COMPLAINT: Miriam Alice Viehe, Brownsburg, Ind.

"ARS Rescue Rooter Indiana had to take a look at my drainage to see if there were any broken tiles or blockage that would prevent water from flowing from my home to the sewer.

"My neighbor's property was having the issue, so they had to determine if the problem was just with the neighbor's house, my house as well, or just where the drainage pipes meet in the middle. At the time, they gave me an estimate and told me that the cost may have to be split between me and the neighbor.

"I authorized them to dig a hole and told them I'd make payment for it, but they never asked me directly how I was going to pay. They asked me to fill out credit information and I assumed they were going to run a credit check to make sure I wasn't a deadbeat."

"When they did the initial work, they told me they needed to go farther into the street to resolve the neighbor's problem, which would cost more money. They came by with another estimate, which I authorized, but they still didn't ask me how I was going to pay.

"It was an expense such that they'd only go forward with it if my neighbor could make an equal payment. The neighbor couldn't make the payment, so they halted the work.

"From that point, they were supposed to come by with a revised bill and some chemicals to work on the tree roots in the drain. I wanted them to void the two original estimates and give me the revised amount so I could pay them.

Then I received a new credit card with a $6,500 limit. I found out the card had been opened up in my name before the work was done. I went to ARS' office in person to pay my bill, get the previous estimates voided and cancel the card, since it was an error on their part and I didn't want it to hurt my credit.

"They said their computer showed several different amounts and they weren't sure which I owed, so they told me to come back in a day so they could sort it out. That evening, the plumber came to my house with the voided estimates and an invoice, and I wrote him a check.

"I re-emphasized that they needed to cancel the credit card. Ten days went by and I didn't hear anything. I contacted them again, and they told me they would get it taken care of. A week later, I still hadn't heard from them and I found out there is $4,400 pending on the card."

DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I want some sort of refund."

RESPONSE: Nancy Engle, customer care, ARS Rescue Rooter Indiana

"We apologize for the confusion during the member's service call with ARS Rescue Rooter. During the initial decision of the estimate to repair the customer's sewer line, the technician offered to finance the job as an option to pay for the services.

"The customer indicated she wanted to finance and filled out the credit application at that time which ARS got approval through the finance company. The account is not a credit card but a line of credit with a financial institution.

"Upon completion of the job, the customer then decided to pay by check and ARS called and canceled the credit line at her request. Again we apologize for the confusion and delay in getting this information to the customer. We are notifying the customer in writing to inform her that the account has been closed."

STATUS: Stalemate