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What to do? Bad experience with air conditioning service.

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jsaha
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What to do? Bad experience with air conditioning service.

Post by jsaha » Tue, 11 Mar 2008 8:34 pm

Has anyone got bad experience with Sky Blue Aircon?

We signed up a quarterly contract with them in mid Feb. On the first service they told us that couple of our units and condensers need chemical treat due to blockage, and resetting the faulty lights on the condensers. All of these they quoted for $600. Today, we called another aircon company (Cool Master Aircon) out to get a second opinion to see if these are correct. They found nothing wrong with the units or the condensers. They also told us that they heard a lot of people complained about Sky Blue. Cool Master Aircon didn't charge me anything for the check up. They showed me that Sky Blue didn't clean the filter and the fan coil on the unit that Sky Blue said need chemical treat (I can see the dust). This unit was leaking water and Sky Blue said it got blockage and needs chemical treat. Cool Master Aircon cleaned the unit and did the water test. They said that's all it was needed and there is no need for chemical treat. They checked the condensers and all are good.

I want to break the contract with Sky Blue on the ground that they gave me faulty diagnosis. Before I give them a call, I want to see if anyone had the same problem and whether it's too late as I already paid and signed the contract. Does Singapore has anything similar to Better Business Bureau like in the US? Any advice on how I can break the contract?

mas6zd
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CARE?

Post by mas6zd » Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:34 pm

What I've heard of for the BBB is "CARE." Don't know anything about them though, or how easy the process is.

I've also got complaints about crappy aircon services. Threaten to sue seems to work.

<rant> Singapore should stick to chili crabs and chicken rice and not bother marketing itself as a service-oriented country. This No U Turn Syndrome spells it all. </rant>

Heng Thy
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Air con services/repair

Post by Heng Thy » Sun, 13 Jul 2008 7:10 pm

My air con got some problems. It is not working now. Yesterday, I contacted First Aircon to come and check. They told me that I need to change the PC Board first before they can check and tell what are the problems. They quoted me $450 (with no warrantee) or $550 (with 3 months warrantee) for the PC Board. Just for the inspection, they charged me $40.

I would like to seek second opinion whether it is necessary to change the PC Board. I see your good comments about Cool Master's services. Can you share with me your good/bad experience with them? Or any other recommendations? Thank you.
Heng Thy

Levikane
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Post by Levikane » Sun, 13 Jul 2008 8:31 pm

Sounds like a common scam. We signed up for a contract with a company called Airecon LLP, who told me EXACTLY the same thing as you got.

Although perhaps the second aircon group just told you what you wanted to hear... Discredit the opposition? Sure.

mules
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Post by mules » Sun, 13 Jul 2008 8:41 pm

OMG, i was wondering whether anyone had the same experience with Sky Blue. we didn't sign a contract with them, but knew it was time for an aircon service and called Sky Blue. They told us the same exact issue, that they all needed chemical treatment and to be regassed it was going to cost $1500 for the 5 aircons. I agreed to 2 of them, the ones with the most usage being done and with their servicing of all the others I paid $900 all up.

A few weeks later, I was told by others in our condo thet were told the same thing and people have been paying upwards of $1000 with them. Our condo is only about 2-3 years old, so why all the aircons need such serious treatment.

About 2 months after above treatment, one of the aircons chemically treated broke down and the other one also chemically treated started leaking a few weeks after. They came out to take a look again as they were still under service warranty and told me they needed another clean (and another payment). I refused. They then said the one which had broken down needed a new computer board at a cost of $1200. I kicked them out of the apartment, rang our landlord who put us onto another company to come and take a look as to why they were leaking and not working. Both were fixed quickly at a cost to our landllord who covered it given the prior problems at $80, no new board needed.

On top of that Sky Blue stuck their stickers all over our aircons both inside the apartment and on the outside units without asking. They also spam our condo with flyers weekly.

Avoid them at all cost (literally).

Heng Thy
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Post by Heng Thy » Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:37 pm

Please do not spam the same message across multiple threads. One is sufficient. Additionally it uses up unnecessary bandwidth.

Thanks,
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Heng Thy

rob w
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Post by rob w » Mon, 14 Jul 2008 4:18 pm

Funny enough I also had problems with this company inventing work to be done. I just had a look and refused to let them do the work. after the contact was up I have just used guys on a ad hock basis.
My friend also had the same from them.
Rob

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Post by stevep0320 » Thu, 28 Aug 2008 4:27 pm

I used a company called Vtech that was exactly the same. Every time they came over they said that another unit was going to break if we didn't spend X hundreds of dollars to replace or clean or something. Still hasn't broken 9 months later. They also said that a PC board for one unit was faulty and needed replacing. $500. So we stopped using the unit. My son didn't know about it and a few months later turns the unit on and guess what? It worked. Hasn't had any problems.

I wonder if it is because living in a condo as expats, they think they can try to get away with making more money on us. I hate to think that way but it seems to be the pattern.

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sierra2469alpha
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Post by sierra2469alpha » Thu, 28 Aug 2008 4:47 pm

Interestingly, yesterday our new build apartment had it's usual "included" air con servicing. The same two guys have been doing it since we moved in. They told me that next month is the end of the contract with the building managers, so we'll then have to make our own arrangements.

Later, I had reason to go down to our management office about something, and noticed that they now have an "approved" list of air con servicing people, along with pest services, etc.

I'm wondering if the mods and regulars would like me to post the details (assuming our manager will give them to me)?

HTH, P

guitarnoise
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Post by guitarnoise » Thu, 28 Aug 2008 9:44 pm

I don't even understand the necessity of getting the air conditioners serviced all the time. No other country I've lived have the landlords insisted on it. Seems like an added expense designed to keep the landlord's equipment in top notch shape. Sure, a cleaning once a year is warranted, but 4 times a year? A once a year cleaning and I suspect the A/C would only suffer normal wear and tear. It's not like Singapore has Beijing quality air.

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Post by phil30k » Fri, 29 Aug 2008 8:17 am

A condominium's list of approved contractors are usually contractors that the managment office uses for their own equipment servicing. The good thing is that these companies have been vetted by the management office.

Also the charges are lower if the contractor services a large number of air-cons in the estate. They have lower travel costs and pass this savings to the residents.

You should call your management office and find out who maintains the air cons on the common areas and then try using the same contractor.

That aside, it sounds like the contractor charged you a low price for your maintenance and is trying to make up the lost income by charging you for "extras".

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Fri, 29 Aug 2008 9:18 am

I reckon that a list of approved by usage by expats list would be more suitable. The building managements generally uses kakis to provide the services. Kinda like a kick-back arrangement. Why do you think Blue Sky so often gets used but never anything good to say about it? I'd be a little suspect about anything recommended by other than other expats. Am I cynical? Yes. The building managements of lots of places really suck big time. I don't trust 'em at all.

Having said that, I'm more than willing to create another subheading in my links page for Aircon Servicing and well as Plumbing, Painting, Handyman services if our readers will submit their recommendations using my online submission form. :wink:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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ScoobyDoes
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Post by ScoobyDoes » Mon, 01 Sep 2008 8:03 pm

What i don't understand is why, when i was in the same apartment for the whole 5yrs of my time in KL, i needed to service the a/c only after 4-yrs and only because the gas was low and was not cooling enough, not because the units were leaking.

Here, 3-months on the nose and the units start to drop water all over the floor sending my toddler skyting from one end to the other.

What can the Malaysians do that cannot be done in Singapore?

[Rant over] ;)

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:10 pm

ScoobyDoes wrote:
What can the Malaysians do that cannot be done in Singapore?

[Rant over] ;)
Work.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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ScoobyDoes
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Post by ScoobyDoes » Tue, 02 Sep 2008 4:08 pm

Ouch

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