We have some property that we are going to sell. I called a service about getting an appraisal. They sent me an invoice and stated they would schedule the appraisal after they received payment. I sent them a check. We had yet to schedule the appraisal.
My business partner then said he thinks we should do some internal repairs and landscaping updates and sell in the spring. I don’t know why he didn’t bring this up before but after discussing it I agreed with him. And we agreed we should not get the appraisal done until after the updates are completed.
So I called the appraisal company and told them of our decision and that we would schedule the appraisal in the spring or early summer of '23. They said they would send me a refund rather than hold my payment for 6 months and that was that.
Except…when I got the refund check it had a percentage subtracted as a “processing fee”. It’s not a large amount but enough that the practice sticks in my craw. I did not sign any contracts with them agreeing to this and this policy did not appear on the invoice. In my store I have both signs and notices on receipts that indicate that returns are subject to a 15% restocking fee. I was kind of under the impression that I was required to post notice of such a policy. But going over my business manuals I can’t find a specific consumer affairs law mandating pre-notification. If anyone can point me in the direction of such a regulation I’d appreciate it. FYI I am in Wisconsin.
Like I said, it’s not a huge amount ($50) but why does it cost fifty bucks for you to mail me a handwritten check?
Do you have a consumer affairs ombudsman in your state? If so, maybe mention it to them. Or maybe call the appraisal service first and let them know you dispute the fee and want to talk to the ombudsman - but you’re giving them a chance to make it right first?
Oh, yeah. Of course. I just can’t call either of them for a few hours as it’s only 0530 here. If consumer affairs tells me there is no regulation I will ask the appraiser to waive the fee least I don’t use them in the spring.
If it was me, knowing that advance notice of the fee wouldn’t have prevented me making the booking, I would pretend to myself that they had forewarned me, and I would forget all about it.
So, I called the company and nicely asked why they withheld 10% of my payment and the woman said in a snotty tone “that’s what we do for cancelled appointments”. I explained to her calmly that there wasn’t any appointment made. I would understand had I made an appointment and cancelled. Doctors and dentists do that all the time. I also explained that I had signed no contracts yet, there was no notice on the invoice of this policy, they didn’t even have the address yet of the property, so there is no way they did any work to warrant $50. “So sorry, that is our policy” and she hung up.
Called the state consumer affairs office. They stated a business is supposed to give notice for such a policy either verbally or in writting. Filled out a written complaint online. Took about 10 minutes. They sent a notice to the company and interviewed the manager over the phone.
Yesterday I received a check for $50 and a letter of apology from the company.
Reminds me of an issue I had with a bank. After a month of the runaround, I filed a complaint with the Comptroller of the Currency. Issue resolved and apology received within 48 hours after I told their DM what I had done.
20 Years ago when we had a mortgage I always was paid at least three months ahead. So when I sent in a payment coupon in July it was actually Novembers coupon, and so on.
One time the bank sent us a letter indicating we had not paid our last two months mortgage payments.
How could that be? Checks cleared and everything. We were 4 months ahead.
Turned out, for whatever reason, the bank was crediting our payments to someone elses account! It got straightened out but not so much as an apology letter!
Fast forward to last spring. Got a letter indicating we were 2 months behind on my wifes auto payment even though we were 3 months ahead. Same thing happened, they were crediting our payment to a different account. Guess what? IT WAS THE SAME GODDAMNED BANK! I wrote a check and paid the entire balance off and will never use them again for anything.
One of the problems is that they don’t hire problem solver types of people to field questions. In almost all the cases, the cancelation is after an appointment has been scheduled. The person usually has to fight with customers who have canceled after setting an appointment so often they get combative.
Having had to train people how to provide better customer service, it’s amazing how many people don’t think.
I believe this is relevant if a bit off the original topic:
What do you do if you want to cancel an appointment but there is no way to do so in the required timeframe?
For example, I call my doctor on Friday afternoon and make an appointment for 9AM Monday. Then I have a miraculous recovery on Saturday evening. The doctor’s office charges if you don’t cancel 24 hours prior but (of course) maintains no way to contact them for scheduling over the weekend.
I’d like to free the time and not get charged but see no way to do so.