About a week ago, I posted a message on this NG under the topic "Need Bathtub Drain Repair Advice." I'll quote an excerpt:
I got some good advice, and I described how I fixed the problem myself by unclogging the main wastewater drain line with really hot water and a bunch of dishwasher detergent -- like several boxes.
(BTW, this method worked better than any unplugging method I ever tried, partly because it goes right thru the traps and down to the obstruction, wherever it is. Of course, it wouldn't work on every type of obstruction. Is this a common practice?)
Anyway, I paid $200 to "Drain Patrol" for nothing. (They seem to be a Northern Caliornia regional operation.) They didn't even replace the drain basket or overflow tube cover. I think that was one more inducement for me to sign the contract for their expensive repair recommendations. I thouht about trying to get my money back, but decided against it.
Then, to my surprise, yesterday morning I found a major article in the newspaper about Drain Patrol. (The following statements are approximate.)
They did about $10,000 worth of (allegedly) unnecessary work on the wastewater drains of a little old lady who probably couldn't afford it. She happened to be a friend and neighbor of a district attorney in charge of consumer fraud prosecution and the guy knew a little about plumbing. I think he got in touch with his colleagues from other counties. An investigation ensued. It appears that Drain Patrol is in big trouble. The newspaper article described lurid allegations of grossly misleading, fradulent and coercive sales tactics, plus exorbitant charges for routine work. Their plumbers were allegedly instructed to say, "This is the worst I've ever seen," whenever possible. (Their guys said something similar to me and my wife.) At least one Drain Patrol facility (allegedly) had a "closer," i.e., a guy whose job it was to bump up the price even more, while convincing the customer to sign the contract immediately.
The tactics described were similar to those my wife and I experienced.
I called the local Drain Patrol manager and got my money back, with little dfficulty. I wasn't even rude or sarcastic. (More like polite and subtly menacing. I made the tiniest comment about having seen the newspaper article.) I figured they might not be solvent long. I imagine the company is looking at bankruptcy and I wouldn't be suprised if a few people went to jail.
I'd guess that this particular company just happened to get caught. I suspect that many of their local competitors (the other drain cleaning companies, many of them seemingly brand-name franchise operations, with double page ads in the yellow pages) engage in similar behavior. I'm not sure, though. I hope the district attorney attempted a sting operation on similar companies before all this legal action against Drain Patrol hit the newspapers.
What a world, what a world!
Comments?
Tim Miller