# Formal Complaint Regarding Payless Septic Service…read more
I am writing to formally document my recent experience with Payless Septic and to explain why, as a result of this incident, I am no longer comfortable having the owner/operator return to my property.
I scheduled septic service on Thursday for Friday morning, with an estimated arrival window of 8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The owner/operator arrived at approximately 8:09 a.m.
A section of my fence needed to be removed to provide access to the septic area. The section was secured with approximately six screws. I had the necessary tools and materials available. I had intended to remove the panel the night before, but an emergency prevented me from doing so. I acknowledge that the fence panel should have been removed before the scheduled appointment and understand that this created an inconvenience.
When the owner/operator arrived, I immediately began removing the screws. While I was doing so, he stood approximately two feet behind me and repeatedly questioned why my husband had not removed the panel the night before. He also stated that he could not believe my husband had not done so.
I explained that my husband had been working approximately 14-hour days or longer and that we had experienced an emergency the previous evening. I apologized and continued removing the screws.
The owner/operator then stated that he should charge a $180 show-up fee. I told him that I would finish removing the panel as quickly as possible. While I was working, he repeatedly asked how long it would take.
The interaction became sufficiently upsetting that I began crying. I told him to leave. Rather than leaving, he motioned for me to continue removing the panel. I apologized and explained that we had a lot going on at the time.
He responded, "I don't know why you're crying. We all have a lot going on."
I finished removing the first panel. The process took approximately five to ten minutes. The owner/operator then began preparing his hose and equipment.
He stated that he could not get the hose through the opening. I explained that we had previously used the same access point for septic service and that the hose had fit. He continued preparing the hose and subsequently stated that he could not get through the opening.
I explained that we normally use a gate on the side of the property, but accessing that gate requires going through the house. I told him that I would go inside and open the gate.
At that point, he saw my debit card and asked how I intended to pay. He explained that payment was accepted by cash or check. I told him that I had forgotten to obtain cash because I had forgotten that cards were not accepted. I told him that I could go inside and write a check.
He responded, "I don't trust your check anymore."
I was alone at the residence at the time. **In the approximately ten years that we have used Payless Septic, this was the first time I had ever been alone at the property for a septic service appointment without my husband present. On all previous occasions, my husband had been present during the service.** This was therefore an unusual circumstance for me, and given the way the interaction had progressed, I became increasingly uncomfortable.
I called my father, who lives nearby, and asked him to come to the property with $360.
I asked the owner/operator whether my parents could meet him somewhere in town with the payment because he had mentioned that he had another scheduled appointment. He stated that he was not leaving until he was paid.
He then stated that if my parents did not arrive soon, he would charge a late fee. When I asked how much the late fee would be, he responded that he did not know, that it depended on how he was feeling, and that he would "make it up as I go along."
He also stated that if my parents did not arrive soon, he would dump the septic contents back into my septic system.
At that point, I felt extremely uncomfortable and scared. I was alone at my home, and the interaction had already left me upset and crying. **Because my husband had never previously been absent during one of our septic service appointments, I was not accustomed to handling this type of interaction alone.** The statements regarding an unspecified late fee and, particularly, putting the septic contents back into my septic system caused me to feel that I needed another person present at the property. This is why I contacted my father and asked him to come with the payment.
My father arrived and paid the $360.
Following the incident, I contacted the Payless Septic office and spoke with the owner's wife. I explained what had occurred and expressed my surprise because we had used the company for approximately ten years without previously experiencing a similar interaction.
I want to acknowledge that, prior to this incident, I had generally been satisfied with Payless Septic's service. Over approximately ten years, the company had performed the work we requested, ar
