The Consumer Complaints Blog

I would have been sending this this email to you via my normal email address but it is DOWN! WHY because Tucows didn’t renew it automatically, didn’t tell me my domain was about expire or care enough to help me beyond bankers hours.

I have a secondary problem with hostgator.com who hosts my web sites as I gave them plenty of time to switch over the domain web hosting and they said all was in order when in fact it wasn’t. So if you look today my website and email are down. In this day and age when communication is all so easy are large companies not keeping up?

Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.

I have been in the military for 18 years and contributing to the health plan that the military has for dependants for 14 years. I have 80% coverage and always paid on time (not much choice as the DND takes the money out of your account before you even see it).

After 18 years I was offered a job at a major bank so I accepted and they have a pretty good benefits package so I figured I would take what they paid for which was 30% (nothing out of pocket). This insurance company SUNLIFE is the same as the military goes with and I must say that they are ignorant baffoons.

The first problem I ran into was when I tried to get my daughter some medication at the pharmacy. I went to pay the pharmacist and I informed her that I have two insurance plans and they are both from the same company SUNLIFE for which I should have 100% coverage, she asked who my present employer is as they must be the first to claim and guess what it comes back that the military has to be the first as SUNLIFE has input the wrong employer as the first one to make the claim, so she tries to input the same medication on my military plan first.

Well you can guess what happened – SUNLIFE has this one set up as the second one to claim so I pay out of pocket for this plan and tell her I will sort it out on by a phone call in the morning.

I call sunlife the next morning and they ask which plan I am trying to call about so I tell them both the bank and the military. They proceed to tell me that they can only handle the bank plan as the military is 2 or 3 doors down from them (2 or 3 doors not blocks or buildings but doors 100 feet away) so I ask her to make sure that the bank is my primary benefits provider so when the pharmacist inputs the medication that it will always go to the banks plan first then what every is left owing the military plan will pick up.

I thought this would have sorted everything out but guess what – nothing changed. The next time I had some medication at the pharmacy, I had to pay again but this time the pharmacist called and they told her that everything would be set up for the next time and that I should send in the receipts again and they will process it.

Well guess what, it happened again but this time they sent back a nice letter stating that I had to send it to the other door down the hall (can they not walk 100feet) and they did not send back the receipts so I had to call yet again. This time, they told me they need to get a manager as the receipts got put into another area (I suspect they moved 200 feet away to another department) well finally after I got sent the receipts (4weeks) I sent them into my other provider which is still the same company SUNLIFE and guess what – they tell me I am not covered for that part of my claim but that the other department (100feet away) will cover me for upto 30%. I ask if they can just walk the 100 feet and hand it to the department but they inform me they cant (why is 100 feet too far? You would think that working for an insurance company they would be somewhat physically fit or at least able to walk 100 feet). So I get them back in the mail and send it in again this time to the right department and low and behold they actually pay me for my claim 30%.

So, even though I have coverage for 100% I am only covered for 30%. Ok. I know what you are thinking. The military has set up their own contract with them and the bank set up their own with the same company SUNLIFE so they cover different medication and prescriptions and I agree, but I have set it up with my employer that I have dual coverage with SUNLIFE and I filled out all the proper paperwork so I would not have to go thru this but I am still fighting with them today. If they are the exact same company (listed on the TSX) why can they not punch it into their big computers and figure out that I have two coverages with them. I sent a nice letter to the company stating that it is nearly impossible to make a claim thru them (I was very diplomatic and did not swear or anything) they would not even send me a reply. I actually talked to someone who works for the company in the claims department and he mentioned they try to make it confusing so poor shmucks like me just give up. I am almost to the point where I am giving up, I can fight the Taliban, or in Croatia and never give up but try to fight the insurance companies for money that is rightfully mine will take a coalition of all allies to beat that one.

thanks
Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.

An update to this complaint was sent to us by the writer:

There’s a happy ending to my story! I followed up on the customer service email address you gave me. They quickly sent me a message confirming that the Ottawa hotel management would be in touch. Franco the General Manager of the Ottawa Hilton Garden Inn called me to apologize–he was very kind. He also said that the hotel would be purchasing robes and travel kits, and would have combs available for purchase. He also arranged for a refund on my travel and offered me another night at his hotel to stay as he guest. I was so delighted! All’s well that ends well. And that conversation was true to my expectations of the Hilton brand.

Thanks for your help Nick!

====================================================
And for the original complaint:

Thanks for your website, which I read about in the Globe and Mail today. I thought I would share my experience of last week.

I had a day of meetings in Ottawa and, as I usually do, I arrange to fly in from Toronto early in the morning and fly out in the early evening. I arrived to the airport for my return flight to Toronto only to be told that no planes were flying out due to fog. My flight was re-scheduled for the next morning. The airline staff told me that there are no hotels connected to the Ottawa airport, but there is a free shuttle to the Hilton Garden Inn.

I arrived there with no luggage but assumed that they would be able to take care of me by
providing me with some necessities–things that I’ve been able to get at other hotels when I’ve forgotten an item.

The Hilton Garden Inn had a very limp toothbrush and toothpaste for me. They had no combs
so I decided I would shower and not wash my hair, but there was no shower cap. I didn’t have any clothes except the suit I was wearing, so I requested a bathrobe. They don’t have bathrobes at the Hilton Garden Inn. I was hoping to replace my pantyhose, which had a run,
but there was no tuck shop on site and the only store nearby, I was told, was a five minute drive away–I didn’t have a car and it was nasty weather. The movie channel in my room didn’t work, and the next morning, everyone seemed to get a newspaper outside their door but me. When I checked out and mentioned the details of my unpleasant stay, I was told that this class of Hilton did not provide these items. So much for the poor traveller who ends up combing her hair with a toothbrush, and wrapping a blanket around herself in her cold room
while watching tv.

It was a dispiriting time to begin with, not being home with my family as planned, and the hotel made it worse. It would have taken so little to make time easier. In fact, it was a missed opportunity to make me a fan of the Hilton. I won’t be returning, even with my
luggage.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.

Consumers need as many forums to share their customer service complaints as
possible and the addition to others such as Ellen Roseman’s at the Star can
only help get the word out about Companies that appear more concerned about
the bottom dollar than ensuring their products last a reasonable time, or
address known defects and issues with consumers interests at heart.

I offer the example of Samsung Canada‘s refusal to support owners
experiencing a KNOWN issue (on/off clicking at power up, created by faulty
capacitors including #CM852 & CM853, and possibly others on the power supply
board) by repairing the defective units.

Initially Samsung denied the existence of the problem or indicated “We have
confirmed with our Quality Control department that the model you own does
not exhibit any widespread issues that may cause concerns.” Denying it
became more difficult when faced with the evidence of numerous internet
reports by owners and when I noted one of their own Samsung repair techs
started a forum discussion on CNET and initiated a 50 customer investigation
in September 2009 to determine why the capacitors are failing in a variety
of Samsung LCD Tv models, often shortly after warranty expiry.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-13973_102-0.html?threadID=357687
Some owners have been successful in getting Samsung to repair the problem
but in Canada, the Office of the President’s rep Ahmed Yahiouche states “Our
decision will stand,” in response to a request that his superior review the
claim since based on how he handled the claim, it appears he didn’t bother
reading the claim to learn we were out of warranty when we initiated it, yet
he proceeded to request information to consider the claim, and then denied
it ‘due to the expiry of your limited warranty’.

His office has been provided the links to the CNET Samsung Tech’s thread,
where it is acknowledged a widespread problem with Samsung TV’s exists.
Ripoffreports where another owner received a similar cut and paste
response from him months earlier, and other forums discussing the on/off
issue.

Samsung has failed to acknowledge there is an implied product warranty and a
reasonable expectation that their products last more than a few months
beyond the 1 year warranty…or perhaps Samsung does only expect their
product to last just beyond the one year manufacturer warranty and owners
are unreasonable in their expectation?

All imo (in my opinion).

Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.

At the end of December, we received an update on this complaint. Here’s the update:
I received a bill from Enbridge this morning. It would seem that this matter has not been resolved despite promises from both Enbridge, Direct Energy and the energy Obudsman.

In June of this year we sold our house and purchased a new home. Unfortunately our new home would not be ready until October. Due to the delay we had to rent an apartment and were unable to transfer any of the companies with which we were dealing to represent us in our new home. I contacted all of the companies (hydro, gas, banks) and explained the situation. In July I received a final bill from Enbridge. Aside from the usual charges we were charged an additional 383.53 as cancellation charges. These charges pertained to our Home heating and cooling protection plan.

I called the company and tried to speak to a representative about the charges. I was told to call Direct Energy as they handle all of the billing for Enbridge. I then called Direct Energy and spoke to a representative. I explained the situation and the rep. Elizabeth agreed that we were billed in error (the amount represented the remaining charges as we were not going to keep the heating and cooling plan for a year). The representative agreed that we had been paying the monthly fee for 10 years, and rarely used the plan. Elizabeth also agreed that we should not be committed to paying fees for a service we would not be using and that nowhere in our agreement did it state that should we cancel that we had to pay a for a year in advance. Elizabeth gave be a PR # TEMINO and told me that we would be credited the $387.53 on our next bill in August.

In August I was surprised to see that our account was not credited. I called Direct Energy, explained the situation to Amanda an executive officer. She checked our file, agreed that a mistake had been made and re-assured me that Direct Energy would contact Enbridge and that the amount would be credited to that account.

In September I received a letter from Enbridge saying that our account was passed due and that our names would be sent to a collection agency. I tried once again to explain the situation to the Enbridge rep. Pashoy employee # 660059 who in turn told me that there was nothing they could do that the information had to come from Direct Energy. I then called Direct Energy and spoke to Amanda Ross, another executive officer. I again explained our situation, was told once again that our account would be credited and that the credit would be reflected on our November account. Imagine my surprise when I opened the bill from Enbridges saying this is a final notice, and that our name would be place in collection if the bill was not paid. We now owe $411.57 because of additional interest charges for late payment.

I called and spoke to Donavan employee # 32585. I again explained the situation to Donavan. Donavan in turn told me ‘not to worry that if our name was place in collection that they -Direct Energy’ would do everything possible to help! I was not happy with his answer. Dovan assured me that he would look in to the matter and call me back within 24 hours. It has been 24 hours and I have not heard from Donovan nor any other representative from Direct Energy.

In the end I am absolutely disgusted with the treatment we have received at the hands of both Direct Energy and Enbridge. It would appear that there is no longer any such thing as ‘customer service’. It would seem that being very good customers for 10 years holds absolutely no significance to either company.

What can I do?

Where do you go from here.


Disclaimer
This article was submitted by one of our readers. Penciltrick cannot make any claims as to its authenticity but the article was accepted on a good faith belief that it is an accurate and truthful account of the events listed.