Aladdin Plumbing, Heating, Sewer & Drain ripoff I was given an estimate of 45.00 and I was charged 650.00 Repairman threatened to take part back out and still charge me! Garfield New Jersey

I called Aladdin Plumbing the other evening when my air conditioning unit broke. I asked about their pricing and was told that I would pay $45.00 for the service call and then I would be told how much any repairs would be BEFORE ANY WORK WAS DONE, which was no problem. A very nice man came out around 7:00 pm Sunday June 18th and diagnosed the problem. He said it was the circuit board and that he would order it and pick it up tomorrow (meaning June 19, 2006).

This morning (June 19th), I called Aladdin to find out the status and was told someone would be to my home at 10:30. A new repairman showed up (at 12:00) and started doing the same diagnostics as the gentleman had done the night before. I told him that we already knew what it was but I was told that he had to do his own diagnostics. He told me that he was going out to his truck to get more tools. A few minutes later while I was putting laundry away in my bedroom,the repairman called me to the storage room where he was checking my air conditioning and said that it was the switch board but that he happened to have one in his truck so he replaced it and that I owed him $850.00. He told me that they do not make the part anymore and that he just happened to have the part with him because it has been in his truck for a long time!?! If I were to try and order the part, it would take over one month to get in.

I was extremely upset since I was told that it would only have cost me $45.00 until I gave the authorization to go ahead with any repairs after being given a quote. I would have paid the 45.00 and declined the work to get a second opinion.

I called my boyfriend since I was very upset and he spoke to the repairman from my cell phone. The repairman told my husband the same story, that they don't make the part anymore and that it will take one month to get it in. The repairman then said that he would accept $650.00 cash, that the board alone is $450.00. The only other option the repairman gave, was to pay $250.00 for him to put the broken board back in (after not even telling me he was putting the new board in)!

At the time, my computer was down so I could not check on the price or availability of the circuit board, but moments after he left, my internet was back up so I went to the York site and called a York dealer and gave them the part number. It is not only in stock, but they offered to overnight it for free for $187.88! I double checked and called 2 other places to be sure that it was the correct part, all of the companies had the part in stock and the least expensive was $132.00 with the most expensive price being $197.56 which included the wiring harness which was not even replaced!!! I am appalled that this man took advantage of me. I had $750.00 saved up to take my daughter to Disney World this August; I already have the plane tickets. I was going to use that money for our hotel. Now I gave $650.00 to a man that lied to me. I have been crying since the repairman left.

The right thing to do would to be return a portion of the money and to charge me a fair price. I understand that there is a mark up on the parts and I understand that I have to pay labor, but $650.00 is just unfair for a job that took under 1 hour. I would have ordered the part for $152.00 and had my brother-in law install it if given the option.

I have called 5 times over the past 2 days and have been told that the owner and all managers have not been in. I faxed a similar letter to this 3 times still with no response. I need help getting my money back, I have been completely taken advantage of.

Jody
Mount Freedom, New Jersey
U.S.A.