and scheduling trades. He hired and paid for an engineer to design truss repairs. He had a friend carpenter, who he would pay, to do the repairs, an insulator as well. The carpenter had a friend who did small drywall and painting jobs. I wanted the repairs done ASAP and the trades wanted payment immediately upon completion of their work. I notified Roberto of the trades payment requirements. He said he was out of town and couldn't get the trades paid on time and could I pay them and he would reimburse me. I reluctantly agreed--that trust thing again. I paid the trades. That was 8 months ago. He has paid me nothing even after I offered him a payment plan, which he agreed to, and then ignored. A few weeks ago I found out that Roberto has not paid his friend, the carpenter. I paid him. Also after 3 attempts, by the paint store and painter, to match the ceiling paint, no luck, the entire ceiling needs repainting. I have many emails, texts, phone calls backing up what I say. I also have invoices, receipts and pictures to prove what I say. He has a habit of blaming others for any problems, check out RMS Heating and Cooling Ltd. complaints on the Better Business Bureau website. All I've got is excuse after excuse or no communication at all. He blames Fortis for not paying him, $50,000 or so, in Rebate money, which I now believe is B.S., I'm sure he was paid.
If he's already done work for you, CHECK YOUR TRUSSES, they are probably cut out if you have ceiling heat/cool cassette units
If you're thinking of using him DON'T, and if you do, DO NOT pay him any money until the job is 100% completed
He's a smooth talker and gains your trust, don't fall for his B.S. like I did
P.S. I paid him in full for the heat pump system he installed and have his receipt to prove it.
I challenge Roberto Sawatzky, owner of RMS Heating and Cooling Ltd., located at 13622 20A Avenue Surrey, to disprove anything I've stated above
HARRY LOCKERBY read more