Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/17/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My daughter's bedroom had water intrusion from the recent hurricanes. I needed Sleuth to come out and diagnose the leak. I needed them to tell me where the water was coming in from and what would need repair in order to fix the issue.The tech came out, sprayed my house for a few minutes, then told me I had a leak.I already knew water was coming in. Thanks Sleuth. Here's $425. I am no better off after having paid them $425.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/23/2024

  We were hired to determine why the customer was having water damage inside of their home in their daughter's bedroom during/after the recent hurricane. As of this written response, we have supplied a written report (with photos) detailing why the water is entering the customers home adjacent to the affected area, and even conducted a water test to confirm the intrusion occurring through the areas we pointed out to the customer on site and in the report. When we water tested the areas we suspected as being the entrance point for water during heavy rain, water quickly began entering into the home on the floor where the customer had seen damage after the storm. We took photos of this and documented it on our report. 
  The ability of our technician to quickly identify and confirm the source of the water intrusion should not be held against him, as some leaks are easier to find than others, but we in no way fell short of providing the service we were hired to complete. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/10/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Sleuth Leak Detection said my pipe leak was in guest bedroom. Plumber came and ripped up flooring and jackhammered big hole in concrete as Sleuth told them to. Wrong room! No leak in guest bedroom. It was really 2 rooms away. Sleuth did refund their fee but they refuse to reimburse me the $470 it cost me to fix the damage done in the wrong room. I am not including what it actually cost me to fix the leak in the right room. Please help.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/11/2023

  
  We were called out to locate a water leak. The plumber exposed the manifold and showed our technician. Our technician had reason to believe the pipes were sleeved. Additionally, the flooring in part of the house was free floating. Our technician discussed with the plumber (who was on-site)that part of the free floating flooring would need to be pulled to obtain better sounds. The combination of the suspected, sleeved pipes and observed free floating flooring makes sound travel in a more complex manner; hence,removing part of the free floating flooring helps in the investigative process and is a typical request by our technicians. Furthermore, the plumber reported a previous patch to the piping within the room of the free floating flooring. Our technician recommended to the plumber to check the reported patch work since the free floating flooring would be removed in that area and if the leak was on the patch work, we would not need to return. A leak on a patch is not unusual, and the plumber agreed with our technician. Per our policy our technician notified the plumber and customer to notify us immediately if they are unable to locate a leak at the reported previous patch work, and we would come back out with part of the free floating flooring removed to further investigate with better sound. We received no phone calls from the plumber and/or customer updating us on the situation. Apparently, there was reportedly no leakage at the previous patch work and a leak was found in an adjacent room.We were never called back out to the property after the free floating flooring was partially removed and the reported previous patch work examined. We refunded the customer in full for our service. The customer is asking us to refund the expense of removing the free floating flooring/examination of the previous patch work. Our policy is clear that prep work may be required prior to an additional visit by the technician and that the customer is responsible for all damage incurred or costs to restore the affected items. The investigative work related to the patch work was agreed to by both the plumber and the customer. Unfortunately, there were reportedly multiple leaks on this property. We were never given the chance to further investigate the situation after the requested flooring removal. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/12/2023

   
  Complaint: 20290685
  
  I am rejecting this response because I was not party to the talk between the  plumber and technician in the wrong room. I was not told pulling up the floor was prep work and, in fact, was done after the technician erroneously pinpointed wrong area! I was never told to place another call.

  There was absolutely no sign of water or water damage in wrong room. Floor and baseboards were clean and dry. No mold or rot on baseboards. Entire room exceptionally clean as it had been restored after its leak only 10 months ago.  There was, however, water damage 2 rooms away at actual water leak area. Signs of mold on baseboard and thats the room where i cleaned up the water. The fact that the technician thought there were sleeved pipes is admitting error on their part.  The fact that they refunded their fee is admitting error on their part.  They were so totally wrong.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On June 23, 2022, Sleuth came to my home at my request as water was gathering at my front door. The technician walked through the entire house. He told me the leak was under a certain tile at the front door. Well since that was where anyone could see the water gathering at that location he was not much of a sleuth. He then informed me there was nothing he could do to stop the leak. When I asked why he told me that 90% of Sleuth's business comes from insurance companies. Since I had no replacement tile he told me I probably could file a claim with my insurance company and they would have to replace the entire floor. He went on to say the insurance company would then call Sleuth to regain the money they paid on my claim. To quote him, "No way are we going to do anything to piss off an insurance company." I couldn't believe my ears. I said to him so I'm left with water bubbling up from the floor. Pretty much so he said and then asked for payment. I stupidly wrote him a check for $350. I had to wait 3 days before I could get a plumber to come out. Once they took up the tile in question there was water but not where the leak was. It was just where the water was collecting. The actual leak was in the footer. Therefore, Sleuth did not detect my leak. The plumbers did once they cut into the wall and the footer. Since sleuth did not perform their function as advertised I called them, I spoke to a woman who answered the phone. She told me she couldn't help me. She transferred me to a manager. After some discussion, he told me the issue was above his paygrade and would have the owner call me. After 2 days and no call from the owner, I put a stop payment on the check I wrote for $350. Sleuth has now billed me a $65 collection fee and a $45 banking fee in addition to the $350. I hope the BBB can help me get Sleuth to admit their lack of service and professionalism and stop trying to collect monies for services not rendered.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/18) */ We were called out to locate a water leak. The technician located the leak and marked it with yellow tape. The leak was within our "target accuracy" range. Most leaks are under a typical 4" concrete slab, and clear of any obstructions are considered standard excavations that our technician can perform for a fee. Sleuth's policy is not to break a tile unless the homeowner has a replacement. Leaks that involve unusually thick concrete, footers, obstructions, or certain other materials, objects, or conditions, constitute non-standard excavations. Unfortunately, the leak was in the footer and was a more complex repair for the plumber. We completed the service we were hired to do and are entitled to our payment and to recoup all fees incurred. I've attached a photo where the technician marked the leak and our customer handout. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/08/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Sleuth did not locate the leak. As they show in the photo they attached to their repsonse they located the tile where the water was collecting, not the source of the water, i.e., the leak which was behind the wall. I don't see any of their yellow tape on the wall. I offered a replacement tile acceptable to me even though not an exact match to the exisiting tile. Sleuth refused to use the replacement tile I offered and was happy yo use. I never received a phone call from the owner as promised to discuss this matter. I never received a response to my letter offering that I pay $175, half Sleuth's fee, since they did not find the leak. See attached. I'm still willing to pay $175 to resolve this matter even though Sleuth failed to meet its obligations.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/09/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I hired Sleuth Leak Detection to check my home for water leaks as i had redone my kitchen and added a master suite and wanted to ensure everything was done properly. They sent a very young technician on 5/20/22. He spent less than 10 minutes in my home. Looked under my sink stated we had a blockage then called me for payment and left my property. He was NOT a plumber. They did NOT perform the service I paid them for. I called this company for a refund and was told by their office manager they were keeping the payment. Again they did NOT perform the service i paid for. I contacted my bank and told them what happened. They rescinded the payment. Now they are threatening me with a construction lien. I contacted this company yesterday and again today. I was told they will not do anything for me and that they expect payment for a service they did not provide. My bank released payment to them on 7/17/22. They now want to be paid again!!! This is wrong! These people are thieves and blackmailers!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/18) */ We were called out to locate a water leak. The homeowner said he had water coming out from under his cabinets and needed to find the leak. We arrived at his home at 10:13 am and departed at 11:27 am (all of our trucks are equipped with GPS). The technician located the source of the problem (see attached photo). Unfortunately, the problem was a backup of the sink drain. Water is coming out of plumbing under the sink and vent under the sink inside the cabinet. The water is leaking from backup and traveling under the cabinet. Also noted is water inside the tube that dishwasher lines run through to get to the center island. Based on the complaint, he is upset because he called a leak detection company rather than a plumber. Sleuth is a leak detection company only. We do not offer repairs. The credit card company reversed his payment on 7/21/22. Sleuth was notified of the chargeback on 7/29/22 and filed the appropriate paperwork to support our services. As of the date of the complaint, we have not been reimbursed by the credit card company. I've attached a photo of the leak and our customer handout. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/08/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) i called a leak detection service because i wanted my whole house detected for leaks not just the kitchen sink. i added two additions to my home including a master bath and i wanted to make sure everything was water tight. i paid for a whole house leak detection. it was not done. he spent less than 10 minutes in my home then he went out front to call his office then he called me for payment. he waited at my property until payment was made to his office as i was driving and was not home. their gps will not show how long he spent in my home. he did not check my whole house for leaks bottoms line which is what i paid $350 for. the technician is not a licensed plumber he doesn't have training to detect any blockage. my plumber had already told me there was no blockage in my line so their technician was wrong. no one should be paid $350 and not do what they were paid for! i want a refund!