I can’t recall ever writing about a bad product, service, or company because it’s unusual for me to do so, as I believe in supporting businesses and giving others the benefit of the doubt.
Before I begin, I’d like to express my gratitude to the last technicians team (main-con assigned by COURTS) that arrived on May 13, 2022 for the repair and piping replacement work; their professionalism, helpfulness and sharing of good technical knowledge, were greatly appreciated.
***************
Purchased a system 3-unit Mitsubishi air conditioner from COURTS at the end of September 2021, and I had it installed about a week later.
The air conditioning piping began to leak water at the end of the third month, December 2021.
Contacted COURTS customer service via Facebook messenger, told them something wasn’t right and that the contractor didn’t do a proper installation job, and suspected they didn’t replace all of the piping that was supposed to be included in the purchase order.
COURTS customer service arranged for three different contractors/technicians to come down, but all of them did the same things and made the same statements to me.
1. Nothing was done other than opening the white trunk box and pointing out the obvious problems.
2. Insisted there was nothing wrong, claiming that all piping had been replaced and that everything was fine, including the serious condensation and water leakage, which were NORMAL.
3. Said if I’m concerned about water leakage, I can just open the white trunk box on a daily basis to mop dry the piping myself.
4. Blamed me for not upgrading the installation package when I made the purchased and with an extra $240 to get a better quality piping to be used.
5. Blamed me for turning on the air conditioner in the afternoon even if it’s just once a week, because Singapore’s hot weather causes condensation and water piping leakage issues.
6. Requested that I should refrain from complaining, debating, or arguing with them because the air conditioning and installation were flawless.
7. Claimed that all current air conditioners on the market are the same, and that all clients who have installed air conditioners are experiencing the same problems.
***************
Getting nowhere, I approached CASE for help. CASE, unfortunately, cannot provide much assistance other than emails and possibly a few phone calls as a chaser. Nonetheless, I appreciate their assistance.
Thereafter, I consulted three third-party air conditioning technicians with at least 8-15 years of experience, and they all gave the same advice.
1. It is impossible for a new air conditioning piping to have such extreme water condensation and leakage as what I was experiencing.
2. Either the installation was not completed correctly somewhere along the way…
3. Or the piping has some serious issues.
4. Turning on the air conditioner in the afternoon will certainly result in some water condensation, but not until the extend I’m facing, especially the air conditioner is new and from a reputable brand like Mitsubishi.
**************
COURTS denied all my complaints submitted to CASE with photos as proof, refused to accept returns and refunds, and refused to repair or replace all piping as proposed by me.
Finally, I gave up fighting against due to extreme stress as the water condensation began to attract ants and insects all over the place. I reluctantly agreed to pay an additional $240 to end the nightmare.
The last technicians team arrived on May 13th, 2022, and replaced all piping. I finally got a chance to see the inner copper piping and realized the first contractor did not replace the old ones, which were already 6 years old and rusted with possible fine cracked lines that had caused the old air conditioner piping leaking previously, which was the reason I decided to purchase the new aircon.
Sent all photos as proof to CASE again, asked for further advice due to mental stress over past many months and the unfair trade practice by COURTS as well their dishonest first contractor (probably a sub-con).
However, I am not optimistic because, as a member of the general public, with no technical background, legal knowledge, or wealth to pursue further against a large corporation and a mega retailer, my chances of obtaining fair trade treatment are slim to none.
***************
The main purpose of this post is to share my stressful situation, in which I broke down and cried several times during the night, feeling helpless and lost as an individual.
The extra $240 was never a large sum and was certainly affordable for everyone or most; it is the principle of not wanting to be bullied and stepped on.
Though this incident may or may not happen to other people, I hope my personal experience informs people in case they encounter it in the future.
