RAIN SOFT - AQUA FINANCE SCAM ARTIST, Indianapolis Indiana

A man came to my house last year in 08084 and told my wife and I about the rain soft system. After a long time he offered it to us for $5K. He also said we would get free laundry detergent, hand and body soap, shampoo/conditioner, and cleaning spray whenever we wanted. He also said the warranty covered every expense for the life of the system. We agreed on monthly payments of $140/month with a 10%. When the system came, the contract stated that the price was $7K!! With an interest of 18%. Any we would only get a small amount of soap once a year. And we had to pay $250/yr for maintenance! We paid on-time for 18 months paying off only $10/month on the principal! Then, with my home in foreclosure and going through a divorce which left me penniless, I received deportation papers informing me I was being sent back to Santa Domingo. I explained this to Aqua Finance. They said the only thing they can do is lower my payments from $140 to $110. It's funny how every company (even credit card companies) are working with their consumers except for Aqua. This is a problem for them because, in this economy, you will surely collapse if you don't work with people. It's always better to get a little money instead of none at all. I have contacted a lawyer and he believes, because the representative originally was being totally dishonest, I may have a case against them. I also taped phone calls of Aqua Reps telling me they could take my car and take my home (which is foreclosed anyway). My lawyer said they can not take anyone's home or car. Am I wrong about that?? This is a rip off scam company!!!! Beware!!!!

Hello Jeff. I am the sun of an exinstaller for rainsoft. I went with him all growing up, so I know them pretty well inside and out. I knew how the operate, ect. Let me try and help, if not you, other people from getting in this mass.

Ok, first about the installation. I do agree that it is wrong, sometimes we have done it. But only when the customer tells us too. That is not something that we just do, and when we did, it is just bearly big enough to stuff a cord threw. Also, it is always hidden behind something. Sometimes there really is just no other way for a normal installer to do anything with electric. So, if they want, we do it. Again, only if they want.

As for the soft hot water only, unlike what The Rainsoft corp man says, in my current company, we have taken out quite alot of rainsofts. And while most are right, not all are right. I have even seen one where they made a bypass, with out any shutoffs. I laughed for a half hour straight. But that is on a installer bias. Some are good, others use water hoses. But that is for all plumbers in general.

Ah the soap. Honestly, I love the soap. We sell the same stuff too. If you really had soft water it would have worked great. Without soft water, yeah, it does suck. It is designed for soft water only. I am sorry about that.

As for the trouble getting them to fix something. Sorry, but it prob is going to get worse now. Rainsoft of Indy has gone under. While I have no doubt that Rainsoft will get someone new in there quickish, for now it is being routed to another dealership. Again, sorry.

Aqua Finance does not, as they say have anything really to do with sells, repairs, ect. They are simply a finance company. I do, however, have a problem with alot of watersoftner finance companies. They use a thing called a revolving account. Long story short. Takes forever to pay off. All we use are fix rate accounts. In 3 years, it is paid off and done. I know of one rainsoft owner who has owned one since 05, paid 4900$, and still owes over 4000$. I hate revolving accounts.

Rainsoft says they have 35,000 plus satisfied customers. Well, I am sure they have quite a few satisfied ones, with that many they must have some. However Alot of people are not so happy. There are tons of Rainsoft still ticking along from the 70's. But then they went and changed things.

When the rainsoft regenerates it moves a piston up and down the valve. There is tyflon in the valve, but when they changed things they started using some "worse" tyflon. This new tyflon wears. When this happens you can hear it bog down. If you hear that, well, unit is pretty toast.  There are other problems, with other units, but this is the most common.

There is one thing I like about rainsofts. They use great mineral. Really great. They are among the only company that does use good stuff. Most use a thing called zLite. Crap. Real crap. So, if you do get a new one. Save the mineral. It is a lifetime mineral, got to love that. The mineral does work great, when the valve does at least.


One last thing. Let me make a suggestion as to a better valve. My personal fav is the Autotrol 255-760. However, any Autotrol's are great. It has an overhead cam, as opposed to a piston. There are just so much fewer parts to them.

Lets see, you are in indianapolis right? If you are on city then you can get them at lowes for a good price. Don't go with the big one, just the medium one. The big one is useless for anything. Now if you are on well, you can't use the lowes version. It just isn't "good" enough really. For well, I would rec either Alpha, if they go there, or a place called Demaree's or US Water Systems.
http://www.pentairwaterdealer.com/DealerSearch.aspx

If you want any other help with watersoftners, I am happy to talk you threw anything.

They claim to have come out to fix it again, and it still doesn't work. We keep on getting sick, Plus They now set up shop at HOME DEPOT. I can't believe it.

TO THE REPLY BY RAINSOFT OF INDY. I can't find one person that is happy with there rainsoft system, there are whole we sites of Tech that are full of complaints from the rainsoft company. That is why they have to go to your house because no one in there right mind would believe the hype if it was in a store. Because why would you pay 8,000 for a product that you can get for 500.00.

As an established business with more than 35,000 customers and more than 6 years invested in that success, it certainly wouldn't be in our best interests to do business as outlined in this report. In fact, we've made a concerted effort over a several month period to locate the author and do whatever it takes to remedy the situation, all to no avail. The claim that we change locations frequently is completely unfounded as we've been in the same physical location since 2002. We've won numerous awards for customer service excellence, are in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and would never have installed a system "hot side only" as this report would suggest.

Should anyone care to experience our service excellence, simply contact us using any of the following methods:

RainSoft of Indianapolis
1328 Sadlier Circle East Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46239
Telephone: (317) 354-9485
Fax: (317) 536-1747
Website: http://rainsoftindianapolis.com

8am to 5pm Monday Through Friday
10am to 2pm Saturday

Aqua Finance does finance Water Treatment Equipment for those customers who choose our financing source. AFI does not sell or repair equipment. While we find it regrettable that the customer's system does not work, that is not a valid excuss to blame Aqua for his situation. If his car broke down would he blame the bank that financed his purchase for the problem?

Harry Kohn
Vice President
Aqua Finance, Inc