Blankenship Mechanical, LLC

Mark Blankenship was great to work with! Cleaned up after himself everyday, arrived when he said he would. His helper was out sick with the flu so Mark did the work alone and worked very hard. He explained everything very clearly to us and answered every question we had. I got estimates from 5 different hvac companies and Blankenship was right in the middle of the others but offered a better warranty on their labor. City inspector approved everything and said it was a job well done. A/C had been working great so far!

On June 5,  2015 I attempted to log in to Angie's List "Big Deal" HVAC $109.00 spring tune up with Blankenship Mechanical.  System problems (Angie's or my computer) prevented me from sending my order.  I telephoned Mark Blankenship and explained I wanted to place the Big Deal offer but couldn't get through to Angie's List.  He informed me that he was having relationship difficulties with Angie's but would honor the $109.00 amount for the tune up.  We agreed on a date of June 12 to perform the work at my home.  Shortly after hanging up the phone I received a "You Purchased a Deal" Email from Angie's list dated June 5 confirming my $109.00 HVAC Inspection - Coupon code HVAC-2041682-1.  When Blankenship arrived on June 12 I reminded him of our conversation regarding his problems with Angie's List and showed him a copy of my Angie's List Purchase summary with open order number 2041682- 1.  I told him that I was in need of a reliable HVAC contractor to perform spring and winter tune ups on my system.  He explained that Angie's List was getting too expensive for his business and he wasn't getting enough referrals.  He offered that if I paid him directly ($109.00) for today's work he would offer me a discounted amount ($90.00) for the fall tune up to be scheduled at a later date.  He performed the June 12 spring tune up satisfactorily and I wrote him a check for ($199.00) and we agreed to talk in the fall. I informed him before he left that since Angie's List had issued an order number for my Big Deal on June 5 it was very possible that a charge might also appear on my credit card statement for $109.00 in a subsequent month.  He said that if that occurred he would personally handle it with Angie's List.  On my July credit card statement a charge of $109.00 from Angie's List dated June 5 appeared (See - You Purchased a Deal dtd June 5 above).  Blankenship had not taken care of it as he said he would.  He has not taken care of it to date. I paid my full credit card statement amount on July 17 in order to protect my relationship with Angie's List and my credit card company.  So, I have paid order 2041682 twice, Once to Angie's List 7/17 and once to Blankenship directly 6/12.  I informed Blankenship of this in my Email of 8/27. Silence. 

I now need help from Angie's List Complaint Resolution team.  If you have forwarded payment to Blankenship based on my credit card payment to you, then you have paid him as well.

I have written Blankenship a detailed letter on November 19 documenting these events and requesting payment of $199.00 by December 7. Silence.  The $199.00 is arrived at as follows: duplicate $109.00 payment to Angie's List.  My check  #1688 dated 7/17. (He said he would handle that if it occurred.  It did).  $90.00 discounted payment on  My check #1676 dated June 12 for winter tune up service which I have cancelled with my November 19 letter.

I hope Angie's list can help get some of this resolved. I will accept a $109.00 credit on my credit card from Angie's list as part of the solution.  If there is still a problem with the remaining $90.00 I am forced to seek a remedy from Chesterfield County, Va. Small Claims Court.  I truly want to avoid this considering the dollar amount involved ($90.00) and the fact that I will have to be continually referring to Angie's List ("You Purchased a Deal" document and the Angie's list line item of $109.00 on my confidential paid July credit card statement). I have a copy of the cancelled check dated June 12 to support my payment to Blankenship and his deposit of the check.

Well, you've got all the details!  There is still a possibility that this is a major misunderstanding on Blankenship's part.  He is a pleasant young man with a good presentation.  There is no excuse for poor follow up and silence, however, perhaps thinking the problem will go away.  I have demonstrated more than a reasonable amount of patience and time to a young man attempting to start a small business.  Ethics, promises to customers and proper paperwork processing are essentials for success.

I am a retired white haired CPA who practiced for almost 40 years.  I know nothing of HVAC work.  I do know accounting, auditing, accounting systems, and order processing.  I rely heavily on the quality of Angie's List contractors. Together, to date this has helped me to avoid the "Slick Willies" in the field.

When you have read this please give me a call with the results of your interview with Blankenship.  There is still a matter of an $89.00 check he promised to send me.  He never did.  I don't want it.  In all the above numbers $89.00 never appears.  He also spoke of a Dominion Power of Virginia rebate I was entitled to for the tune up on June 12.  He would send me the filled in forms when he got back to his office.  In August he called me requesting serial numbers for the outside heat pump and inside garage unit so he could work on the Dominion project.  I Emailed that information to him on 8/27. Silence. In my November 19 letter I told him to forget the entire Dominion matter.

Thank you for your attention.  I know there is a lot of detail but I've got to start the process.

Ken MacDonald

6208 Forestwood Court

Midlothian, Virginia 23112

804 639 5512

[email protected]

  

I signed up for a deal on Angie's List but did not get a response from company.
email received on 7/27
I apologize for the delayed response, we have not been active
participants of Angie's list for sometime and I did not see your request
until they reached out to me. If you are still interested in our
services, we would be more than happy to help you.

Made one adjustment to better drain water from A/C.  Discussed major adjustments needed to better heat and cool bedroom over two car garage.  More details and cost estimates provided in the fall.

unknown

Great service! Very friendly and came over right after I called. Fixed the problem quickly and taught me some preventative measures to take in the future. Highly recommended.

We were satisfied.

.

unknown

He found and fixed the problem very quickly. Mark Blankenship works for himself and he is wonderful. I don't believe that his basic charge includes any gas and he was willing to travel 30 miles for the job. It is a miricle to find someone that knows what he is doing and doesn't overcharge.