VacuVent review: Bad service

i ordered (and paid for) a washable electrostatic air filter from VacuVent (based in Palm Bay, FL) back on August 28, 2009. i was told that it should arrive in about 2 weeks.

2 months later and out $150, i still had no filter. when i called thier 800 number i was told that the company was severely backlogged and was waiting to receive the necessary materials to make more filters. but they would "put my name on the top of the list" to get a filter.

2 & 1/2 weeks later, still no filter. meanwhile, during all of this time that i've been out $150 and should have had a washable filter, i've still been buying disposable filters costing $15 - $20 per month because...well, we've got to have air filters! when i called the 800 number this time, i was told the exact same thing as the previous time. when i suggested that VacuVent offer me a partial refund as compensation for the $30 - $40 that i spent on disposable filters that i shouldn't have needed, they said that they'd have an administrator call me within 24 hours

when that call didn't come, i called back and was once again handed the same excuses about being backlogged. in every single phone call, they seemed to think that the whole "we're backlogged" excuse should make me happy and that i shouldn't mind waiting indefinitely for something i'd already paid for. tired of dealing with their crap, i told them to cancel the order and give me a refund. but of course, the people on the phones "can't do that", and they'd "have a supervisor call me within 24 hours".

when that call didn't come, i filed a complaint with the BBB. the BBB says to give them 30 days before contacting them about your case, so i did. those 30 days were almost up when, today, our washable electrostatic air filter finally arrived.

and wouldn't you know it, despite a technician having taken measurements of our central air intake, despite the filter allegedly being "custom made", the thing doesn't fit. it's too small, and there's a big gap at the top.

so once again, i called VacuVent. they apologized and said they'd see about getting the technician to come out and measure again, but frankly, i'm sick of dealing with them, and, in more polite terms, i said so. i'd already waited 3 months longer than i should have to get this filter, so i can only assume that if they have to measure and place an order again, that i'll be waiting another 3 to 4 months, still out $150, to get a filter that i can actually use. 3 months was ridiculous. 6 would be absolutely unacceptable. i let them know that i'd be happy to mail back the filter, and that rather than waiting months for a new filter, i just wanted a refund. i was promised that i would receive a call from a "Stacy" in administration by 5.

no great surprise, 5 has come and gone, both in my time zone and theirs, and no phone call. the administration is either non-existent or completely apathetic. seriously, these guys are utterly inept and apparently perfectly happy that way.

it is also worth noting that if you look on the Better Business Bureau's web site, you'll see that VacuVent had their BBB Accreditation revoked on October 23, 2009 "due to failure to cooperate with the BBB on advertising matters". they also have a grade of "F", the lowest possible grade the BBB can give.