An Elmhurst couple says they’re out more than $4,000 after hiring a well-known gutter guard company, making the couple the latest on a growing list of customers who are upset the business isn’t answering their calls or issuing refunds, NBC Chicago’s PJ Randhawa reports.
An Elmhurst couple says they’re out more than $4,000 after hiring a well-known gutter guard company, making the couple the latest on a growing list of customers who are upset the business isn't answering their calls or issuing refunds.
NBC 5 Responds finds out from former employees what might be behind the company’s silence, and reveals the signs of financial trouble they say the company ignored until it was too late.
Frank and Monica Manfredi hired Springrock Gutters last November to install gutter guards and help winterize their home.
“[They had] a lot of advertisements. And, my friend used them,” said Frank. “[They had] all good reviews.”
The Manfredi's signed a contract for $8,644 and put half of that money down. Their contract stated that installation would take between six-to-eight weeks.
By mid-December, Frank said he was unable to get in contact with anyone at the company.
“Nobody calls me back. I left my name and phone number. I went [to the Springrock office] and walked around. The trucks are all open. The building was empty,” said Frank.
NBC 5 Responds found that similar complaints began popping on Yelp and the Better Business Bureau beginning in early December.
Earlier this month, the BBB suspended the company’s accreditation for "failure to address marketplace disputes."
No Refunds
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We reached out to Springrock co-owner and manager Anita Reinke, who said that the Manfredi's will not be receiving a refund because it would violate their contract.
Reinke also states the installation dates on their contract are not guaranteed, though she will try to get them installed when she can.
NBC 5 responds couldn’t find anything in the Manfredi’s contract that indicated a refund would be a violation of their contract. But we did find the following clause, which states: “Springrock shall not be responsible for the nonperformance or delayed performance of the Job due to causes or conditions beyond its reasonable control, such as adverse weather conditions, material shortages or damage to the Property not caused by Springrock. Springrock agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to continue the performance of its obligations on a delayed schedule once such causes or conditions are removed or cease to exist.”
“These customers don't deserve this”
NBC 5 Responds tracked down the Springrock Gutter salesman who sold the Manfredi’s their gutter guards, who asked us to conceal his identity to protect his new job. He’s now running his own gutter company.
“There are hundreds of customers waiting there for their deposits, unfortunately,” said the former salesmen. “The jobs couldn't be done because either the installers weren’t getting paid or the subcontractors weren't getting paid or essentially where we get our material, [they] weren’t getting paid as well.”
Rochelle Primous ran Springrock’s call center until she left in late November, after weeks of delayed paychecks, and sometimes no pay at all.
“We didn't receive payment for November, until the first week of December. And I'm still waiting for a paycheck for the week ending on Thanksgiving,” Primous said.
Primous said she would take calls from upset customers on a daily basis who were asking for refunds or installation dates. She said she also began getting calls from with vendors and suppliers who wanted payment.
“I was starting to get calls from vendors [saying] ‘Hey, you know this is late’, ‘the rent is late’,” said Primous. “October, it started to get so bad because what's happening is I have customers calling me checking their installations. I'm e-mailing, I'm calling, I'm making excuses. And then it got to the point to where I’m onto excuse number three.”
Health Insurance: Canceled
Payroll documents show the employees paid for health insurance through the company out of every paycheck.
This led to the workers' shock when they received thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills last summer because their coverage was suddenly canceled without their knowledge.
“I had a procedure done on September the 25th. I got a bill for $6,400,” Primous said. “My coverage terminated on the 31st of July.”
“One of my kids was injured. I am still fighting that [bill] but you're looking at about $21,000,” the former Springrock salesman said.
Primous said the company did eventually pay her $6,400 bill, but documents show her health insurance coverage was terminated again without notice on Oct. 1. Primous has since filed a complaint with the Department of Labor.
“We weren't given the reasons why payroll was late, why we didn't have health insurance. We weren't given that courtesy. But our customers deserve that courtesy,” Primous said.
“I don't think it was malicious. I think she was in over her head,” Primous said.
Reinke told NBC 5 Responds that any employees owed their final paychecks will be paid, though she couldn’t tell us how soon that would happen.
She also confirms employee health insurance did lapse due last year due to "office issues", but that it only happened once. Reinke says the insurance premiums employees paid for that period will be refunded.
Getting a look behind the Springrock curtain doesn’t leave the Manfredi’s with much hope that they’ll get their money back.
If they can just get the materials, Manfredi said he can do the rest himself.
“I’ll install, that ain’t rocket science,” he said.
Monica Manfredi said she doesn’t even mind her husband, who is in his 70’s, getting on a ladder to finish the job.
“For $4,300? Yeah, he can go up on the ladder,” Manfredi said while laughing.
A full statement from Springrock manager and Springrock National LLC owner Anita Reinke can be read below:
"At Springrock, we deeply value each of our customers and are committed to delivering the best installation experience possible. We understand the Manfredi's concerns and would like to clarify that their request falls beyond the agreed terms of our contract. It's important to note that projects initiated towards the end of the season may occasionally encounter delays due to weather conditions and crew availability. This can lead to installation timelines extending beyond initial estimates. Rest assured, we are dedicated to completing the Manfredi's installation with the same high standard of quality that we have consistently provided to thousands of our valued customers over the years.
We also want to assure you that we take our employees' concerns seriously. Any mention of a pay discrepancy is being addressed with urgency, and we are continuously working to improve our back office processes. These efforts are fully supported by our management team. Regarding the insurance matter, it impacted only a small portion of our team, has been promptly rectified, and all related claims have been settled."
