Kinetico water softner complaint

ComplaintsHome & GardenKinetico water softner

Complaint

0
Jean S
Country: United States
Hello, I had a water softner rep. come to my home and sell me a water softner with a 3 month trial, if I was not satisfied they would take the unit back and I would owe nothing. The cost of the unit was $ 2,900.00 I told them I would pay it in full at the end of the 3 months if it really made my clothes softer, use less laundry soap, shampoo etc. and my dishes and silverware would not have any more spots, not to mention I would get a free year's supply of cleaning and soap products.

After a few weeks I noticed the same spots, didn't use any less soap etc. and my family hated the "slimy" feeling we had when we took showers. I called them and requested for the unit to be removed as I never rec'd the free products, and it did not perform as I was told.

I did pay them $900.00 in full for the faucet and the purifier under my sink. I never rec'd phone calls back, I wrote them letters to remove it and I was not going to pay for it. A man from their company came out and added more salt to the unit (even though they said it would last 4 months, this was only a month later) and when I came home from work I found the hose running all over my yard!! I lost thousands of gallons of water and have the bill to prove it. I called them explaining why he came out and what happened with the hose, again they never called me back.

I continued sending letters, I had an Attorney write them as well as the better business beauro and they continue to have a collection company call me as they placed me in a finance company to pay for the unit at a high interest rate without my knowledge!! Now it went on my credit report saying I owe them over $ 3,400.00!!

The unit is still sitting there, we never used it as it was defective since the water hose just lays there and when it runs it drains the water out from my house since it is hooked into the main water valve not to mention even if it didn't drain the water it still did not do what he said it would do. I showed them in good faith by sending them the $900.00 since the water from the sink filter they installed actually did make a difference by paying for that.

This company is really a scam and I still am trying to get this removed
from my credit report as well as all the collection calls I receive daily, I just want them to take this unit back and be done with it. This was installed in May or June of 2006.

Comments

  • 0
    LindaO
    How does the Kinetico Water Softener compare with other brands? I was told not to buy a salt-based system. Is Potassium really any better? I would like to get away from the problem of having to deal with bags of stuff. Also,it sounds as if the company is making a lot of money on service calls.
  • 0
    TMan
    After reading all these posts, I am going to be buying a Kinetico next week, and I am replacing a 23 year old Culligan Mark VIII that has worked great all these years, but the main valve on the top finally gave up the ghost yesterday.  I am on city water in S CA and my wife and I have always loved soft water.  Called the local Culligan rep in the Inland Empire, got lousy telephone service, said they could not come out for about 2-3 days, would charge me about $140 + parts to come out.  I checked with a Culligan salesman that I had met at the County Fair, and he told me that that valve is no longer available, that I would be wasting $140 to have the guy come out and tell me that.  CULLIGAN IS NOW OWNED BY THE CHINESE AND ALL UNITS ARE NOW MADE IN CHINA.  Well, that answered my question (along with the lousy phone service) about going again with Culligan, which is a shame, since I thought they had a great product at one time.

    Kinetico is giving me a great price, with a de-chlorinator pre-filter, and I love the non-electric and the idea that it uses so much less salt.  I will let you know how the system works.
  • 0
    Renee
    We just bought the Kinetico system for under our sink and soft water unit in our garage and paid over $5600 for it.  Also had installed an insinkerator and was told it usually would cost $800-900 for the unit but he would sell it to us for $400.  I check with Home Depot and this same unit cost under $300.  First time I took a shower the hot water did not stay hot very long.  I called the guy (son of the owner) and he has not called us back.  I sure hope I don't have all the problems of those above.  Also were told it would take 4 hours to install, the guy was at our house for 8 hours, way too long for us to watch someone in our house.
  • 0
    B-rad
    Had Kinetico system for 12 yrs works well with chlorine pellet sentry on well with 21 grains of hardness, very little salt , problems twice solvled easily. Iron bacteria and smell gone when working good.
  • 0
    Brewmaster N8
    MY roomate and I bought one of these systems. It was like 3-4 grand total. They threw in the 5 year soap supplies.
    Everything is fine.
    The way the system works is every so often after so many gallons have passed through the tank, a salt brine rinses the resin in the tank and since you dont want salt water in your tap water the system flushes the brine out a hose into the yard away from septic and well areas.
  • 0
    letti
    | 1 reply
    I have a few issues...first i have tried to contact my sales person never got a call back then i caled
    left a few msg at the office and never got a call back...so today i called spoke to an operator
    she said that i must make my june payment before they can come out to fix anything....i said really wow i thought they would want to take care of the customer since all i got was stories....i have to kp putting salt and also the other unit under the counter stops working every so often...i then said how can i return the unit she said you cant u must pay the $6.000 dollars then return it....
    so now im trying to reach cooperate .....does anyone have any solutions please????


    thank u
    • 0
      benjammin replies to letti
      the financing option made you the easy prey!  i sold kinetico for over a decade and that is what they want you to go down for.  all you are focusing on is the monthly payment and when can it get installed rather than reaching into your pocket or saving for it.  they love to [***] you.  when are you people going to see that you need to listen and deal with the local honest guy who is genuine and not just another sales contest winner.
  • 0
    etop8222
    I just had my Kinetico 2040  installed 2 hours ago with the ball valve bypass. Included were 200 lbs of salt and a $100. gas gift card.  I used a local Kinetico installer and it took about 3 hours.
  • 0
    awc222
    | 1 reply
    When they say you will use less soap, that means you have to use less soap. It serves no purpose to overuse the soap and then claim you didn't save any soap. I can't believe you had the same spots with the softener as before the softener.
    • 0
      shadesofgreen replies to awc222
      Maybe they forgot to clean off the sports from before the softener was installed!  LoL Good point about the soap...  It's not gonna put the soap back in the container for you if you pour too much.
  • 0
    Tom M
    We have owned a Kinetico for 24 years without one service call.  We are on a well, not city water.  For us, the sales pitch that it doesn't use electricity is somewhat irrelevant, no electricity, no well pump and no water so it really doesn't matter much.  For a family of 3 we use a 40 lb bag of salt every 2-3 weeks.  That seems reasonable to me.

    After 24 years the softener will need to be replaced within the next few weeks.  After a lot of use, the beads start breaking down and provide a greater restriction to water flow.  Turn on several faucets and eventually water will just trickle out.  Hope this helps.
  • 0
    Craig M
    The Fleck head on my dual-tank water softener just busted.  Been having issues trying to resolve the 2 new heads they just put one, neither worked.  I gather Fleck (Pentair) heads are not good.  They sell a lot, but might does not make right.  I was thinking of a kinetico system.  My water is 100 grains hard.  So I don't like to be without a water softener.   I am anxious about spending so much for another 2 tank system when the head on this one simply needs fixed.
  • 0
    Stace Carpenter
    For the record.....that slippery feeling when you bathe/shower is caused from the calcium being removed from the water. Hence, when your pores aren't clogged...and your skin can actually act as it should w/out dissolved rock hindering it's ability.. the oils actually secrete from our pores as they're supposed to. That same tub ring that you have to scrub (when water is hard), those same spots on the dishes caused by hardness (calcium).. that's the effect that calcium has on our skin.. and all things it comes in contact with.
  • 0
    Stace Carpenter
    Also.. if you were still using the abundant amount of soap and detergents you were before (recommended usage is for hard water users only)....that's complete overkill. Therefore, you'll have spots and such due to not cutting back on the amount of soap you use.. or possibly, since this world is far from perfect.. maybe the valve needed to be adjusted a little (free service call covered by unparalleled warranty), just a thought.
  • 0
    Sheryl Leonard
    Hey was anyone else told to tell home depot (if they contacted you) that you didn't get a unit (Kinetico water softner), that you didn't get one.
    Kinetico cutting them out of their agreement, to display unit and share commission for the leeds?

    Curious
    Sheryl Leonard
  • 0
    Buzzy
    The Kentico system itself is a great unit. The only concern for you should be about who can service the unit after it has been sold and installed. Kentico has limited companies who can instal and service thses units and if they do not have a contract with Kentico corporate they can not get parts or manuals. In my area in Tampa we have Superior Water conditioning company and they do not live up to the name. They have terrible customer service, over charge and the techs do not have the knowledge needed to fix these units properly which will result in multiple trips back out aka mutiple service charges. Just be sure to do your home work on the install company not Kentico before you buy.
  • 0
    Vicki
    My parents bought the Kinetico system for their well water. They came out and installed the system. They had problems with their water from the getgo. Come to find out they installed a city water system.  They did absolutely nothing. My parents called and called and called. The best they would do would be to charge my parents $4000.00 which my parents paid cash up front for the first one! Now another 4000. They could not wait for good drinking and bathing water they had to buy from someone else. Trouble company! I hope this helps other people.
  • 0
    Cobacon
    How come with Kenitico you cannot find any spec info on their site for models and pricing. Was told they have a new model called a Q850, can find nothing on this.
    The corporate site really has very little information on it. You can only get it from a Kenitico rep?
    I think I know the answers but am curious what others have experienced.
    You just can't even seem to get straight answers from the reps...
  • 0
    Mark Z
    They must have screwed Ben and not invited him to the top salesman party in Vegas.  Find me a major company that doesn't love to see people ask the finance question.  I know, go buy components and install it yourself.  Sounds good, but it doesn't work for everyone.  So what brand do you sell and install today?  Oh I know generic components that people probably wont' be able to replace even if they have to, because no one will be able to find the parts later as the manufacturer goes out of business or sells off the product line.  I'm about to buy a Kinetico system (not a softener) in part because the guy was genuine, honest and is only selling me what I want.  Unlike all the other independents who seem to get frustrated if you want to get something that they're not use to selling.  I guess I should have expected all this negative stuff since the site is called "Complaint Wire"
  • 0
    vijaya
    Thank you - for the information I almost had them come home now I know what to do- noway kinectico

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