My Experience with Australian Hotwater was average at best. I had the assigned technician arrive on time and was Polite and efficient 3
Stars. After seeing my HW Rhini Infinity 26 was 20yrs old we decided to replace the unit
This is where things went off kilter.
So the technician didn’t have the hot water unit available in his ute, fair enough Im happy to wait for someone to drop it off.
Unit is delivered and qoted around $1863 for like replacement. Only problem is the unit is Rhini 26B not Rhini Infinity 26 as they do have a few small differences.
Although unit is same internal 26L v 26L I’m told it does have other benefits like display’s temperature and looks much nicer and 12yr warranty over the 10yr warranty adds extra 2yrs compared to the B26. On the AHW website, like replacement for Infinity 26 is around $1990 im told cost will be a few hundred more for the Infinity.
After installation we couldn’t get the temperature to compare to the old unit coming out Warm only in the shower upstairs. After many attempts to correct this, we finally got the temperature up to something I’d call hot water.
Then time work out how to pay but Office is closed so im requested to provide my Debit card down for security. In good faith I did this and the price had now jumped up to over $2200 when given final price.
Considering the pipe had to be modified and new valves I accepted the price in principle when he drove off that evening but had not been given me a quote in writing to view before paying the next day.
The next day I wake to receive an email from the office 08:30 on a Saturday morning with my final quote and payment had already been deducted from my Debit card (provided as security). Only problem is Im hit with a $40 Credit card surcharge payment charge that I didn’t authorise to be paid via credit card. I never do this to avoid excessive charges but AHW are happy to process before checking if that was my preferred payment method.
I wasn’t contacted and asked how I wanted to finalise the payment giving me opportunity to Bpay with my bank costing me $0 .
Im told payment is finalised via credit and im slugged with a $40 surcharge to benefit the business so they can get money paid quickly and job finalised.
I find this concerning and not a customer service to your customer. This is wrong.
And for this reason would not use your company AHW in future.
The email response from the office when I complained was terrible stating the technician told me there would be a 2% surcharge on credit payment that I never agreed to is just gone to another level as I never agreed to settle with credit in the first place I hadn’t even been given a final quote to look over yet.
Beware of this and insist on BPay unless you have $40 (or more) 2% of total price to throw down the drain. Also replying to customer emails would be appreciated even if they are unhappy with your office service.
I gave 3 star for the technician only.
