We Don’t Call Him Mister

I don’t use my media platforms to take public revenge out on companies that give us less than stellar service. I try to settle things the old fashioned way, with communication and negotiation. But there comes a time when explaining an unresolved issue becomes a public service and we’ve reached that point with our sewer pipe problem of this past spring. 

Sewage was getting hung up in our pipes and causing a backup into our basement shower. An expensive dig of our front lawn and jackhammered hole in our basement later, the problem was even worse. The backup occurred the following morning in our laundry room. An unpleasant standoff followed in which the company wanted more money and I refused to pay. For no further investment they dug again and there hasn’t been an issue since.

Although we appear to be able to flush without worry, I’m a deeply unsatisfied customer. Never along the way did anyone take responsibility for not fixing the problem with one dig, as promised. I had to have rather unpleasant words with a very uncomfortable plumber before the problem was rectified at their expense. There were indications along the way that indicated they hadn’t done a proper job in the first dig, as evidenced by its failure. But my biggest problem is that all along they were only too happy to put a camera down the pipes and show us what was going on. But once the final job was done, they slipped away, never to be seen again. My letter to the franchise owner went unanswered. I asked for nothing more than a peek down the pipes via their special camera. I’ve been ignored.

Do not hire Mr. Rooter of London for such a big job. Their years of experience and good reputation as a company do not necessarily apply to every outlet. It is entirely possible that we will never again have a plumbing problem because of their fine work fixing their not-as-fine work. But all I asked for was proof and it was not provided. And that’s why we refuse to call them Mister. They are just Rooter to us.