How long should I wait for a response from a BBB complaint?

[draggar]

Sadly I've had to file a BBB complaint against the company that made my fridge. It hasn't worked since December. They've sent two companies out about it and each time they come and "fix" it it works for a day then stops working (in a nutshell, I think something is messed up and is making it thinks it needs to be colder so it is cranked - eventually the duct from the freezer to the fridge (to cool it) gets completely filled with ice preventing any cold air getting to the fridge).

I called the mfg last Sunday and they said they would escalate it but refused to cover any food loss since they don't cover that, even in the event their own (contracted) techs haven't fixed it. I was supposed to get a call back last week on Mon or Tues - I never heard from them.

Wed. morning I filed a complaint with the BBB and they sent it off to the company later that day but I have not heard back. There is no way for me to update this with the BBB - I can only click on a link that will confirm that my issue was resolved (in a nutshell, now I'm insisting on getting my money back). Is there a normal turnaround time with something like this or is it as varied as there are companies out there (and then again, who knows if they'll even respond?).

I'm seriously debating if I should go out and buy another fridge but I think that will screw me since the company may want mine back if they do issue a refund (I highly doubt they will issue a refund, though).

[kpzra]

The company doesn't have to do anything about a BBB complaint. The BBB has no power over companys other than putting on the BBB website a mark against them for a complaint.

[Andara Bledin]

You need to find a governmental consumer advocacy agency if you want more concrete results. As mentioned, the BBB is merely informational in nature. They can pressure a company into doing the right thing to avoid a bad rating, but they have no other powers.

^-.-^

[Kittish]

The one time I took a complaint against a company to the BBB, I got a response from the company in about two weeks I think it was. While companies aren't required to respond to BBB complaints, apparently a lot of them do, though that's no guarantee that your case will work that way.

[BlaqueKatt]

The company doesn't have to do anything about a BBB complaint. The BBB has no power over companys other than putting on the BBB website a mark against them for a complaint.

and this happens only if the company pays to be a member of the BBB...

[Andara Bledin]

and this happens only if the company pays to be a member of the BBB...

No. They'll have records of complaints against non-BBB-acredited companies. Or lacks of records, for that matter. One of the two companies that I work for (one is a DBA of the other) is listed with the BBB, with currently 0 complaints for the last 3 years. They're only listed at all due to someone filing a complaint that's since fallen off the list, but they'll still retain the record they compiled when the original complaint was filed. The primary company has never had a complaint filed, so has no record in their system.

^-.-^

[Kristev]

The BBB is a group of lawyers that serve to give advice. They are not a regulatory agency. Learned that in high school economics. It surprised me.

[Salesmonkey]

This is going to be a huge hassle for you, but it may be time to file a small-claims lawsuit against them. Since they aren't escalating your problem, you may need to make yourself a bigger problem for them.

[draggar]

The BBB is a group of lawyers that serve to give advice. They are not a regulatory agency. Learned that in high school economics. It surprised me.

It's scary how many "official" agencies we think are "official" really aren't.

This is going to be a huge hassle for you, but it may be time to file a small-claims lawsuit against them. Since they aren't escalating your problem, you may need to make yourself a bigger problem for them.

I gave them another last chance today and they agreed to put in a request to replace the fridge. Hopefully the request will be approved after they see how many times it's been "fixed".

[wolfie]

Four words for you: "Implied warranty of merchantibility". Basically, you can reasonably expect a fridge to keep food cold - if it doesn't, even after repeated fixes, they should replace it.