TLDR Version: Pool contractor came out, misdiagnosed the issue, did two services they thought would fix the issue (and didn't do one of them right), and then didn't respond when I reached out multiple times for support after. Now he sent a $300 bill and is demanding I pay by tomorrow or will send to collection agency.
Long Version:
I just got back from being gone with the Army for about 9 months and have had a friend taking care of basic home maintenance, but needless to say have had a pretty big to-do list to get the house back to the condition I like it. My pool skimmer stopped working properly about 4 months ago, and I just told him to leave it off until I get back. I got back and started to work the problem.
All the basic fixes I tried and know didn't work, and I was out of ideas, so I reached out to a pool company around me with decent reviews. I called and before even getting to talk he said "hey text me" and hung up, so I texted him and never heard back.
The next day my dog starts barking and runs out to the backyard, and I go out and find a pool repairman already working on my pool pump. He apologizes and says he didn't think anybody would be home so he just "came in" and genuinely seems apologetic, and I talk him through what the issue is, how my pool isn't cleaning properly because of the skimmer, and I'm all out of ideas/wondering if I'm the problem.
He offers to attempt a basic fix that should help get the skimmer working, and the fix fits under the cost of the $150 service call, so I say cool go for it, maybe I did it wrong. He tries it, does it, and it doesn't fix the issue. He then offers to do a filter cleaning which may help, which isn't hard at all, but I figure probably needs to be done, and frankly I was doubting myself. He explains it's $135 for a filter cleaning and might fix the issue, so I agree to it and go back inside while he works. Seems like a good guy genuinely trying his best. He knocks on the door and says pool filter is clean, I don't need new filters, and he thinks it should work, and sure enough, skimmer starts to work. He leaves and says his boss will bill me. 5 minutes later the skimmer stops working again and I call the company about it, no answer, so I text.
Next day with no warning a different pool guy shows up, and primes the pump and does more basic fixes, which gets it going again. He leaves, but then 5 mins later the issue pops up again. I call, text, no response. Next day text again, no response. Next day text one last time and he finally responds and says "not sure what the issue is but I can refer you to this guy."
At this point I've busted my own butt to fix it and it turns out I had a clogged pool line and also needed new filters, the "clean" filters were completely messed up and so I spend $40 on plumbing supplies/drain bladders and $300 on new filters, which sure enough fixes the issue. Yesterday he texts me that my bill is overdue and I need to pay. I call him and he doesn't answer, so I text him why I have an issue paying the full $300. The guy proceeds to call me dishonest, that he never agreed to "clean my pool" (like that isn't what a filter does), and that I owe him $300 for service call and filter cleaning.
I tell him I'm okay paying the service call, but don't think the filter cleaning is fair since it wasn't done right and it didn't fix the issue. He proceeds to act like a toddler, refuses to answer the phone, says he wants to keep it to text "so I have everything in writing." He said he's done talking and if I don't pay by Monday he'll send it to collections. After his behavior I really really want to be difficult, but I also don't want to be dishonest and become the scum. But his communication has been awful throughout, the pool guys themselves seemed good but what they did didn't work, and when I reached out for support he blew me off but then magically starts communicating when he wants me to pay the full $300. I offered to pay the service call, and that's in writing, and he refused to even consider that.
Should I put a flaming bag of dog poop on his doorstep? Pay it and leave bad reviews?
Long Version:
I just got back from being gone with the Army for about 9 months and have had a friend taking care of basic home maintenance, but needless to say have had a pretty big to-do list to get the house back to the condition I like it. My pool skimmer stopped working properly about 4 months ago, and I just told him to leave it off until I get back. I got back and started to work the problem.
All the basic fixes I tried and know didn't work, and I was out of ideas, so I reached out to a pool company around me with decent reviews. I called and before even getting to talk he said "hey text me" and hung up, so I texted him and never heard back.
The next day my dog starts barking and runs out to the backyard, and I go out and find a pool repairman already working on my pool pump. He apologizes and says he didn't think anybody would be home so he just "came in" and genuinely seems apologetic, and I talk him through what the issue is, how my pool isn't cleaning properly because of the skimmer, and I'm all out of ideas/wondering if I'm the problem.
He offers to attempt a basic fix that should help get the skimmer working, and the fix fits under the cost of the $150 service call, so I say cool go for it, maybe I did it wrong. He tries it, does it, and it doesn't fix the issue. He then offers to do a filter cleaning which may help, which isn't hard at all, but I figure probably needs to be done, and frankly I was doubting myself. He explains it's $135 for a filter cleaning and might fix the issue, so I agree to it and go back inside while he works. Seems like a good guy genuinely trying his best. He knocks on the door and says pool filter is clean, I don't need new filters, and he thinks it should work, and sure enough, skimmer starts to work. He leaves and says his boss will bill me. 5 minutes later the skimmer stops working again and I call the company about it, no answer, so I text.
Next day with no warning a different pool guy shows up, and primes the pump and does more basic fixes, which gets it going again. He leaves, but then 5 mins later the issue pops up again. I call, text, no response. Next day text again, no response. Next day text one last time and he finally responds and says "not sure what the issue is but I can refer you to this guy."
At this point I've busted my own butt to fix it and it turns out I had a clogged pool line and also needed new filters, the "clean" filters were completely messed up and so I spend $40 on plumbing supplies/drain bladders and $300 on new filters, which sure enough fixes the issue. Yesterday he texts me that my bill is overdue and I need to pay. I call him and he doesn't answer, so I text him why I have an issue paying the full $300. The guy proceeds to call me dishonest, that he never agreed to "clean my pool" (like that isn't what a filter does), and that I owe him $300 for service call and filter cleaning.
I tell him I'm okay paying the service call, but don't think the filter cleaning is fair since it wasn't done right and it didn't fix the issue. He proceeds to act like a toddler, refuses to answer the phone, says he wants to keep it to text "so I have everything in writing." He said he's done talking and if I don't pay by Monday he'll send it to collections. After his behavior I really really want to be difficult, but I also don't want to be dishonest and become the scum. But his communication has been awful throughout, the pool guys themselves seemed good but what they did didn't work, and when I reached out for support he blew me off but then magically starts communicating when he wants me to pay the full $300. I offered to pay the service call, and that's in writing, and he refused to even consider that.
Should I put a flaming bag of dog poop on his doorstep? Pay it and leave bad reviews?
