I am disputing the posted charge because the amount was an inflated price that took advantage of a senior, not a senior rate as the representative had me believe. The $7750 charge far exceeds the pricing shown in Angis own article for sewer replacement. Furthermore, the unauthorized posted charge of $8,462.88 shocked me and clearly shows I was being taken advantage of as a senior. An extra $705.88 was attached. In addition, the main issue I originally called about was not resolved by that repair, which caused hardship and left me overwhelmed.
What Happened?
I scheduled a $189 camera scope and clean-out because my kitchen sink was clogged and I was concerned that city asphalt might have entered the line. The camera inspection showed a portion of pipe that needed replacement, and I was sold a trenchless repair based on that finding. However, that damaged portion was not the cause of my clog as I later discovered.
On August 28, the trenchless main line repair was finished. The plumber left immediately for another job. After he left and I used the kitchen sink, the drainage problem was still present.
On August 29, I texted the plumber to let him know the drainage problem was still happening. He said he would come Monday, but he became sick and had to reschedule me. He was at other jobs until Friday, and he apologized and thanked me for my patience. He returned on September 4 and explained that the drainage issue and backflow were caused by a kitchen branch clog, not the main line. He used a longer tool to clear the actual clog, which was deeper in the kitchen branch. This shows that the trenchless repair did not address the problem I originally called about.
Was the job completed?:
The trenchless portion of the job was completed, but the clog I originally called about was not resolved by that work. It was fixed only after the plumber returned with a different tool on September 4.
Additionally, a wood stake from the trenchless work was left pressed against the cement and still needs to be removed. The plumber mentioned he would return to take care of it, but I believe the office may not have scheduled the follow-up visit. I am including this only to document that the site clean-up is not finished.
Additional Details:
I am a senior and this situation caused significant hardship. From August 24 until September 4, my kitchen drain, dishwasher, and washing machine were unusable. MY dishwasher and kitchen drain were smelly, and I had to clean out black residue and foul odors. I could not wash dishes normally, and I could not use my washing machine for 11 days until after the Sept. 4 clog was cleaned out. This was physically difficult and stressful.
It was a good thing I turned on the kitchen sink water first. If I had turned on the dishwasher or washing machine before discovering the drainage problem was still present, it could have caused flooding or contamination.
Sept. 26, the representative wrote a phone number on the receipt and told me to call him directly if I had concerns. I later discovered that the number he wrote on the receipt was not his direct contact, but a dispatcher line. This was misleading.
On September 4, I received a voicemail from someone saying, "This is the plumber," offering a 2-6 PM window. I had already arranged with the plumber to come after 3 PM. When I texted the plumber, he said the voicemail was not from him. This frightened me because I thought it might be a scam. A few days later, I realized the call came from the number the representative had written on the receipt. This added confusion and stress during and already difficult situation.
I emailed the representative at the Ready Rooter email address on September 12 but did not receive a response. On September 18, after speaking with the bank dispute supervisor, I sent a second email but this time to the Ready Rooter team. I attempted to resolve this directly, but I did not receive communication back.
A realtor professional with experience in plumbing told me the price was inflated, and another individual with plumbing experience agreed. Angi's own article lists full sewer line replacement ranging from approximately $1,388 to $5,323 depending on pipe material, and I only had a partial section replaced. And the $7,757.00 was presented to me as a senior rate. This is on the receipt.
A friend who worked in marketing told me that sales representatives sometimes use insurance pitches to increase cost. The representative asked what my homeowner's insurance was and said he could help me get them to pay, but I declined because premiums might increase.
I was told to take a photo of the receipt, and no paper document was offered. I did not receive a photo of the repair portion.
The plumber, his teammate and the digger were polite, punctual and worked hard. I appreciated the plumber's focus on getting the job done right. My complaint is not about their conduct, but about the representative who inflated the price, took advantage of a senior, and submitted an unauthorized charge on top of an inflated price.
Resolution I want:
I am requesting a correction of the unauthorized posted charge and the $7750 inflated price. My bank's dispute department is reviewing the financial portion and the data, so I cannot provide a specific amount.