Spring struggle

COMPLAINT: Ailun Chen, Westerville, Ohio

"I hired All Pro Overhead Door Systems LLC to replace a broken spring. Over the next five months, the doors became progressively more uneven. The owner said he needed to adjust the door and that he'd charge me for the work. He said if I'd called within a three-month time frame, the three-month warranty would have covered the service. I told him I had no idea I even had a warranty! I tried to bargain with the owner and asked for a 50-percent discount, but he offered only 20 percent. I didn't want All Pro to get one more dime from me, so I passed and hired a second company for the work."

DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I paid a second company $75 to adjust the springs. All Pro should pay the fees to cover another company to do their substandard work."

RESPONSE: Jessica Tomak, administrative assistant, All Pro Overhead Door Systems LLC

"This customer had originally spoken to our service manager, who told her there was a 90-day warranty and said we'd be happy to inspect the work. If the problems were directly related to our work, there would be no charge. The customer said she had no knowledge of any warranty and wasn't satisfied, so he directed her to the owner, who offered the same resolution and volunteered to give her 20 percent off if the problem wasn't related to the work.

"The customer wanted 50 percent off. When the owner told her that wouldn't be possible, she used vulgar language and made personal statements toward the owner and his family, at which time the conversation was ended. We take every situation into consideration and do our best to fix it. We aren't willing to go back to the customer's house based on the statements she made; however, we are willing to offer her a 90-day, $75 credit on any product we carry to show our goodwill."

STATUS: Stalemate

Floored

COMPLAINT: Laura Baker, Dublin, Ohio

"I hired Levi's 4 Floors [in Columbus] to install carpeting in my basement and on the steps. They installed carpet on the floors, but left the job incomplete: The steps had a pad, but no carpet. They said they didn't order enough and would call back but never followed up. When I inspected the work that was done, I saw dings in the new molding, dents in the wall, and fingerprints on a brand-new paint job. It was a huge mess.

"They failed to cut around a septic tank lid as I'd requested, and installed carpet over it instead, so there's a hump. The seam in the middle of the room is clear and obvious. I'm not even sure if the carpet they installed is the carpet I ordered. I called my sales representative a few times during this and was assured it would be taken care of. I'm left with a mess."

DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I'd like them to finish the installation and fix the damaged property - baseboard chips, paint chips, wall damage, dirt and spots. I want them to remove the carpet and install the lighter-colored carpet I picked. I want some sort of reimbursement."

RESPONSE: Larry Weis, customer service manager, Levi's 4 Floors

"I inspected the job, apologized for the problems and told the customer we'd finish installing the carpet on the stairs as soon as it arrived. We called the next day to schedule, and there was no answer. We called again the following day, but the member was too busy to talk and said she'd call back.

"I also told her we'd fix her walls and baseboard. I contacted our contractor, and he's contacted the member to schedule the repair. With respect to the carpet being the right style and color, I personally compared what was on the floor with a sample of what she purchased, and it's absolutely the same product. I reported this to her, and she said it was accurate."

STATUS: Resolved